Critical reflection in professional practice

Background: Critical reflection is an essential curricular component for learning from experience that determines placement quality in postsecondary experiential learning placements. However, there are poor empirical connections between the use of critically reflective processes and learning outcomes. Purpose: This research explored reflective processes professionals use in their practice and how these processes compare with the reflective activities postsecondary instructors in professional faculties use during experiential learning. Methodology/Approach: This collective case study used focus group interviews, field notes, and professional grey literature to examine the research questions. Findings/Conclusions: Professional training programs must align their reflective practices with more integrated and holistic models of reflective practice to better mirror the professional skills demanded in professional practice contexts. Professionals in context-laden professional environments should integrate reflective activities into their practice based on emergent, iterative, and cocreative models that are more like their lived realities at work. Reflective practices which better fit and mirror these lived realities may lead to better connections between reflective activities and work outcomes. Implications: Professional environments are complex, dynamic, and affected by contextual factors. New integrated and holistic models of reflective experience should replace the separated, stepwise, or automatic models that have guided reflective practices in the past.

Many studies have demonstrated that critical thinking skill increases the academic achievement (Tumkaya, 2011) and improves problem-solving skills (Bowles, 2000; Kucukguclu and Kanbay, 2011) and that students with high critical thinking scores are more successful in professional practices (Bowles, 2000). In addition to these, critical thinking skills take an important place in terms of nursing education as they enable providing reliable, effective and quality nursing care (Daly, 1998; Oerman, 1998; Paul and Heaslip, 1995). It is observed that university education, which constitutes the step before individuals go into the professional life, does not develop critical thinking skills adequately although it has an important function in the personal and professional lives of individuals (Kanbay et al., 2012, Kanbay and Okanli, 2017). Many studies have shown that critical thinking skills of university students are at a low level (Kantek et al., 2010; Akkus et al., 2010; Arslan et al., 2009; Bulut et al., 2009) or generally at a medium level (Beser and Kissal, 2009; Kucukguclu and Kanbay 2011; Korkmaz, 2009; Sen, 2009; Cetin, 2008; Kanbay et al., 2013). Critical thinking skills enable individuals to question and accept the information and to make effective decisions by developing alternative points of view. In this respect, individuals should gain critical thinking skills to be able to critically approach the information at all stages of education from pre-school education to higher education (Akca and Tasci, 2009). This can only be achieved through an educational system aimed at critical thinking (Kokdemir, 2003). For this reason, critical thinking should be explained and developed in the objectives of higher education programs (Ennis, 1997). Based on this whole literature, critical thinking was thought to have significant effects on nursing education, and the answers to the following questions were sought by planning this study with the aim of determining the development of nursing students’ critical thinking skills and academic achievements during undergraduate education and examining the change of critical thinking skills according to descriptive characteristics. • Do the mean scores of the critical thinking skills of students differ according to the follow-ups? • Do the mean scores of the academic achievement of students differ according to the follow-ups? • Is there a relationship between the mean score of critical thinking and academic achievement score according to the follow-ups? • Does critical thinking skill differ in terms of descriptive characteristics according to the follow-ups?

Objective: Critical thinking is an important skill that sonographers must develop beginning in educational programs and into professional practice. Critical thinking requires students to reflect on information, use judgment skills, and engage in higher levels of thinking, including analysis, interpretation, inference, evaluation, and explanation, to formulate reliable decisions. Methods: Current research related to critical thinking has focused on medicine, nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy, and dental programs, but there has been no description of assessing sonography students. The Dreyfus model has been used as a framework to describe acquired skills that reflects students’ progress from novice to expert clinicians. This model illustrates specific cognitive abilities that students develop as they advance in education. Results: This review of the literature describes critical thinking skills coupled with a framework to understand different levels of cognitive thinking, as well as how it can be assessed. Conclusion: To understand differences between undergraduate sonography students and experts, the Dreyfus model is an excellent model to recognize progression. It can be used with the Health Sciences Reasoning Test, which is a nationally recognized critical thinking examination that can ascertain different levels of health sciences students’ critical thinking skills.

