scholarly journals (Co)meta-reflection as a method for the professional development of academic middle leaders in higher education

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 111-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Thorpe ◽  
Diane Garside
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Joint Activity ◽  
Considerable Potential ◽  
Middle Leaders

The professional development of middle leaders in higher education is little considered in existing research, though there are general concerns being raised about the suitability of the professional development opportunities currently available. This article develops and explores the use of meta-reflection as a method for professional development, particularly of academics with direct responsibilities for courses and programmes such as course leaders, directors and co-ordinators. As an extension of reflective practice, (co)meta-reflection is proposed as a joint activity involving two or more people, seeking to develop their thought and practice by moving from descriptive to analytical levels of reflection. We provide an example of a (co)meta-reflective exercise and identify it as an approach with considerable potential to address the problems that middle leaders face, and call for further exploration of it as a method for professional development.

scholarly journals Facilitating reflective practice: developing built environment educators’ capacity for teaching and learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gesa Ruge ◽  
Lara Mackintosh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Professional Staff ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Teaching Philosophy

The international literature on higher education emphasises the importance for academics and professional staff to develop their disciplinary teaching and learning practice. Teaching staff in built environment degree programs tend to focus on ‘what’ subject content is taught and less on ‘how to’ improve and innovate teaching and learning contexts and students’ skills development. To investigate these trends, this research reviewed the higher education literature and relevant international studies on strategies to enhance quality teaching and student learning. Findings highlight that reflective practice and engaging in a personal teaching philosophy and teaching profile provide an important link for individual professional development and basis for improving teaching and learning. The objective of this study was to apply findings from the literature in facilitating professional learning workshops, with a pedagogy for collaborative reflective practice and the development of a teaching philosophy. This research reports on the first stage of professional development for staff in built environment programs to establish a teaching profile through reflection on their personal and discipline specific pedagogies. Initial findings highlight the positive impact of reflection and collegial conversations about learning and teaching, as well as future opportunities for individual and discipline based capacity building for improving educational practice.

Critical reflection on professional development in the social sciences: interview results

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt ◽  
Eva Cendon
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Perspective ◽  
Deep Approach To Learning ◽  
Change In Higher Education

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present an interview and postscript that examine the specific meaning, rationale, conceptual framework, assessment and teaching of critical reflection in and on professional development in management and higher education from an action research perspective. Design/methodology/approach – This article is presented in the new genre of PIP (Zuber-Skerritt, 2009): Preamble – Interview – Postscript. The Preamble (P) sets out the background, purpose, structure and conduct of the interview (I), which addresses six probing questions and is followed by a Postscript (P) that reveals additional comments and reflections on the interview, and identifies learning outcomes and implications. Findings – Reflective practice is essential for a deep approach to learning, research and professional development and it is a driving force to enable learners to be adequately equipped for constant and complex change in today's and tomorrow's turbulent world. Research limitations/implications – The article is positioned to inspire further R&D in the current debate on urgently needed radical and rapid change in higher education for the twenty-first century. Practical implications – As well as the article's practical suggestions about why and how to develop reflective learning/practice, the PIP conceptual model applied in this article offers a useful practical approach for researchers to explore self-ethnography through interviews. Originality/value – Two conceptual models illustrate the essence of this article, providing practical help to academics and other professionals to advance reflective practice in research and learning.

Nearly qualified student paramedics' perceptions of reflection and use in practice

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 258-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Howlett
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Routine Practice ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Workforce Analysis

Reflection is embedded in a variety of higher education healthcare programmes, and is a continuing professional development requirement for paramedics ( Health and Care Professions Council, 2012 ; 2014 ). The listed benefits of reflection include incorporation and exploration of an evidence base into a clinician's practice; avoidance of routine practice; identification of shortfalls in knowledge; and identification of learning needs by the reflector ( Jasper et al, 2013 ). Nine nearly qualified student paramedics took part in this qualitative study. The findings showed a positive attitude towards reflection among the students. Various barriers to reflection were identified. There appeared to be a lack of reflection and reflective practice in some sections of the paramedic workforce. Analysis of the findings have implications for both paramedic practice and paramedic education. This article is a summarised version of a research piece; therefore not all findings will be discussed.

Reflection of the Editorial Process of an Academic Journal

Relay Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 100-109
Author(s):  
Phillip A. Bennett ◽  
Maria Giovanna Tassinari ◽  
Ena Hollinshead ◽  
Fergal Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Editorial Process ◽  
Academic Journal ◽  
Editing Process ◽  
Insight Into

This paper is a reflection on our experiences as managing editors and layout editors of volume 2, issue 2 of Relay Journal. In accordance with the developmental aims of Relay Journal, via this reflective practice, our motivations are not only to foster each others’ learner autonomy and grow our professional development, but additionally to encourage others to also share reflections of their editing responsibilities, practices, and realisations. We also believe this will provide insight into the process for those who do not have the experience in such roles, yet wish to pursue them. With that in mind, we will briefly detail the journal-editing process and our roles in such; then follow with our individual reflections upon our experiences. Our reflections will focus on our responsibilities and roles, our feelings, and what we learned through the experience.

Reflective Practice in Advising: Introduction to the Column

Relay Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 293-295
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Great Success ◽  
Global Community ◽  
Potential Growth ◽  
Community Of Learning ◽  
Reflection On Action

Welcome to the second reflective practice column where we are pleased to share another series of active advisors’ voices with our professional community. The first column of Reflective Practice in Advising in Volume 1(1) became a prelude for creating a global community of learning advisors with the aim of building a platform to share our professional development experiences and further seek opportunities for growth. As in Issue 1, in this issue of Relay Journal, all the contributors are engaged in a different advising context with various sociocultural backgrounds, but each of the case studies illustrates how their reflective practice enables learning advisors to continue exploring potential growth at any point in their career. In other words, the journey of becoming a learning advisor is ever-lasting, as long as the learning advisor is willingly seeking an opportunity for transformative learning. The post-publication reflective dialogues in Issue 1, although experimental, were a great success. They triggered active discussions among learning advisors, which lead to further reflection-on-action and reflection-for-action (Farrell, 2015) among the contributors. These open and collaborative dialogues across the sociocultural boundaries exemplify professional development for learning advisors.

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