Use Of Reflective Practice Research Articles

Reflective practice of early career teachers: identifying and mitigating major instructional challenges

ABSTRACT This paper employs a qualitative research design to determine how early career teachers (ECTs) use reflective practices to identify and mitigate major instructional challenges in the context of Bangladeshi higher education. A questionnaire was given to 20 ECTs working in different universities to collect data on their reflective practices related to instructional challenges. Analysis of the responses of the ECTs to the questionnaire via thematic analysis revealed three major challenges: (a) inadequate logistic support, (b) diversity of students and pedagogical context, and (c) inadequate comprehension of the students. Solutions to these challenges include (a) three levels of collaboration, (b) context-specific measures, and (c) providing interesting and interactive materials. Various levels of reflection include the timing, depth, and content of reflection. The discussion of this paper provides the reasons for these challenges, possible solutions from the past experiences of ECTs and implications for future teaching. Recommendations are also provided for ECTs, administrators, policy-makers, and curriculum developers to ensure more use of reflective practices in preservice and in-service teaching.

The Impact of Reflective Practice on the Wellbeing and Competency of Supervisors and Frontline Staff in a nonprofit Community Youth Mental Health Provider

This study examined the impact of reflective practice consultations on staff in a nonprofit provider of youth mental health services in Calgary, Canada. Three groups of participants completed surveys and qualitative interviews: frontline staff (n = 10) and supervisors (n = 14) who participated in reflective practice consultations, and a control group of supervisors with no additional support (n = 10). Survey results indicated that supervisors who took part in the reflective practice consultations showed quantitative improvements in resilience and reflective practice self-efficacy. Qualitative interviews indicated that establishing trust and safety facilitated use of reflective practice while feeling overworked impeded use of reflective practice.

Partnership between a consumer-led mental health research network and a large mental health research organisation: an Australian mixed methods case study

AimThis paper presents a case study review of an Australian research partnership between an independent mental health lived experience-led research network and an academic organisation established for the research and treatment of disorders of the brain and mind. The aim of the study was to explore the principles and practical requirements needed for a successful partnership that promotes inclusive research practices and power sharing and provide a framework to improve the operationalization of future similar partnerships.MethodsThis study was led and conducted by lived experience researchers. We used a mixed-method approach to data collection for data triangulation. An environmental scan of peer-reviewed and grey literature on mental health research partnerships was conducted, followed by a three-part data collection with members of both organisations. Data collection comprised an online survey, in-depth interviews, and a roundtable discussion to integrate findings and formulate recommendations.Results and ConclusionThis case study explores and describes a missed opportunity of a consumer led mental health research organisation to work successfully with an established mental health research organisation. Poor communication and unclear processes led to unmet expectations on both sides. Findings suggest the use of reflective practice by team members of both partner organisations may have been helpful in identifying further improvements to inclusive research practice, empowering consumers in inclusive mental health research.

Exploring the Use of Reflective Practices among Teachers of English in Nigerian Secondary Schools

Reflective practice has been reported to be effective in enhancing teaching and learning. However, many teachers of English in Nigeria are not aware of it. Thus, this study investigates the awareness and implementation of reflective practices among English language teachers in Nigerian secondary schools. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted and 77 teachers were selected to participate in the study. Data for the study were collected using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The study discovered that most of the respondents have a low level of engagement in reflective practice in their teaching activities. The findings also suggest a lack of awareness of reflective practices among the majority of respondents. Additionally, the study discovered that even those with some awareness of reflective practices rarely followed established steps for incorporating reflection into their teaching. This indicates a significant gap between theoretical knowledge and practice. Thus, the study makes recommendations for professional development programs to familiarize educators with the concept of reflective teaching and its potential impact on instructional effectiveness.

Adapting and applying student-centered learning in a perfusion clinical rotation.

