Reflective Skills Research Articles

Assessment Tool of Portfolios: Enhancing Primary School Students' English Reading Proficiency

This study aims to explore the use of portfolios as an assessment tool to enhance primary school students' English reading proficiency. Portfolio assessment offers a more comprehensive and continuous approach compared to traditional assessment methods, which tend to measure students' abilities at a single point in time. By using portfolios, teachers can collect various types of student work that demonstrate their progress and understanding in reading, such as book summaries, text analyses, and personal reflections. This research employs a qualitative method. Data is collected through classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and analysis of students' portfolio documents. The findings indicate that using portfolios as an assessment tool provides several significant benefits. First, portfolios allow for a more holistic evaluation of students' reading abilities, encompassing various aspects such as text comprehension, critical analysis, and reflective skills. Second, portfolios offer students the opportunity to see and recognize their own progress, which can boost their motivation and confidence in learning. Overall, this study concludes that portfolios are an effective assessment tool for enhancing primary school students' reading proficiency in English. The use of portfolios not only aids in more comprehensive assessment but also supports deeper and more sustained development of reading skills. Therefore, it is recommended that schools and educators consider integrating portfolios into their English teaching curriculum.

Students’ experiences with a hybrid learning environment in nursing homes: A qualitative study

AimThe aim of this study is to explore how students experience learning in a hybrid learning environment in a nursing home setting and their perceptions of relationship-centred care. BackgroundNursing homes are undergoing a culture shift from task-centred care to person- and relationship-centred care, requiring a different approach to how nursing home staff work and are educated. Hybrid learning environments aim to educate professionals who continuously work on their professional development by integrating and merging learning and working to facilitate the culture shift. DesignAn exploratory qualitative study design was used. The setting were nursing home wards organised according to a hybrid learning environment located in the Netherlands. Participants were students in two-year training for nurse assistants, three-year training for certified nurse assistants, or four-year training for vocationally trained registered nurses. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Data were analysed using direct content analysis. ResultsAnalysis revealed three themes regarding how students experienced learning in the hybrid learning environment: 1) design of the learning process, 2) disconnection between working and learning and 3) learning resources. Regarding how learning in the hybrid learning environment influences students’ perceptions of relationship-centred care analyses revealed two themes: 1) recognising the essence of relationship-centred care and 2) overstaffing and student–resident interaction. ConclusionsThe hybrid learning environment in a nursing home setting remains underdeveloped. By considering some improvement points (e.g., clarity of the role of work supervisor and students’ awareness of learning while executing daily tasks), the hybrid learning environment can promote a shift from working task-centred to working relationship-centred. Additionally, students must grasp the essence of the concept of relationship-centred care and need support in developing reflection skills to provide it.

Higher Education and Citizen Skills

Purpose: Reflect on the importance and impact of citizenship competencies in higher education, taking into account various aspects in society and the world at a political, economic and social level. Methodology: The methodology of the article is based on the reflective qualitative method. Sánchez Silva (2005) defines it as follows: “The reflective tradition privileges values, norms and creates patterns of behavior that favor an analytical and critical attitude aimed at reviewing and evaluating ideas, assumptions, theories and conventional methods” (p.116). ). Furthermore, according to Edmund Husserl (cited by Menéndez, 2012), reflection is fundamental in phenomenology, being one of its main tasks to analyze experiences in an organized way. Results and Conclusions: The integration of citizenship competencies in higher education is essential to develop critical and reflective thinking skills in students, as well as deep awareness and social responsibility. Students not only learn to critically analyze and evaluate information, but also prepare to actively participate in civic and democratic life. This includes the ability to make informed decisions, value diversity and participate in democratic processes, which strengthens social cohesion and promotes more just and equitable communities. Implications: This research provides implications for educational and government policies to continue strengthening Citizen Competencies policies in higher education institutions. Originality/value: This research offers novelty by reflecting on how public policies impact citizen competencies in higher education.

An Interactive Electronic Program Based on the Aesthetic Approach for Developing Reflective Writing Skills Among Secondary School Students

An Interactive Electronic Program Based on the Aesthetic Approach for Developing Reflective Writing Skills Among Secondary School Students

Educator experiences with postgraduate psychology students exhibiting professional competence issues

ABSTRACT Psychology training programs emphasize competencies like professional behavior, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence. Some students, known as students with problems of professional competence (SPPC), struggle in these areas. This study explored SPPC characteristics and educator experiences in managing them through semi-structured interviews with twelve Australian psychology educators. Thematic analysis revealed that SPPC often struggle with professional attitudes, feedback integration, reflective skills, and mental health, placing demands on resources and contributing to educator stress. The role of educators as gatekeepers, assessors, and evaluators also raises concerns about maintaining ethical standards. Findings highlight the need for better understanding, support, and strategies for managing SPPC to uphold ethical standards.

