Case study

Developing students as critical consumers of business

information

A reflective practice framework

Accounting in Context

• BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance• Level 3• 40 credits (double module)• in 3rd year of operation• 1 weekly lecture and 1 fortnightly

workshop• 100 students (25 in each workshop)

AIC and developing reflective practice

Developing reflective practice

Take a multi-disciplinary approach to

business issues/problems

Develop a critical appreciation of

the nature, development and

application of knowledge in

business

Integrate technical knowledge

acquired from study across the

programme

Develop as critical consumers of

‘research’

AIC and developing reflective practice

Developing reflective practice

Take a multi-disciplinary approach to

business issues/problems

Develop a critical appreciation of

the nature, development and

application of knowledge in

business

Integrate technical knowledge

acquired from study across the

programme

Develop as critical consumers of

‘research’

Case studyCritical review of information & sources

Rationale for module aims• Knowledge

– What counts as ‘knowledge’?– Where does ‘knowledge’ come from?

• Gibbons (1994) modes 1 and 2

– Formal and informal knowledge– ‘Relevance’ and ‘reliability’ and the role of

‘evidence’

• Critical consumer – is information literate– what underpins this capacity?

• reflective practice and critical thinking

Focus on: developing the reflective practitioner

Underpinning educational theory

• Students’ ability to ‘critique’ is affected by their ‘ways of knowing’

• A way of knowing is more than a way of thinking (cognition)

• It’s a way of being• Not changed easily!

Underpinning educational theory

• Support the development of reflective practice

• Assess

Developing the reflective practitioner

Ways of knowing

AbsoluteTransitionalIndependen

tContextual

Learner

Peers

Lecturer

Assessment

Nature of knowledge

(Baxter Magolda, 1992)

Contextual

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

%

Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Year 5

Absolute

Transitional

Independent

Contextual

Ways of knowing

AbsoluteTransitionalIndependen

tContextual

Nature of knowledge

•Source

•Relevance

•Reliability

A capacity: a way of being

The reflective practitioner

‘The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour.

(Schön, 1983, p.68)

Type of action Nature of activity/reflection

Nature of critique

Habitual action Well-structured repetitive tasks (based on conceptual and technical understanding)

No critique

Thoughtful action Higher order cognitive processes to analyse, perform, discuss and evaluate

No critique

Problem-solving Reflection Critique of assumptions about content and process

Problem-posing Critical reflection Critique of premises: knowledge

psychological sociocultural

Learning in HE (Mezirow, 1991)

Developing reflective practice

the start of a lifelong development activity

‘The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour.

(Schön, 1983, p.68)

The assignment: ‘in-tray’ exerciseYou are a research assistant reporting to a

financial director in a large international company.

You have been asked to provide a report to brief the finance director on issues arising from an article she has read.

She has particularly asked you to focus on:

•Other information sources on these issues that might inform her development of policy within the company; and

•The nature of these information sources: their relevance and reliability

Assignment (60%): two elements

–a critical review of information sources (70%)

–a reflective report (30%)

Reflective report

Reflective report • opportunity to recall and reviewSupported by learning journal• creates the conditions that

support the development of reflective practice and learning:– time – space– opportunity to recall and review

Supporting reflection

Activities to support reflective writing– identification/de-construction of

‘reflective writing’ (Moon, 2004)

Basic observations

• The workshop was fun and quite interesting

• Our presentation group worked well on the whole

• I did a search on my topic but I got fed up with it and went to meet my friends

How can these be developed into reflection?

Writing down the learning outcomes I had achieved made me feel as though I were progressing and improving on the course. Maybe because I could see from my learning journal that I was picking up new skills. On reflection, I am happier when I feel I am improving. In the past I would not have thought that recording my progress would help me improve.

Supporting reflection

Activities to support critical reflection– linking prior and current studies within

overriding frameworks• corporate governance• ethics

– critical review of information sources activity • models the reflective process• involves comparison of approaches with

other students

We learn to be critical this week – to see from different angle. Honestly, I never did something like this before. I tend to accept everything

published, unless I know that the news is gossip or from

crap magazine. I should have re-think it further.

Activities to support critical reflection

– ‘how am I doing?’ - questioning learning outcomes

– ‘pulling students up short’ (Lucas, 2007)• identifying emotions/feelings • comparing reactions/views with other

students• questioning the ‘everyday’

Activity

2 everyday activities:• Washing your hair• Riding a bikeList all the sources of knowledge that you

draw on to engage in that activity!

Activities to support critical reflection

– ‘how am I doing?’ - questioning learning outcomes

– ‘pulling students up short’ (Lucas, 2007)• identifying emotions/feelings • comparing reactions/views with other students• questioning the ‘everyday’

– modelling• time for reflection during/at end of classes• reflective questions to frame presentations• lecturer reflects too…

– should the lecturer keep a learning journal?

Reaction of the students?

•good sign?

•humour, play

•confirmation and contradiction

Reflecting on our experience

•more development needed in levels 1 & 2

• reflective practice

• thinking skills

•more structure/confirmation needed

•assessment of reflective report

•more explicit discussion/reflection about the meaning of the learning outcomes and ‘information literacy’