While the process of teaching student perfusionists has been in development since the 1950s, the publication of the processes to improve perfusion clinical education has been largely lacking. Publications regarding education from other allied health and medical fields have shown the value of student-centered learning. The use of reflective practice to move perfusion students from thinking about actions after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to reflecting and reacting on actions during CPB is better encouraged by moving from a teacher-centered to a student-centered clinical model. Our institution's teaching process has developed into a multi-point procedure to make our students into reflective practicing clinicians. Student preceptor evaluations were reversed to allow the students to evaluate themselves first, with feedback from the preceptor given subsequently. Additionally, a biweekly student educational session, where the student chooses a topic and reviews current evidence-based practice, was instituted. The clinical program director serves as the moderator and clinical expert to facilitate problem-based learning during the sessions. Students were also given three skill/experience levels with goals to reach and move through during the rotation. These student levels were also helpful to our preceptors in knowing what each student's skill level was throughout their rotation. Overall, moving from a teacher-centered to a student-centered clinical rotation has helped make students familiar with reflective practice, self-evaluation, evidence-based practice, and problem-based learning. The incorporation of these processes will hopefully lead students to become lifelong reflective perfusionists.

An evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Reflective Practice Group for NHS CAMHS staff

We know more about trauma – and its long-term impact – than ever before. This has led to a demand for services to better recognise the needs of trauma survivors in order to avoid re-traumatisation – a recognition that care needs to be ‘Tmuma-Infimied’. But, making the system-wide shift from ‘what is wrong with you?’ to ‘what has happened to you?’ is no small feat. As such, it is acknowledged that there needs to be effective ways to support staff to deliver competent trauma-informed care. The use of reflective practice is gaining increasing recognition as an exciting opportunity to align the principles of trauma-informed care with day-to-day clinical practice. This article presents the results of an evaluation of a Trauma-Informed Reflective Practice group pilot for staff working in an NHS CAMHS setting. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore their experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Five themes emerged relating to trauma-informed care:-Learning from the voice of lived experience, Translating Knowledge into Practice, Sharing is Caring, Growing in Confidence and Looking to the Future. The results suggest that trauma-informed group reflective practice can pay dividends in terms of supporting trauma-informed care. To build on the findings from this small-scale study, further research is recommended to investigate the impact of trauma-informed reflective practice.

A reflective practice learning experience with higher education exercise physiology students

ABSTRACT Accredited exercise physiologists are higher education qualified health professionals who prescribe exercise as a preventative and treatment modality for individuals diagnosed with chronic conditions. Reflective practice is integral to the exercise physiology discipline, however its integration into curriculum requires further development and research. Utilising clinically based scenarios, final year students (N = 21), participated in a three-week reflective learning experience using the 6 step SPROUT acronym, represented as Situation, Past experiences, Read and refer, Other influences, Understanding and Taking it forward. Students completed the Reflection in Learning Scale (RLS) and responded to questions about confidence. Reflective scripts were reviewed, and clinical supervisors were interviewed. For the RLS, students scored higher on planning, knowledge integration and mental processing and lower for topic interactions, mindful summarising and coping with negative feelings. Students (75%) indicated that they were mostly or very confident in the use of reflective practice. Qualitative responses showed that using SPROUT did reinforce clinical learning. Time constraints and the separateness of higher education from the ‘real world’ were also points of view. Analysis of student scripts revealed a range of developing reflective ability. Supervisors focused on the importance of reflective practice and the contribution, that SPROUT had made to the overall experience.

Using Reflective Practice to Enhance Student Professionalism.

Reflective practice, critically reflecting on one's actions or attitudes to engage in the process of continuous adaptation and learning, has proven to be an effective strategy for improved patient care. Additionally, literature supports applying reflective practice for professional growth in medical providers. When contemplating professionalism training in physician assistant (PA) education, it is important to consider how to obtain buy-in from students. One way to do this is to link professionalism to the students' future career as a PA. The School of Physician Assistant Studies at Pacific University (the Program) created an Online Orientation Reflective Practice Assignment that was implemented during online orientation. Students were prompted to use reflective practice to create detailed "plans for success." The goal of this assignment was to reduce common professionalism missteps students often experienced. Data regarding the number of professionalism encounters per cohort, broken down into occurrences by curricular phase (didactic vs clinical), was tracked and collated using Microsoft® Excel®. The data was analyzed to determine trends. Implementation of the Online Reflective Practice Assignment for all PA students at the beginning of their education has increased student awareness of the Program's, and the profession's, expectations regarding professionalism and accountability. Thus far, the resulting number of professionalism missteps have not decreased year-over-year. We hypothesize that this is due to the difficulty meeting increased administrative expectations and burdens put on students during the pandemic. Students' use of reflective practice to review what went wrong and to create plans to avoid missteps in the future allows them to focus on productive next steps in building their professional identity. Implementation of the Online Orientation Reflective Practice Assignment has better prepared students for the expectations of the PA profession and provided them with a solid foundation to build their professional identity throughout their education and into their careers.