What does inclusion look like within an experiential teaching and assessing reflective learning model? Utilising authentic assessment to foster shared social membership

ABSTRACT The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights calls for accessible higher education (HE), stating that it is necessary for the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity. Within this context, our research is centred on the Aristotelian principles of equity and fairness. To achieve these outcomes, our completed, Stage One research (2008–2019, 5603 participants), took place inside the university context and focused on designing out identified barriers to access and participation in mandatory assessment tasks for all students, including those with a disability. Building on our Stage One learnings and to generate increased inclusion, Stage Two involved the development of authentic HE assessment tasks which generate external , reflective, and inclusive practitioners who value shared social membership. This research seeks to support and strengthen the core philosophy of HE and the guiding principles of the participating university, Queensland University of Technology, which state: ‘ … the real world asks us … to guide it towards collective benefit.’ To achieve these outcomes, this university ‘ … partners with students to develop their self-knowledge, professional integrity and ethical leadership to enable them to become … global citizens who create positive social change’. This Stage Two research has been facilitated by the unique, author created integration of the Teaching and Assessing of Reflective Learning Model and the Experiential Learning Model (TARLEM). TARLEM focuses simultaneously on developing discipline-based content, the mastery of reflective practice skills, and an understanding of the reason for the task in terms of the social impacts of international business decision-making. The cross-cultural, cross-discipline and online/on campus participants are enrolled students in a UG IBU degree (622 responses).e

Building Inclusive Narratives: Methodological Strategies for Creating Stories in Teacher Trainingand University Outreach

The presented methodological and interdisciplinary experience implies a synergy between teaching and university extension at the National University of Costa Rica. The main purpose is to develop learning experiences that foster collaboration, recognition of diversity, and disciplinary encounters in initial teacher education. A total of 48 fourth-level students in Special Education and third-level students in Preschool Education, organized into 12 mixed groups of four individuals each, participated in this initiative along with academic-extensionists from the project "Literacy: A perspective for the construction of inclusive reading environments". The pedagogical proposal is based on the methodology systematized by teacher Oscar Jara, but it is adapted and enriched through three key moments: the initial experience of training in "creating inclusive stories", the interdisciplinary itinerary, and the resulting reflections. During six in-person pedagogical meetings at UNA, aspects of language development were addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective, with an emphasis on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The result was the creation of 12 inclusive stories, developed according to the principles of UDL. Through workshop dynamics and reflections, the feelings and thoughts of the participants were reconstructed, thus enriching the initial teacher training experience with an interdisciplinary approach. It is worth noting that this experience enhances the formation of the professional profile, promoting reflective skills, respect, dialogue, and joint construction, in line with regulations on inclusive education and early childhood. In conclusion, this initiative demonstrates how university teaching can promote the training of future professionals committed to inclusion and respect for diversity, through interdisciplinary approaches that foster a deeper and more coherent pedagogical practice with the current demands of the educational field.

Effectiveness of artificial intelligence integration in design-based learning on design thinking mindset, creative and reflective thinking skills: An experimental study

Effectiveness of artificial intelligence integration in design-based learning on design thinking mindset, creative and reflective thinking skills: An experimental study

FORMS OF EDUCATIONAL PROCESS ORGANIZATION IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE

The review article identifies and characterizes the current state and peculiarities of the organization of the educational process in preschool educational institutions in the context of the crisis in Ukraine. The normative documents regulating the specifics of preschool education institutions are analyzed. The challenges in organizing the educational process in various forms are substantiated. The features of implementing various forms of preschool education under the legal regime of martial law are characterized. The issues of organizing the educational process in preschool education institutions in the new realities are analyzed in detail, the lack of systematic research and the novelty of the problem of the mixed form of organization of preschool education in the context of the crisis in Ukraine are established. The author identifies barriers to the organization of educational activities in the context of the crisis in Ukraine. The author presents statistical data from the operational information of the departments of education of the regional military administrations as of February 15, 2024, on the organization of the educational process in preschool education institutions in various forms of education, the number of children covered by preschool education and the human resources of teachers. It is noted that an important place in the new realities should be occupied by rethinking the system of methodological work. The formation of teachers' reflective skills, training of a teacher-facilitator who ensures successful communication between all participants in the educational process, helps parents and guides their actions, enabling them to act independently and supporting their desire for self-realization, self-improvement, and self-development should come to the fore. This is one of the main challenges of organizing the educational process during martial law. The organization of the educational process cannot have a rigid construct of planning and organization and must be replaced by a flexible response to the "live" situation, taking into account the real needs and interests of children, which is now a necessity. In the article, the author notes that teaching teams should act more independently and responsibly, realizing all the risks in the specific conditions in which they have to work, meaningfully assessing their potential and resources to preserve the life and health of all participants in the educational process and implement the State Standard. Partnering with parents is one of the most important conditions for organizing the educational process in the context of the crisis in Ukraine.