The recommendations of the General Medical Council in Tomorrow's Doctors renewed efforts to define core knowledge in undergraduate medical education. They also encouraged better use of the medical knowledge base in nurturing clinical judgement, critical thinking, and reflective practice. What then does the medical world understand by 'science', 'critical thinking' and 'competence', given the need to address both growth and uncertainty in the knowledge base and to practise evidence-based healthcare? This review aims to outline the role of these key concepts in preparing undergraduate medical students for professional practice. Specifically, it explores: the fallibility of the 'scientific' foundations of medical practice; the role of understanding and thinking in undergraduate medical education; the need for a broad interpretation of competence and its relationship to transferability, and the nature of clinical judgement. Tensions are seen to lie in the varying interpretations of clinical decision making as art or science; the varying characterizations of the nature of skilled performance in the novice, the competent and the expert practitioner, and the varying reactions to the acceptability and usefulness of 'meta-' concepts in capturing the essence of professional practice. Habitual self-conscious monitoring of mental processes may be the key to the flexible transfer and application of knowledge and skills across the contexts, characterized by uncertainty and incomplete evidence, for which doctors must be prepared.

IntroductionThe COVID‐19 pandemic has caused unprecedented stress to the medical education community, potentially worsening problems like burnout and work‐life imbalance that its members have long been grappling with. However, the collective struggle sparked by the pandemic could generate the critical reflection necessary for transforming professional values and practices for the better. In this hermeneutic phenomenological study, we explore how the community is adapting—and even reconceptualising—their personal and professional roles amidst the COVID‐19 crisis.MethodBetween April and October 2020, we conducted 27 (17F, 10M) semi‐structured interviews with medical trainees (8), physicians (8), graduate students (3) and PhD scientists (8) working in medical education in Canada, the United States and Switzerland. Data analysis involved a variety of strategies, including coding for van Manen's four lifeworld existentials, reflexive writing and multiple team meetings.ResultsParticipants experienced grief related to the loss of long‐established personal and professional structures and boundaries, relationships and plans for the future. However, experiences of grief were often conflicting. Some participants also experienced moments of relief, perceiving some losses as metaphorical permissions slips to slow down and focus on their well‐being. In turn, many reflected on the opportunity they were being offered to re‐imagine the nature of their work.DiscussionParticipants' experiences with grief, relief and opportunity resonate with Ratcliffe's account of grief as a process of relearning the world after a significant loss. The dismantling of prior life structures and possibilities incited in participants critical reflection on the nature of the medical education community's professional practices. Participants demonstrated their desire for more flexibility and autonomy in the workplace and a re‐adjustment of the values and expectations inherent to their profession. On both individual and systems levels, the community must ensure that long‐standing calls for wellness and work‐life integration are realised—and persist—after the pandemic is over.

A violent conflict, known as the Anglophone Crisis has been occuring in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon since 2016. This conflict and associated consequences have affected the way healthcare is provided. To help meet the needs of healthcare workers and other service providers, a community of practice called ‘The Forum’ was established using WhatsApp Messenger. This mobile learning group aimed to support, equip, and encourage practitioners to engage in critical thinking skills, enabling them to incorporate ongoing learning into their practice. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to evaluate the experiences of 13 Forum participants through in-depth individual interviews. Four themes were identified: (1) interactive learning to enhance critical thinking; (2) self-regulated learning strategies; (3) WhatsApp as an effective platform to support critical thinking and learning in a conflict zone; and (4) application to practice. This study shows that through participating in The Forum, users engaged in critical thinking on various mental health topics and applied new skills to their professional practice. Impacts of this study include practical implications with recommendations for those looking to develop a collaborative learning community in similar conditions, as well as theoretical contributions.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships among professional self-concept, critical thinking disposition and clinical competence in nursing students. Method: The participants in the study were 505 nursing students, 262 associate degree nursing students and 243 baccalaureate nursing students, all in schools in Gwangju or South Jeonla Province. A questionnaire survey was conducted from April 25 to May 27, 2011. Statistical processing was performed with SPSS 18.0 Version and the data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Scheff test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple stepwise regression. Results: There was a positive correlation among clinical competence and professional self-concept, critical thinking disposition. The most effective factor for clinical competence was professional practice in professional self-concept, followed by prudence and objectivity in critical thinking disposition. The total explanation of clinical competence was 46.2%. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate confirm that professional self-concept and critical thinking disposition have an effect on clinical competence in nursing students. Accordingly in order to improve clinical competence, it is necessary to provide practice environment and educational curriculum that enhance the professional self-concept and critical thinking disposition of nursing students.