Understanding strategies that foster nurses to act as clinical leaders in hospitals: A realist review.

To identify strategies that develop clinical nursing leadership competencies among staff nurses, and to explain the contextual elements and mechanisms that underpin the development of clinical nursing leadership competencies. Realist review according to the Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses-Evolving Standards (RAMESES). PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, PsycInfo and ProQuest were searched from January 2000 until October 2022. Three iterative phases: (1) development of initial programme theory, (2) structured searches for relevant published and grey literature and (3) data synthesis and interpretation by researchers and theory triangulation, and discussions within the research group. Multiple context-mechanism-outcome configurations were extracted from 10 reports that explain how, under what circumstances and why strategies can facilitate (or discourage) staff nurses to act as clinical leaders. Reports were both quantitative and qualitative in design, originating from English-speaking countries only. A logic model was developed and suggests four contexts and five mechanisms underlying the development of clinical nursing leadership. Growth in clinical nursing leadership was mainly experienced through experiential learning, which was enhanced by a supportive relationship with a coach or mentor, the use of reflective practices and modelling from other leaders. Furthermore, a supportive work environment triggers ownership, confidence and motivation, and thereby growth in clinical nursing leadership competencies. Fostering competencies for clinical leadership among staff nurses requires multifaceted strategies. Strategies are successful if, and only if, they combine learning by doing, by knowing and by observing, and establish a responsive work environment. Hospital policy should ensure that staff nurses have access to reciprocal relationships with role models or a coach. In order to grow as clinical nurse leader, ownership and self-reflection on own leadership behaviour need to be facilitated. Prospero ID CRD42021292290.

Adapt and Overcome: Unraveling the Dynamics of Job Stressors and Coping Mechanisms among Nurses in the UK

This study provides a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted stressors encountered by nurses working within the UK healthcare system and the coping strategies they deploy in response. As the backbone of healthcare provision, nurses confront numerous occupational stressors, exacerbated by the inherent demands of their profession. These stressors range from high patient loads, long working hours, emotional strain, to evolving professional responsibilities. In the face of these challenges, this research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative data analysis with in-depth qualitative interviews to offer an illuminating perspective on the stress-coping patterns among nurses. The findings reveal that while these stressors can have deleterious effects on nurses' physical and mental health, they also possess an impressive array of adaptive strategies, involving a blend of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping techniques. These coping mechanisms span from collegial support, personal resilience building, stress management training, use of reflective practices, to organizational strategies such as balanced rosters and enhanced professional development opportunities. The results underscore the critical role of a supportive work environment and proactive personal initiatives in fostering resilience among nurses, while also shedding light on the need for healthcare systems to better recognize and mitigate the unique stressors experienced by nurses. Importantly, the study advances our understanding of how nurses' stress and coping mechanisms interact in a dynamic and reciprocal manner, offering important implications for healthcare policy, nurse education, and management practices. The research emphasizes that strengthening coping mechanisms and reducing job stressors should be seen as dual priorities to promote nurses' well-being, job satisfaction, and ultimately, to enhance patient care. In conclusion, this study offers novel insights into the interplay between job stressors and coping mechanisms among nurses in the UK, urging both individual and institutional responses to promote a more sustainable and resilient nursing workforce. Key words: Job Stressors, Coping Mechanisms, UK Nurses, Healthcare System, Occupational Resilience

Supervision of redeployed surgical trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic: what have we learnt and how can we improve?

