My Reflective Practice as Research

This article presents the findings of a case study involving 31 English language teacher-learners who took part in a three-week professional development (PD) project at a state university in Ecuador. The purpose of this case study was twofold. It attempted to measure the extent to which the participants were able to increase their understanding of (1) reflective practice (RP) and (2) action research (AR) by attending the PD project. The data were gathered quantitatively and qualitatively using four instruments: a pre-/post-training questionnaire on the participants’ understanding of RP and AR, a pre/post-training task on types of reflection, and an action research poster reflection form. The findings revealed that the teacher-learners deepened their knowledge and understanding of RP through the project; however, they did not increase their knowledge of AR. The article discusses the possible reasons for these results and provides implications for future teacher-training provision.

This first article—of two—is in three parts. First, it discusses the important role of reflective learning in the modern practice of mental health practitioners, and summarises the relevance of national policies for reflective clinical practice. Second, it highlights the benefits that regular and structured reflection on clinical experiences might have for the professional development of nurses and healthcare assistants working on inpatient mental health wards. Finally, this paper argues for an incorporation of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles into the reflective learning process. The second article will build on this, and evaluate the clinical effectiveness of the CBT-integrated model of reflective practice.

Reflective practice has long been associated with enhancing professional knowledge and practice. This paper considers reflective practice in the context of a collaborative policing research partnership conducted almost 10 years ago using a personal electronic diary kept for the duration of the research project. The paper draws on the notion of ‘reflection-in-action’ – that is, reflecting tacitly, ‘in the moment’ as we survey and consider a situation; and ‘reflection-on-action’ – a process of reflection that takes place after the event. The paper argues that a journal can be a useful tool, not only for documenting events and activity but as a way of critically reflecting on your research experience and acknowledging the assumptions, relationships and influences embedded in that experience. The journal has been transformative in that it has allowed me to actively engage with a previously lived research experience and reinterpret that experience in a new context. This has been the value of the research journal: recognising that new lessons are learned and relearned from old practices.

Interactive orals are emerging in prominence as an authentic assessment method, accelerated by an increase in online learning from the COVID-19 pandemic. Limited studies have considered the potential of interactive oral assessments to cultivate professional identity through reflective processes. This paper explores how interactive orals stimulate students to engage in reflective practices and in turn, how critical reflective practices influence the formation of professional identity. Findings revealed interactive oral assessments stimulate high levels of engagement in reflective practices. Goal relevance is critical for encouraging engagement in reflective processes through interactive orals. Reflective processes were stimulated through a double loop learning approach, whereby encouraging students to critically identify their desired identity as a professional in the tourism and hospitality sector, encouraged deeper reflective processes. A conceptual model is proposed along with pedagogical suggestions for further assessment of the efficacy of interactive orals for enhancing graduate outcomes in tourism and hospitality education.

This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of male and female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers regarding using reflective practice as a professional development tool and the obstacles that hinder them from adopting reflective practice. To achieve this, a quantitative approach was employed to collect data. A questionnaire with a study sample of 73 teachers was utilized as a research instrument. The findings showed that EFL teachers have positive perceptions towards reflective practice in general and that they believe it is a helpful tool to enhance their professional development. However, it was evident from the data that teachers rarely implemented the reflective tools such as reflective journal, lesson reports, and peer observation. Female EFL teachers were found to be more involved in reflective practice than male teachers. The results also revealed that the biggest obstacle that hinder EFL teachers from utilizing reflective practice was related to the institution fixed policies. Based on these findings, this study provides some implications and recommendation that will hopefully foster Saudi EFL teachers understanding and use of reflective practice.

Three teacher educators worked at a US community college with two adult education staff on a grant-supported project bridging high school dropouts from adult education to employment. The teacher educators’ apparently simple task of facilitating grant participants’ engagement with action research became confusingly challenging. The consultants engaged in ‘second-order’ action research to frame their process of reflective practice, thus deepening their understanding of the project’s complexity, the marginalization of adult education, and their adult education colleagues’ and other grant participants’ reflective practice. This shift in understanding, powered by their continuing reflective practice, precipitated a transformation of their theoretical framework. They moved from questioning the nature of their roles to a more complex understanding of their experience and identity as movement among and within overlapping communities of 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.