Project-Based Learning as a Catalyst for Developing Reflective Thinking in Students

Project-based learning serves as an effective method for fostering reflective thinking among students. This research examines the impact of project-based learning on the development of reflective skills in higher education students. The study analyzes the fundamental principles and methods of project-based learning and their correlation with the development of reflective thinking. It emphasizes that project-based learning offers students the opportunity not only to acquire theoretical knowledge but also to apply it in practice, thereby enhancing their understanding of the material. Special attention is given to the process of reflection, including self-analysis, self-assessment, and self-correction, which are integral parts of project-based activities. The methods for stimulating students' reflective thinking within the context of the learning process are discussed. The significance of these skills for students' successful adaptation to the rapidly changing world and professional careers is underscored, as they train students in critical thinking, self-analysis, and continuous self-improvement.

Psychosocial experiences of clinicians providing care for children with severe neurological impairment.

To investigate clinicians' psychosocial experiences navigating interdisciplinary care for children with severe neurological impairment (SNI), for example children with a developmental epileptic encephalopathy; secondarily, to identify preferences for future interventions to support clinicians caring for children with SNI. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with interdisciplinary clinicians by using a purposeful sampling recruitment strategy. Twenty-four participants with expertise caring for children with SNI completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews. We transcribed the interviews, de-identified them, and performed inductive thematic analysis. Thematic analysis elicited interrelated themes. Clinicians experienced immense professional barriers providing patient-centred care across fragmented healthcare contexts. Physical, emotional, and psychological impacts were attributed to inadequate reflective practice training and a paucity of integrated resources to support clinicians over time. Multipronged strategies were prioritized by clinicians, incorporating psychoeducation, interdisciplinary peer mentorship, and psychological resources to build reflective practice skills for clinicians providing complex care in an advancing era of medicine. This study provides novel and in-depth insight into clinicians' experiences navigating care for children with SNI. The results will be used to inform future integrated and multipronged co-developed resources tailored for clinicians, on the basis of their recommendations.

CONCEPTUAL THEORIES OF THE FORMATION OF REFLECTIVE SKILLS IN A FUTURE TEACHER

The article examines the conceptual foundations of the formation of a teacher's reflective skills. Reflective skills are defined as an important component of professional competence, which consists of the ability to comprehend and analyze one's pedagogical activity with the aim of improving it and adapting it to the needs of primary school students and the educational environment. The purpose of the study was to theoretically substantiate the conceptual foundations for the formation of a teacher's reflective skills. The authors analyzed the theories of John Dewey, David Kolb, Donald Schön, Lawrence Kohlberg and James Rest, Graham Gibbs, Albert Bandura, and the concept of critical reflection. The analysis of the theories demonstrates that a teacher's reflective skills are a multifaceted and dynamic process that includes self-analysis, critical thinking, and continuous professional development, and have a number of stages in their formation. The formation of reflective skills requires awareness, readiness for change, and a desire for continuous improvement of pedagogical practice. The importance of forming reflective skills in future teachers to enhance a teacher's professional competence in an inclusive environment is particularly relevant, as it contributes to improving the quality of the educational process and creating a supportive and equitable educational environment for all primary school students.

Business of Medicine: Developing Leaders in Academic Medicine and Learning Health Systems.