How important is being able to express values and meaning at work for professional workers? This article explores how critical reflection can be used by workers to explore how meaning can be expressed as part of professional practice in organizations. The literature suggests that health and human service professionals are increasingly expected to work in uncertain, complex, managerial work environments, which can leave workers feeling unable to act according to their values. The resulting loss of meaning has major implications for the quality of their work, job satisfaction and levels of anxiety. This article focuses on the way critical reflection is used at the Centre for Professional Development at LaTrobe University, Australia. Critical reflection, as defined here, is both a theoretical approach and a two‐stage process for exploring practice. Participants bring a specific experience from their practice to explore in small critical reflection groups. Examples are given of how critical reflection has been used and what participants identify this has meant for them. Overall, the process enabled participants to articulate fundamental values in a way that affirmed the meaning of their practice and increased satisfaction and valuing of their work roles.

Summary form only given. It is well recognized that most engineering, science, and technology programs prepare their students with analytical skills and a knowledge of the discipline. However, most universities profess to value a more holistic purpose, which includes critical thinking, communication skills, cultural awareness and diversity, interpersonal and leadership skills, and helping students develop a meaningful philosophy of life. Unfortunately, while these areas of cognitive development are consistent with changing industrial requirements for the engineering and science professions, research repeatedly shows that few do a very good job of helping students develop these skills. We present a model which utilizes problem based learning and collaborative writing to develop communication and critical thinking skills along with general problem solving skills. The program, Professional Practices in Engineering and Science (PPES), uses semester long mini-projects to integrate curriculum in engineering, English, and the humanities. Preliminary results demonstrating improved student learning in the areas of problem solving, critical thinking, teaming, and communication skills are provided. In addition to the primary learning skills noted above, PPES utilizes Freshmen Interest Groups and mentoring to incorporate general learning skills into the curriculum. Qualitative evidence suggests there is some evidence of an increased motivation for self-responsibility life-long learning, and self-development.

Background Engaging teacher educators in improving the quality of teacher education is an ongoing process internationally. In some countries, there is growing conviction that professional teacher education should be based on research-generated knowledge. This trend has led to reforms in teacher education programmes as well as in teacher educators’ roles and professional practice. Purpose This study explores teacher educators’ understanding of research-based teacher education (RBTE) in Norway and Finland with an emphasis on Norway. Norway introduced RBTE in 2017, while Finland has had experience with this approach since the 1970s. Method The study is qualitative, part of a broader research project involving participants from Norway and Finland. It included in-person interviews with 16 teacher educators in Norway and five in Finland. An asymmetric design was adopted because we were particularly interested in exploring the Norwegian context. The analysis undertaken adhered to the principles of content analysis, identifying and categorising the viewpoints of the teacher educators through a grounded, inductive process. Findings Four data-driven categories emerged: Research-based teaching, comprising teaching methods and the acquisition of professional knowledge; Engagement in research, representing teacher educators’ understanding of student teachers’ participation in research activities; Role of research-based literature, referring to reflections on the use of subject literature; and Critical thinking, describing teacher educators’ assessment of developing a critical and self-reflective mindset when engaging in RBTE. Conclusion The participating teacher educators in both countries shared similar views on the key characteristics of RBTE. They were also generally positive about the role of research in their professional practice and its contribution to fostering critically thinking practitioners. However, the study revealed some tensions among Norwegian teacher educators, due to differing academic backgrounds and the cross-pressure demands of research and teaching.