ObjectiveWhen cases of patients presenting with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) overwhelmed existing services in the United Kingdom (UK), surgical trainees were redeployed to assist frontline efforts. This project characterises the effects of redeployment on the supervision of these trainees. The resulting generation of practical recommendations could be implemented for future crises.DesignA qualitative approach was utilised, comprised of seven phenomenological interviews with surgical and intensive care consultants, as well as redeployed surgical trainees. Interview recordings were transcribed and subsequently analysed using Thematic Analysis.SettingThe project utilised participants currently in surgical training within the London deanery across a variety of surgical specialties representing several UK National Health Service (NHS) Trusts.ParticipantsThree types of participants were interviewed. Four interviews were conducted with redeployed surgical trainees, across all stages of training, in full time employment who were redeployed for two weeks or more. One interview was conducted with an educational supervisor of multiple redeployed trainees. The third group comprised two consultant intensivists who supervised redeployed trainees within their respective departments.ResultsFour themes were developed: ‘Responding to an unforeseen crisis’, ‘Maintaining surgical identity and culture; A fish out of water?’, ‘Trainee supervision and support’ and ‘Preparation and sequelae’. Participants described a sense of obligation to the pandemic effort. Many described a significant interruption to training, however communication of this to surgical supervisors was suboptimal with minimal mitigation. Supervisors on the frontline were challenged by the assessment of trainee competence and acceptance into a new community of practice. Both trainees and supervisors described the management of uncertainty, advocating for the use of reflective practice to ensure preparation for the future.ConclusionThis project presents an insight into several potentially long-lasting effects on surgical training. The recommendations generated may be applicable to trainees returning to work from time out of training, increasing the utility of this work.

‘[Now] that I look back, I’m like oh my goodness why did I think like that?’: using critical reflection in training Pharmacy Assistants and Pharmacy Dispensary Technicians working with Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence: a case study from Australia

ABSTRACT Despite recognition of the importance of critical reflection for professional development in social and health care – particularly regarding professional competency and self-awareness – the use of reflective practice in professional training has received less examination. This paper evaluates the use of critical reflection as a pedagogical approach in training allied health professionals – in this instance, training Pharmacy Assistants (PAs) and Pharmacy Dispensary Technicians (PDTs) towards increasing critical reflection of their service delivery to Medication Assisted Treatment of Opioid Dependence (MATOD) consumers. Specifically, this paper examines a) the embedding of a critical reflection model within training materials; and b) the experiences of participants who undertook this training, including their experiences of applying their learnings to professional practice. Findings present a mixed picture. Despite the training unearthing and deconstructing problematic values and assumptions in the service delivery of MATOD treatments in pharmacy settings, some participants found the recognition of their own biases and prejudices overwhelming. Hence, although the critical reflection model used in the analysis has enormous potential to tackle stigma and discriminatory attitudes towards opioid dependence and MATOD and improve professional practice, greater attention to scaffolding, designing and implementing the process of critical reflection is needed.

Exploring Saudi EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Using Reflective Practice as a Tool for Professional Development

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.

Librarians as Teachers: A Reflection on Practice, Identity, and the TPACK Framework to Enhance Professional Practice

ABSTRACT Teaching and librarianship are interrelated. This paper explores the author's experiences and views of working as a librarian in higher education, within the Australian University context. It perceives Australian University libraries and librarianship as aligning with Social Constructivist views on learning. Through drawing on information from professional practice, this paper considers the professional identities of librarians in a third-space paradigm, including in contributing to doctoral supervision. It examines teachers as curators and sees this observation of teaching yielding the view of librarians as teachers explicitly. It touches on the author's new awareness of librarians and their role in supporting assessment for learning. The paper puts forward the author's use of reflective practice to enhance teaching, and shares experiences in using the Technology Pedagogy Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework to ensure reflective practice is focused.

Students’ Views on the Nature of Science in an Interdisciplinary First-Year Science Program: Content Analysis of a Weekly Reflection Activity

A primary aim of science education is to teach students how to interpret and engage with scientific information. To do so effectively requires an adequate understanding of the nature of science (NOS)—in other words, what science is and how it works. There is a long history of evidence to suggest that many undergraduate students struggle to properly understand NOS. While the specific factors contributing to misinformed views on NOS may be difficult to tease apart, the way in which students learn about science at the undergraduate level is a significant contributor. We implemented a reflection activity in a unique first-year program at a large Canadian university in order to promote student learning of NOS. Through the students’ reflections, we identified how certain pedagogical approaches, many of which deviate from traditional teaching methods used throughout undergraduate science education, can positively impact student comprehension of NOS. Our experiences support the use of reflective practices in promoting critical thinking and the development of more nuanced student views of NOS.

