Reflection through recording

Babs AndersonNaomi McLeodKath OrlandiLiverpool Hope UniversityWDHE conference June 2010

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

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

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)

Pilot phase

Liaison with CETL Research ethics Choice of interviewers

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

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 competitionInterdependent learning of equal importance as

independent learningLittle 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 textsSavin-Baden (2004)

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”

“…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.”

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.”

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)

Recall / memory

Log to record progress and actions Aide-memoire to help recall rather

than a guide for reflection Practical organisational tool

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

Realisation of others’ perspectives

Conversation and ‘throwing ideas about’ / sharing of views

Understanding the rationale for choices / decisions made

Recognition and identification of different ways of interpretation

Listening to others’ ways of viewing the same case study

Reflection on considering others’ perspectives

Recognition that own writing needs to consider different perspectives of audience Articulation of ideas for writing Depth of discussion as a group

Mason (2002)

Relevance of learning

Impact on academic learning but also clear application to practice

Experiential learning…only by doing

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

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)

Synthesis of perspectives

Ways of recording a shared discussion can support different perspectives

Transformational learning: a change in thinking

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

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 169-186

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