The purpose of this paper was to assess the nature of reflective practice and emotional intelligence in tutorial settings. Following the completion of a self-report measure of emotional intelligence, practitioners incorporated a model of reflective practice into their tutorial sessions. Practitioners were instructed to utilise reflective practice and emotional intelligence with their students during weekly tutorials for three weeks. It was postulated that a relationship between reflective practice and emotional intelligence would emerge. Results indicated that reflective practice enabled practitioners to enhance their emotional intelligence skills, specifically self-awareness. In addition, focus group interviews identified that practitioners adopted a range of strategies to increase their own emotional intelligence skills and improve reflective practice. Considerations for future investigations would include a longitudinal design that would use semi-structured interviews to enable deeper understanding of reflective practice and emotional intelligence.

Purpose of the study: this research intends to explore how reflective practice is being perceived and applied within an elite English football academy setting. Specifically, it aims to investigate how key staff, working as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), interpret and implement The FA’s Plan-Do-Review model. Furthermore, how do academies mobilise reflective practice according to the values and unique cultural environment of the Club under the auspices of the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP). Methodology: The study used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews involving twelve MDT members. Moon’s Model of Reflection and The FA’s Plan-Do-Review framework guided thematic analysis using manual coding. Main Findings: Findings indicate that 1) There is a disconnect between the understanding and learning of reflective practice through coach education courses and its application within the real world. 2) Reflective practice should be nurtured and developed through strong networks and interprofessional collaboration, utilising communities of practice and mentoring relationships both in and outside the work environment. 3) The different disciplines working within an MDT will engage in reflection to varying depths and levels. Rather than viewing reflection on a hierarchical scale, the level and method of reflection should be determined by the individual, their experiences, and the context. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study provides empirical insight into real-world reflective practice among sports professionals, offering a novel multidisciplinary perspective and practical recommendations for coach education and academy policy.

This chapter examines reflective inquiry within occupational therapy as it applies to professional practice. Taking a historical perspective, we examine how, over the years, leaders of the occupational therapy profession reflected on the profession’s focus, development, and unique response to societal needs and demands. The words of various leaders depict how the reflective processes have shaped the profession. Following these discussions of the nature of reflective inquiry in occupational therapy, we move to describing how reflective inquiry is embedded in the profession’s educational standards, the requirements for continuing competency as formalized by professional standards and credentialing. Various approaches to teaching reflective practices in pre-professional, fieldwork and practice arenas are described. We conclude with an analysis of the threats to reflective practice and thoughts of how the profession can respond to these threats to ensure that reflective inquiry will continue to be an integral part of occupational therapy.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand how to improve librarians’ skills, using an active and reflective participative process, to develop a university e-book service. This research involved librarians who could not participate in a formal learning course and explored the possibility of improving their skills with e-books by means of informal and non-formal learning.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative methodology framework, the research was a participatory action research (PAR) study, utilizing a recurrent five-phase cycle – analysis, plan, action, evaluation, reflection/sharing – that joins research and reflective practice in action. Each phase has been discussed by categories defined from the gathered data, highlighting the evidence of participants’ contributions, to analyse the situation, plan and carry out interventions, and evaluate outcomes. Participants suggested and put into action informal and non-formal methods of learning to develop e-book skills that they named and included in broader categories such as technical, content selection, purchase and management and use.FindingsParticipants increased their awareness of the topic, and the PAR process also contributed to their personal development. PAR is recommended as a research process that fosters learning outcomes, as well as personal and professional development.Originality/valuePAR has been applied in the Italian academic setting to understand how librarians can develop skills in e-book services through informal and non-formal learning methods.

