1. Being reflective and critical at level 6
Mel Gill

2. Levels of Reflectiveness (1)
Habitual action:
providing material without any sense of the meaning.
Understanding:
can demonstrate understanding but has difficulty applying it because it remains a theoretical concept and does not show how it might be used in practice.

3. Levels of Reflectiveness (2)
3. Reflection:
can relate concepts and ideas to own experience, and writing is illustrated with examples from practice.
4. Critical reflection:
this implies a change or transformation of perspective. Recognises own assumptions and can critically review them.
Kember et al (2008)

4. Profound reflection: (Moon, 2001, pp.3-4)
Is there relevant formal theory?
Are there ethical / moral / wider social issues to explore?
How are your perceptions of the issue present in your writing?
Are there alternative interpretations or different points of view to consider?
In what way(s) might you have tackled the task differently?
If you ‘step-back’ from this issue, does it look different?
Are you aware of your feelings changing over time – possibly in the course of writing?

5. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle Adapted from KOLB, D
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle Adapted from KOLB, D. (1984) Experiential Learning New Jersey: Prentice Hall
The Learning Cycle
Concrete Experience
Personal Reflection
Critical Analysis
Planning
and Experimentation

6. Level 6 writing: the essential elements
Careful explanation, showing understanding of the complex terminology used
Extensive use of literature to support the ideas being presented
A linking, “conversational” style, which shows the student’s own interpretation of what they have read and how it informs the argument being presented.

7. The key differences in level 6 are:
Individual issues are explored in considerably more depth. (It is essential, therefore, in Level 6 writing to focus on a few key issues, so that they can be explored in sufficient depth within the available word allowance).
The student should constantly be trying to find answers in the literature, particularly finding different definitions and interpretations of key issues
Once the literature is presented, the student puts their own “spin” (interpretation) on it
Personal thoughts and reflections are always followed up by attempts to find supporting evidence (substantiation) in the literature
The complexity of the issue is recognised. Things are not presented simplistically as “black and white”. Instead, shades of grey are acknowledged.
The student’s “voice” is heard throughout, trying to make sense of what they have read and comparing it with what they have experienced.
In this way, level 6 builds on the skills you have developed at level 4 and 5. Your literature searching skills and use of referencing should be well established now and you should be skilled in using literature to support your academic writing. Having gone through the drudgery of learning these skills at level 4 and 5, level 6 allows you considerably more personal freedom to start giving a very personal interpretation of what you have read. This is in preparation for taking even more initiative in searching more widely for answers in the literature and finally aiming to add to that literature by individual research (which occurs in a limited way at Masters level and is consolidated at doctorate (PhD) level).