Evaluating the use of reflective cafés in Specialist Community Practitioner and Specialist Community Public Health Nurse programmes.

Background: Specialist Community Practitioner (SCP) and Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) students are required to evidence their competency by the use of reflective practice as part of the NMC proficiencies. A reflective café trilogy comprising of three reflective teaching sessions was developed and introduced into a university programme to support and encourage alternative methods for deeper reflection within this student group. Aim: It was important for educators to evaluate if a reflective café met the student's needs and understand the usefulness of a 'reflective café' as a technique to support the process of reflecting on practice. Methods: Evaluation was undertaken using an online questionnaire. Findings: Students evaluated if the reflective café was useful for their own development and identified that the number of sessions met their developmental needs. Conclusion: The potential to develop alternative methods to reflect was recognised and the team plan to develop other reflective processes to support students in the future.

Supervision to Support Reflective Practices

There is immense pressure on school leaders to show evidence of continual school improvement. To drive these improvement efforts, there are essential considerations when planning for implementation, specifically the development of a system that supports reflective practices to increase teacher autonomy and improved student outcomes. The research presented in this article explores the attitudes and beliefs that teachers and administrators have for reflective practices through the supervisory actions of administrators in a rural Northern state. The findings from this study include, 1) the importance of a formal leadership role and the lens used when considering evaluative and non-evaluative feedback; 2) the use of reflective practices to drive changes to instructional practices; and, 3) the connection of reflective practices to school culture, professional development, and student engagement. These findings are important in that they are practical to schools and inform how the United States (US) education system might shift policies to support more formative practices that target instructional improvement.

Managing Allegations Concerning Black and Asian Police Officers, Cultural Competence and Reflective Practice under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020

The Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020 were introduced in the aftermath of serious findings by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) that many police supervisors are uncomfortable dealing with low‐level misconduct allegations concerning Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) officers. A key component of the new regulations is the use of reflective practice as a way of managing low‐level breaches of professional standards. We argue that there is little in the regulations to ensure that police supervisors can reach a threshold of cultural competency to oversee the new processes authentically. Furthermore, we fear that police misconduct data in coming years may indicate significant improvements in rates of misconduct and disproportionalities when the reality is that many issues are being shunted downward to more informal environments where little effort is made to gather and analyse data. Racial and ethnic disproportionalities may become even harder to identify and address as a result.

Practices of Promoting Professional Identities of Female English Teachers through Professional Organizations

This study is an attempt to explore the existing practices in promoting the professional identities of female English teachers through professional organizations. Nine female English teachers were selected as a sample using a purposive non-random sampling procedure from Kathmandu district. This is a narrative inquiry research design in which I used in-depth interview as a tool to collect the required data to address the research objectives of this study. Using interpretive research paradigm, I analyzed and interpreted the data of the study. This study was conducted to find out the actual practices of female English teachers in promoting their professional identities through professional organizations. The findings of this study show that participation in ELT conference for professional identity, conducting action research for professional identities, use of resources for promoting professional identities, use of ICT embedded ELT skills for professional identities, and use of reflective practices in classroom for professional identities were the main practices in developing the professional identities of female English teachers. More importantly, professional organizations became remarkable platforms to promote the professional identities of female English teachers. This study would be a blueprint for all female English teachers to develop their professional identities.

Practices of Promoting Professional Identities of Female English Teachers through Professional Organizations

This study is an attempt to explore the existing practices in promoting the professional identities of female English teachers through professional organizations. Nine female English teachers were selected as a sample using a purposive non-random sampling procedure from Kathmandu district. This is a narrative inquiry research design in which I used in-depth interview as a tool to collect the required data to address the research objectives of this study. Using interpretive research paradigm, I analyzed and interpreted the data of the study. This study was conducted to find out the actual practices of female English teachers in promoting their professional identities through professional organizations. The findings of this study show that participation in ELT conference for professional identity, conducting action research for professional identities, use of resources for promoting professional identities, use of ICT embedded ELT skills for professional identities, and use of reflective practices in classroom for professional identities were the main practices in developing the professional identities of female English teachers. More importantly, professional organizations became remarkable platforms to promote the professional identities of female English teachers. This study would be a blueprint for all female English teachers to develop their professional identities.