1. Reflection through recording
Babs Anderson
Naomi McLeod
Kath Orlandi
Liverpool Hope University
WDHE conference June 2010

2. context
Third year undergraduate course in Early Childhood Studies running from September / October 2009 until April / May 2010
Five cohorts of students, based in three locations
Five tutors, including course leader
Each cohort between 15 and 30 students
Research project from October until July 2010, funded by Write now

3. The course Problem-based learning course
Students organised in teams of four
Allocated a specific professional role
Given a central problem, which they were to analyse and produce a range of solutions to enable a range of support measures to be implemented

4. Using a reflective learning journal
To record their ideas as to how to resolve the issues presented in the given ‘problem’
To use these to assess and evaluate how their group discussions supported them in their identification of their course of action
To reflect on how they used others’ ideas as a springboard for their own thinking
To acknowledge how the feedback of others within their group might influence them and cause a change of opinion or decision
The ‘housekeeping’ of experiential learning (Moon 2006)

5. Pilot phase
Liaison with CETL
Research ethics
Choice of interviewers

6. Data collection
Student self-rating survey on learning approaches, pre-course and post-course
Tutor interviews on their perspectives on the course, including the use by the students of reflective journals
Student interviews on the use of the reflective journals at the end of the course

7. Findings: Student as learner self-rating
Enhanced sense of:
Active problem-solver through their contributions and discussions
Public persona, taking risks, adding contributions, inviting feedback
Collaboration with peers rather than competition
Interdependent learning of equal importance as independent learning
Little impact on:
Attendance due to the needs of the team community
Recognition of sources of authority as self and peers, rather than solely tutors and texts
Savin-Baden (2004)

8. Tutor perspectives of reflective journaling
“… the thinking process as a process of articulation. They don’t always have those skills to a high enough degree, and that’s something else that can be developed over time. The confidence and a belief in the process.”
“…it actually deepened the conversation and the sharing”

9. “…from very early on I kept reminding them, and reminding them: It’s really important to write this down. Jot down your thoughts about it while it’s fresh in your mind; use it to discuss with other students, if you want to, in between or over the phone, or whatever, because you’re still reflecting on it.”

10. Some of them said, when they had done their reflective logs, and then they’d compared it with somebody else’s, what they’d all thought they’d talked about as being the same, hadn’t been the same at all. So it’s given them a way of understanding someone else’s thinking, by that recording process.”

11. Student interviews
Revealed a variation of attitude towards problem-based learning within a cohort of students, which was not about the level and nature of tutor support, but dependent on the student’s own attitude towards new ideas
Showed a progressive use of reflection and collaboration
Hansen and Sinclair (2008)

12. Recall / memory Log to record progress and actions
Aide-memoire to help recall rather than a guide for reflection
Practical organisational tool

13. Sharing information
Process of sharing information: security of not being on their own, comfortable with sharing information, even within a difficult process
Assimilation of information given by others…discomfort and difficulties acknowledged, recognising that conversations can be “bitty”
Clarification of thinking
Collaboration – sharing knowledge and information

14. Realisation of others’ perspectives
Conversation and ‘throwing ideas about’ / sharing of views
Understanding the rationale for choices / decisions made

15. Recognition and identification of different ways of interpretation
Listening to others’ ways of viewing the same case study
Reflection on considering others’ perspectives

16. Recognition that own writing needs to consider different perspectives of audience
Articulation of ideas for writing
Depth of discussion as a group
Mason (2002)

17. Relevance of learning
Impact on academic learning but also clear application to practice
Experiential learning…only by doing

18. Accommodation / synthesis of ideas in order for transfer
Reading journals acts as springboard for other ideas
Opportunity for following train of thought / detail outside of group sessions
Evaluative process

19. Incorporation of different perspectives in writing
Ability to see things from different points of view
To recognise that others interpret from different perspectives and to be able to accommodate this in their own analytical writing
Anticipation of audience interpretation of written format
Reflection on considering others’ perspectives
Moon (2008)

20. Synthesis of perspectives
Ways of recording a shared discussion can support different perspectives
Transformational learning: a change in thinking

21. conclusions Accept and understand reflection
Be willing to tolerate a challenging process in the light of future gains
Recognise how writing their reflections and sharing in a group can translate into a synthesis of ideas
Understand how critical reflection will support their learning at a deep level, even if not specifically assessed

22. references
Hanson, J.M. and Sinclair, K.E. (2008) Social constructivist teaching methods in Australian universities – reported uptake and perceived learning effects: a survey of lecturers. In Higher Education Research & Development, vol. 27, no. 3, pp
Mason, J. (2002) Researching your own practice : The discipline of noticing. London: Routledge
Moon, J. (2006) Reflective Journals. London: Routledge
Moon, J. (2008) Critical thinking: an exploration of theory and practice. London: Routledge
Savin-Baden, M.(2004) Foundations of problem-based learning. Buckingham: SRHE/ Open University press