Can learning tools help students practice and build theory-practice reflection? Elaine Arnull Sharon Aldridge-Bent

What we are going to talk about: Why did we devise tools to facilitate reflective learning? What do they look like? What have we done so far? What have we found? What is the way forward?

Sharon: I really wanted to see if in the classroom I could engage students to start develop skills that could be transferred into the practice setting. I had read the work of Goleman (1995) which presented two themes: Personal competence – how do people manage themselves? Eg self -awareness, self- regulation and motivation Social competence – more to do with relationships and how people handle these. I somehow wanted to link the themes of the above to quality care and to get students to begin to really take responsibility for their own learning in professional practice Why did we devise tools to facilitate reflective learning?

Elaine: I wanted something which would assist students to understand the process of what they were being asked to do in reflection – to give them a stepped process – this was deliberately constructed to follow the theoretical constructs of reflective practice (Schon 1983; Thompson and Thompson 2008) but to do so in a way which seemed concrete and achievable and related to their practice experience and learning.

What do the tools look like? Sharon: I developed a placemat that was part of a Jigsaw model that was based upon initial titles from the work of Scragg and Mantel (2011). Elaine: I developed the first version of my tool in 2011 in response to teaching newly qualified social worker reflective practice as part of their first assessed year in practice. We discovered that we had both tried as a teacher to seek ways of facilitating this which sought to go beyond reflection as a ‘buzzword’ practice and beyond the ‘oversimplified practices’ which Thompson and Pascal (2012:311 and 315) have identified.

What have we done? We have actively reflected on the use of the tools, on student feedback and performed a literature search current data and writing on the area. We have explicitly sought feedback from students as part of the process of using the tools. Liaised with each other to identify areas of synergy between the two tools and formulate a strategy.

What have we found? Our work with students has therefore sought to go beyond requiring students to complete a reflective diary or portfolio (Steward 2012; Laverty 2012) and seek to equip students with basic tool(s) and strategies for reflection – Norrie et al (2012:570) have referred to this as ‘facilitation’.

What have we found? Our approach is student centred and strengths focussed – it gives the student their own time and own skill set with which to develop; it also seeks to provide structure and make concrete concepts which students often report finding nebulous and difficult (Stewart 2012). Our teaching and use of reflective tools are not based on assessment nor incorporated into assessment; students are not required to use them but encouraged to do so; they are given class time to discuss their reflections and this is also designed to give the students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and become active learners able to challenge, discuss and debate.

What have we found? We have explicitly found that the tools are an effective way to engage students in reflective learning; the ongoing question remains how to engage the ‘resisters’? Are the latter group remaining ‘knowledgeable doers’ at a time when the professional associations and the social policy frameworks are requiring them to become ‘reflective practitioners’ (Laverty 2012:133)

What have we found? There is also a consistency which suggest reflection and the use of reflective tools enables them to become more aware ‘of the value of ideas generated by scholarly thought...’(Laverty 2012:140 drawing on Regan 2008), which is in contrast with concerns that reflection might be uncritical as a theoretical concept in itself (Thompson and Pascal 2012).

What have we found? We are seeking through the provision of tools a way of enabling our students to develop a skill base which facilitates and encourages them to have an inner, but conscious and critical dialogue between theory and practice – thus encourage a dialectical process as described by Thompson and Pascal (2012:314 drawing on Dewey and Pascal and Brown 2009).

What is the way forward? We have chosen to base our current and forthcoming research on Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider and Whitney 2005); the reason is to deliberately combat student’s anxieties by focussing on strengths and what worked well. Our work builds on what it known about the use of reflection within inter-professional learning and practice and seeks to further both the theoretical underpinnings and understanding as well as better developing and refining the tools we are using and so understand more about for whom, when and in what circumstances they are most useful;

Crystal ball

What is the way forward? Systematised class room discussion and use of tools The systematised use of the tools with the students groups and the facilitated discussion will be used as part of a research process with the aim to: –better understand how and when students use the tools, –what they find helpful about the tools, –what helps them to develop as theoretically informed reflective learners and practitioners  Inform our own teaching practices and add to pedagogical knowledge about teaching and learning  Technology

References Cooperrider D and Whiteny D (2005) A Positive Revolution in Change: Appreciative Inquiry Berret Koehler Goleman D (1995) Emotional Intelligence. Why It Can Matter More than IQ for Character, Health and Lifelong Achievement Bantam Books New York Knowles (2011) The Adult Learner: a neglected species. 7 th Edition Houston Gulf Publishing Laverty J (2012) Reflective learning within clinical physiology: the student’s perspective on the usefulness of reflection as a learning tool Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspective 13:1: Myers, Isabel Briggs, Mary H. McCaulley, Naomi Quenk, and Allan Hammer. (1998) MBTI Handbook: A Guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Consulting Psychologists Press, 3rd edition.

References Norrie C Hammond J D’Avray L Colington V and Fook J (2012) Doing it differently? A review of literature on teaching reflective practice across health and social care professions. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspective 13:4: Scragg T and Mantel A (2011) Safeguarding Adults in Social Work Learning Matters Glasgow Schon D (1983) The Reflective Practitioner New York: Basic Books Stewart J (2012) Reflecting on reflection: increasing health and social care for students’ engagement and enthusiasm for reflection. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspective 13:5: Thompson N and Pascal J (2012) Developing critically reflective practice Reflective Practice 13;2; Thompson S and Thompson N (2008) The critically reflective practitioner Palgrave MacMillan Basingstoke