Developing coaches as reflective practitioners is a key tenet of coach education frameworks, with coach developers playing a significant role in facilitating reflection. Consequently, the aim of this research was to explore the exercises, mechanisms, and challenges coach developers utilise and face when facilitating reflective practice within formal coach education. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six active coach developers within an Irish sport governing body (SGB), with transcripts subject to a reflexive thematic analysis process. Findings indicated that while coach developers’ understanding and conceptualisation of reflective practice varied, they each attempted to facilitate reflection through similar pedagogical practices. Specifically, coach developers’ roles included adapting sessions to utilise learning opportunities, addressing the needs of coaches struggling with reflective practice mechanisms, and active engagement through prompts and feedback. While the relationship between the coach developer and coach was deemed significant in facilitating reflection, time constraints were highlighted as a major challenge when seeking to enable meaningful reflection. Furthermore, learners’ motivations for, and attitudes towards, coach education influenced their engagement in reflective discussions. This research adds to the growing body of literature on coach developers by specifically highlighting the practical demands they face in facilitating reflective practice.

Action research is a powerful tool for teachers to engage in reflective practice and drive educational improvement in addressing context-specific issues within schools. While action has been widely recognized as a valuable tool for improving teaching practices, there remains a limited understanding of the specific motivations, challenges, and difficulties teachers face in conducting action research, particularly in the context of public schools in the Philippines. Existing studies often focus on quantitative data, leaving a gap in narrative-driven, teacher-centered insights. This study explored the motivations, challenges, and difficulties of teachers at Isulan National High School (INHS) face when conducting action research. A narrative research design was employed to capture in-depth responses, with data collected through semistructured interviews. Five teachers were selected using purposive sampling to represent various positions, including Teacher I to Master Teacher II. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers are primarily motivated by a desire for positive change, real-world engagement, skill enhancement and personal growth, collaboration, and adaptability in addressing educational challenges and improving pedagogical practices. However, significant challenges hinder their ability to conduct action research effectively. These include time constraints due to heavy workloads, resistance to change from colleagues and administrators, sustainability issues in implementing research findings, negative perceptions and attitudes toward research activities, and a lack of conceptual knowledge about research methodologies. Despite these barriers, participants believed that action research is vital for professional development. It provides opportunities for skill enhancement, critical reflection, self-improvement, and exploration of innovative strategies to impact teaching and learning positively. Furthermore, the study recommends the need for targeted professional development programs, improved resource allocation, and the establishment of a supportive research culture. These measures are essential to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of action research in enhancing educational practices at INHS.

While many architectural design curricula have been framed within real-life hypothetical contexts, there has been an emerging trend towards design-build projects within or outside of the formal curriculum. This paper presents a longitudinal case study of a design-build project undertaken by Year 1 architecture students in a Malaysian private university which started from 2022. Framed within the purpose learning educational philosophy, this project is an Urban Placemaking project for suburban community farms involving the local council, communities, and approximately 100 students from Year 1 architecture design studio. As new students of architecture, the students were involved in designing and building 5–6 real life bamboo structures within suburban community farms. Placemaking is not a single-disciplined approach. In the My Bamboo project, architecture students collaborated with students from mass communication, events, and marketing. The project targets neighborhoods and places in need of improvement and works with them to create or re-create “places”. Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG) to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, this urban placemaking project advocates for socially inclusive and accessible urban spaces to build a strong sense of belonging and community spirit, and to improve neighbours’ wellbeing. Adopting survey and reflective practice, the findings suggest the changing role of the educator in curating an urban placemaking project within the curricular. Despite myriad of challenges, students were found to be highly engaged in impact-driven community-based projects realizing that even a year 1 student can play an active role in place creation. In addition, the multidisciplinary approach to placemaking reinforces the blurring of boundaries between disciplines, emphasizing that the creation of places is a collaborative act.

Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory highlights critical reflection and rational discourse as essential for adult learning. This study examines the culturally shaped reflective practices of 15 Chinese tutoring industry leaders as they navigated the dual crises of COVID-19 and the national ban on after-school subject tutoring. Using a multiple-case study approach, the research identified two culturally grounded strategies that supported leaders’ reflective processes: (1) the use of metaphors and analogies and (2) the integration of historical and philosophical wisdom. Leaders employed metaphors to reinterpret challenges creatively and drew on Confucian, Taoist, Buddhist teachings, and ancient war strategies to make sense of uncertainty. Through these culturally informed reflections, they modified or expanded their frames of reference, fostering resilience in times of crisis. The findings emphasize the importance of cultural influences in transformative learning and advocate for incorporating cultural products to support meaningful reflection in non-Western contexts.