To develop healthcare professionals as clinical leaders in academic medicine and learning health system; and uncover organizational barriers, as well as pathways and practices to facilitate career growth and professional fulfillment. The Department of Medicine strategic plan efforts prompted the development of a business of medicine program informed by a needs assessment and realignment between academic departments and the healthcare system. The business of medicine leadership program launched in 2017. This descriptive case study presents its 5th year evaluation. Competencies were included from the Physician MBA program and from specific departmental needs and goals. The program hosted a total of 102 clinical faculty. We had a 37% response rate of those retained at Indiana University School of Medicine. Overall, responses conveyed a positive experience in the course. Over 80% of participants felt that they gained skills in professional reflection, professional socialization, goal orientation, critical thinking, and commitment to profession. Financial literacy was overwhelmingly the skill that was reported to be the most valuable. Finance and accounting were mentioned as the most difficult concepts to understand. Familiar concepts included communication, LEAN, and wellness related topics. One hundred percent of participants said they are utilizing the skills gained in this program in their current role and that they would recommend the course to others. Business of medicine courses are more common now with programs describing elements informed by health system operations. However, few programs incorporate aspects of wellness, equity, diversity, inclusion, and health equity. Our program makes the case for multiple ways to develop inclusive leaders through a focused five-month program. It also recognizes that to really impact the learning health system, health professionals need leadership development and leaders suited to work alongside career administrators, all aiming towards a common goal of equitable patient-centered care.

Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah (PBL) Terhadap Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Mahasiswa Kimia

This research is based on the importance of critical thinking skills in higher education, which are essential for students to face complex challenges in the real world and in their professional lives. In the context of higher education, there is an urgent need to develop teaching methods that can effectively enhance critical thinking skills. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) has been proposed as one of the effective methods for this purpose. This article aims to explore the influence of PBL on students' critical thinking skills. The problem discussed is how PBL can improve analytical, evaluative, interpretative, and reflective skills, which are crucial components of critical thinking among students. The method used is a literature review of various relevant studies, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and longitudinal studies, by collecting data from research that assesses the effectiveness of PBL in the context of higher education. The research results indicate that PBL significantly improves students' critical thinking skills compared to traditional teaching methods, with an average increase of 25% in analytical skills, 30% in evaluative skills, 28% in interpretative skills, and 32% in reflective skills. Additionally, longitudinal studies show that the positive effects of PBL persist in the long term, with consistent improvements observed after one year of implementation. The conclusion of this article is that Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an effective method to enhance students' critical thinking skills and prepare them to face complex challenges in the real world.

Literature Review on The Use of Cloud-Based Learning for Islamic Religious Education

Cloud-based learning shows a significant impact on Islamic religious education, especially in the use of Google Classroom. Several studies have examined the effectiveness of cloud-based learning programs in developing reflective thinking skills and increasing student learning motivation in Islamic religious education. In addition, the application of Google Classroom for distance learning has overcome problems related to the number of students in Islamic religious education subjects. The research also explores the use of cloud technology and ICT tools to improve the teaching of Islamic religious education and support personalized learning trajectories for students. Overall, the literature highlights the transformative potential of cloud-based learning and technology to revolutionize the learning experience in Islamic religious education. This research uses a systematic and comprehensive literature study method to analyze books, scientific articles and related sources that are relevant to the topic of cloud-based learning in the use of Google Classroom for Islamic religious education. The methodological framework includes the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for the identification and selection of eligible studies, as well as the use of well-known research quality assessment tools. Analysis results are synthesized to produce reports that are informative, well-organized, and context-rich.

The Effect of Reflective Journal Writing on Moroccan EFL Master Students’ Reflective Thinking: A Mixed Methods Study

Reflective thinking is one of the transferable skills necessary for academic and professional success. Therefore, stimulating English as a foreign language (EFL) students’ reflective skills is undoubtedly important. Reflective journal writing is a pedagogical strategy proposed to help students build their reflective potential. Although previous research investigated the effect of this strategy on the development of students’ reflective skills, there are inconsistent conclusions regarding its effectiveness. Also, limited research has investigated this issue in relation to EFL students in the Moroccan context, specifically in higher education. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of reflective journal writing in improving EFL master students reflective thinking. A convergent mixed methods approach associated with a quasi-experimental design was adopted. To collect quantitative and qualitative data, Kember, Leung, et al (2000) Reflective Thinking Questionnaire and reflective journal writing were used, respectively. A purposive sample of 69 EFL master students, including two intact groups, took part in the study. They were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 39) and control groups (n = 30). Quantitative results and qualitative findings revealed that the experimental group, after using reflective journals, has significantly developed reflective thinking compared to the control group. Also, a statistically significant change over time in the experimental group level of reflective thinking was observed. As it can be inferred, reflective journal writing is an effective strategy which could be used to help EFL students engage in a reflective reasoning. Accordingly, the results of this study encourage the formalization of reflective practice as a didactic approach to stimulate EFL students’ reflective thinking at the tertiary level.