This study explores the impact of self-recorded video assignments and peer feedback on enhancing critical thinking skills in higher education, specifically within a 4th year "Professional Engineering Ethics and Practice" course. By requiring students to analyze ethical dilemmas through self-recorded videos and engage in constructive peer feedback, the research aims to deepen students' reflection on ethical issues. Data collected from 27 students across two cohorts included grades from video assignments, peer comments, and student evaluations of their critical thinking skills and learning outcomes. The findings indicate a significant improvement in critical thinking skills, as evidenced by higher scores in the second video assignment compared to the first, and positive student perceptions of the learning experience. The research concludes that incorporating self-recorded video assignments and peer feedback can effectively enhance critical thinking and learning in engineering ethics courses, recommending their continued use in future curricula.

Aims: The occupational therapy profession has long proclaimed its commitment to a client-centred philosophy of practice and the assumption that occupational therapists consistently practice in a client-centred manner has become central to the profession's self-image and public rhetoric. However, client-centred practice has been subjected to little critical reflection within the occupational therapy profession. The aim of this paper is to foster critical reflection concerning the authenticity and veracity of the profession's commitment to client-centred practices. Major findings: Client-centred practice is defined without evident reference to clients' perspectives. Few occupational therapy researchers have sought clients' perceptions of the client-centred nature of their occupational therapy services. Occupational therapy research is neither consistently undertaken in a collaborative manner, nor are the profession's theories developed through explicit reference to a diversity of clients' perspectives. Professional practices and service evaluations do not consistently seek clients' viewpoints. Client-centred rhetoric is politically expedient and may be a professionalizing strategy employed to increase status and entrench power. Practice conclusion: Although exemplary client-centred occupational therapy practices exist, evidence suggests that the profession does not adhere consistently to its espoused client-centred principle in all its practices. The client-centred practice of occupational therapy should be subjected to assiduous critical reflection.

The many meanings of theory and practice

The essay as a critical exploring method has been used at the Centre for Practical Knowledge at Nord University since 2000.Graduate students and PhD candidates have used this method to study a perceived challenge in their own professional practice, written as a narrative, and through critical reflection, cultivated new knowledge.In this chapter, we take a retrospective look at the specialisation subject in music performance communication (30 ECTS) that was carried out in the third year of the subject teacher training programme in music in 2008 at Bod University College.Linked to the students' experiences with concerts and interdisciplinary teaching practice, we tried to implement the method in the work on the compulsory bachelor's thesis to strengthen their professional self-understanding.Many years later, we are still concerned with how the approach contributed to the students' learning and personal growth as humans, music communicators, and pedagogues.Our curiosity was piqued by a chance encounter with one of the students, who told us that the subject of music performance communication had meant "everything" to her future development.The study's material is based on document analysis and an interview conversation involving former students and us as teachers.The investigation addresses the following questions: How do students critically reflect on their experiences and processes of change in their work with music performance communication, and what transfer value does this reflexive work have in the development of their professional competence as future music teachers?The purpose is to gain knowledge about the value of essays as a critical exploring method in music communication on both an individual and a collective level, and in the tension between theory and practice.The study shows that systematically working with critical reflection in the encounter with the conventions of the music field, one's own and others' prejudices, emotions, physicality and artistic expression, produces both aesthetic and ethical forms of re cognition that can bring lasting changes to music students' self-understanding on both a personal and a professional level.

Neste artigo, apresenta-se a tese de que há necessidade de trazer para o espaço das organizações e da prática dos profissionais que aí realizam seu trabalho a reflexão crítica que se dá no campo da filosofia. Também se apontam as diferentes dimensões da competência profissional, reconhecendo a ética como dimensão fundante do trabalho de boa qualidade.