Classification of reflective writing: A comparative analysis with shallow machine learning and pre-trained language models

AbstractReflective practice holds critical importance, for example, in higher education and teacher education, yet promoting students’ reflective skills has been a persistent challenge. The emergence of revolutionary artificial intelligence technologies, notably in machine learning and large language models, heralds potential breakthroughs in this domain. The current research on analyzing reflective writing hinges on sentence-level classification. Such an approach, however, may fall short of providing a holistic grasp of written reflection. Therefore, this study employs shallow machine learning algorithms and pre-trained language models, namely BERT, RoBERTa, BigBird, and Longformer, with the intention of enhancing the document-level classification accuracy of reflective writings. A dataset of 1,043 reflective writings was collected in a teacher education program at a German university (M = 251.38 words, SD = 143.08 words). Our findings indicated that BigBird and Longformer models significantly outperformed BERT and RoBERTa, achieving classification accuracies of 76.26% and 77.22%, respectively, with less than 60% accuracy observed in shallow machine learning models. The outcomes of this study contribute to refining document-level classification of reflective writings and have implications for augmenting automated feedback mechanisms in teacher education.

Learning to observe art to better understand the patients: A pilot study

ObjectivesWe describe an artwork observation training program proposed to the first-year psychiatry residents in the school of medicine of Montpellier-Nîmes (Université de Montpellier). This course aimed at improving the ability to observe, tolerate ambiguity in healthcare, work as a team, communicate, and develop empathy. We also evaluated the impact of this program on the enhancement of emotional and communication skills in a pilot study. Materials and methodsThe artwork observation program based on Visual Thinking Strategies consisted of three sessions of ninety minutes involving two groups of eight medical students. First-year volunteer psychiatry residents were recruited. Before the sessions participants completed the Groningen Reflection ability Scale to evaluate reflection skills. Then, all the participants examined paintings and drawings of the Atger collection, were encouraged to observe carefully, and to engage in active group discussion by means of a structured questioning. Following the session, participants responded to a short survey to assess potential improvement of socio-emotional and communication skills. ResultsFifteen psychiatry residents participated in the pilot study, eight were males. The median age was twenty-five years. The artwork observation program was well accepted by the participants. All the respondents reported improvement of emotional and communication skills, except regarding three empathy items, including the ability to feel the suffering of others which was increased only for 62% of respondents. DiscussionOur program relying on Visual Thinking Strategies may improve the ability to observe carefully, to perceive the mental states of others, and to tolerate uncertainty. Training of such skills may encourage the adoption of self-reflective attitudes. ConclusionsSuch an artistic innovative program should be extended to undergraduate students in medical curriculum.

Students’ Mathematical Reflective Thinking Ability in Solving System of Linear Equations in Two Variables Problems

Mathematical reflective thinking ability is one of the higher-level abilities that can support other mathematical thinking skills. Therefore, ensuring students have good mathematical reflective thinking skills is essential. This study aimed to analyze students' mathematical reflective thinking skills (KBRMS) on the material of a two-variable linear equation system (SPLDV). This research approach is qualitative with a phenomenological type. Data collection techniques were carried out through reflective thinking skills tests and interviews. The study subjects were grade VIII junior high school students who had studied SPLDV material using purposive sampling techniques. Data analysis techniques in this study are data reduction, data display, conclusions, and verification. This mathematical reflective thinking ability analysis is based on indicators of mathematical reflective thinking ability, namely reacting, elaborating, and contemplating. The results of this study show that students can master reacting and elaborating indicators when faced with problems they usually encounter. In contrast, for contemplating indicators, students still experience difficulties when faced with problems different from those traditionally exemplified, such as difficulties in understanding problems and determining the concept of the material used. Based on this, it is shown that students' mathematical reflective thinking skills have not been fulfilled optimally.

Emotional reflection as a factor of improving quality of foreign language teaching at school.

The article deals with the problem of reflexive skills formation in schoolchildren in a foreign language lesson at school; it substantiates the importance of their formation for the cognitive and communicative activity of students; it also describes the ways of developing reflexive skills in schoolchildren in a foreign language lesson, reveals the functions of reflection in the educational process in a foreign language, provides a list of types of reflection. A detailed description of the student’s emotional reflection is given and teaching methods aimed at the formation of emotional reflection skills at different educational levels in school foreign language education are proposed; criteria and indicators of the formation of students’ emotional reflection skills by means of a foreign language are revealed.