‘becoming’ critically reflective practitioners: academics' and students' reflections...
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This article was downloaded by: [Unam - Centro De Nano Ciencias]On: 20 December 2014, At: 06:12Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
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‘Becoming’ critically reflectivepractitioners: academics' and students'reflections on the issues involvedAileen Corley a & Elaine Eades ba Faculty of Business and Law Management School , LiverpoolJohn Moores University , John Foster Building 98 Mount Pleasant,Liverpool, UKb University of Liverpool Management School , LiverpoolUniversity , Chatham Building Chatham Street, Liverpool, UKPublished online: 07 Aug 2006.
To cite this article: Aileen Corley & Elaine Eades (2004) ‘Becoming’ critically reflectivepractitioners: academics' and students' reflections on the issues involved, Human ResourceDevelopment International, 7:1, 137-144, DOI: 10.1080/13678860310001630647
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13678860310001630647
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‘Becoming’ critically reflective practitioners:academics’ and students’ reflections on the issuesinvolved
Aileen CorleyLiverpool John Moores University
Elaine EadesLiverpool University
Introduction
Learning is a core concept within HRD and the ability to understand and enhanceindividual and organizational learning is key to effective HRD practice. Critically
reflecting on practice is a central feature of effective learning and many authors (Kolb
1984; Reynolds 1998; Schon 1983) have argued that reflection on practice is anessential skill for managers and professionals. But how do practitioners ‘become’
reflective practitioners? This ‘perspective on practice’ paper provides some insights
into the processes involved and the interventions that can be used to enhancereflective skills. The paper will be of interest to readers who are concerned with
operationalizing the concept of reflective practice. This includes academics and HRD
professionals who have responsibility for designing and implementing learninginitiatives and practitioners who are expected to practise reflective skills and
continuous professional development (CPD).
The authors of this article are responsible for the design and delivery ofpostgraduate programmes. Two postgraduate programmes provided the case studies
for this research and further detail is provided below. A stated aim of the programmes
was to develop the students as critically reflective practitioners. This paper reports onthe emerging outcomes of an action research project, which explores how students
and academics can ‘become’ critically reflective practitioners. The paper also reports
on planned future research and discusses the applicability of the research to the HRDprofession.
Theories of reflective learning
It is generally accepted that the purpose of management development and educationis to develop critically reflective practitioners. However, achieving this purpose can be
problematic (Corley 2002; Craft 1997; King 1995). Within management learning
the models of experiential learning have held and currently hold a dominant position(Pavlica et al. 1998; Reynolds 1998) and the ideas of Kolb (1984) and Schon (1983)
have been elevated above all available alternatives. Reynolds (1998) argued that there
are qualitative differences between reflection and critical reflection and describesreflection, as exemplified by experiential learning theories, as focusing on the
HRDI 7:1 (2004), pp. 137–144
Human Resource Development InternationalISSN 1367-8868 print/ISSN 1469-8374 online ª 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journalsDOI: 10.1080/13678860310001630647
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immediate, presenting details of a task or problem. Reynolds (1998) argued that themeaning and significance of experiential learning theory has been limited by the
individualized perspective that the theory promotes and he outlined four
characteristics of critical reflection: it is concerned with questioning assumptions;the focus is social rather than individual; it pays particular attention to the analysis of
power relations; and it is concerned with emancipation. Reynolds argues that:
The aim of management education. . .should not be to fit people into institutions as theycurrently exist, but to encourage them in questioning and confronting the social andpolitical forces which provide the context of their work, and in questioning claims of(common sense) or (the way things should be done).
(Reynolds 1998: 198)
The above statement complemented our views regarding the aim of management
education and the ideas of Reynolds provided additional insights into what reflective
learning could be. For us, Reynolds’ view of the critically reflective practitionerextended the ideas of Kolb and Schon by making the social and political aspect of
questioning current practice explicit.We believed that the ability to question taken-for-
granted assumptions was central to effective learning, especially at postgraduate level.But could we share these insights and expectations with the students? This questioning
of practice acted as a catalyst for the action research reported in this article.
Sharing insights and expectations of postgraduate study
A social constructionist perspective has informed this action research into how
academics and students develop shared understandings. Attempting to make implicit
knowledge explicit has been a central feature of the research and plannedinterventions integrating individual and group learning activities, with a focus on
‘conversations for understanding’ and ‘conversations for action’ (Pavlica et al. 1998)have impacted on student learning and the process of ‘becoming’ a critically reflectivepractitioner. We have been influenced by the idea of the manager as ‘practical author’
and the argument that:
Learning can be considered as a process of argumentation in which thinking, reflecting,experiencing and action are different aspects of the same process. It is practicalargumentation with oneself and in collaboration with others that actually forms the basisof learning.
(Pavlica et al. 1998: 145)
The concept of a community of practice where individuals learn to ‘become’ members
of that community (Lave and Wenger 1991) through a process of socialization,
developing shared understandings of practice, also provided useful theoretical insightsinto howHRM and HRD practitioners ‘become’ critically reflective practitioners. It is
recognized that within HRM andHRD educational programmes several communities
of practice can be identified: the programme team, the employing organization andprofessional organizations. Stakeholder analysis (Simmons 2003) has provided further
Perspectives on Practice
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refinements of the issues involved within different communities. However, for thispaper the key issue is how each community has developed through the socialization
process, including language, implicit and explicit knowledge and worldviews (Eades
and Iles 2003). The key challenge for this action research was: how do we transfer ortranslate knowledge across communities if each community has ‘become’ socialized?
Making explicit and codifying (putting in written form) the aims and objectives of the
educational programmes was a starting point, but it was not enough.Making implicit knowledge explicit is difficult and some would argue impossible
(Polanyi 1967). However, Spender (1996) views implicit/tacit knowledge as that
which has not yet been articulated. Articulating and codifying knowledge canfacilitate the development of a shared language. But having a shared language does
not guarantee shared understanding, and enabling individuals to contextualize this
language to their own circumstances takes time. Planned interventions, which focuson how individuals learn to ‘become’ critically collective practitioners, facilitate this
process and enable their development as critically reflective practitioners,
Within the case-study programmes these ideas have been utilized to develop aseries of planned interventions. The interventions have focused on products arising
from work, such as work-based assessment, marking criteria, academic feedback and
students’ reflections. Further detail is provided below.
The case studies
The two postgraduate programmes involved were the MA in Personnel &
Development (P&D) and the MSc in Human Resource Development (HRD)delivered at Liverpool JohnMoores University in the UK. TheMA P&D is a part-time
programme and takes two and a half years to complete. Entrants to the programme
hold a business degree or other relevant qualification and work as personnel ordevelopment practitioners. Participative learning methods are used on the programme
and students work in action learning sets to complete their dissertation. The majority
of the assessment is work-based, applying theory to practice.The MSc HRD was designed to offer a vehicle for the continuing professional
development ofHRD practitioners. The programme is a ‘top up’ master’s and entrants
to the programme hold a postgraduate diploma and have relevant experience atmanagement level. These senior practitioners attend part time and normally take a year
to achieve the master’s qualification. Participative learning methods are also used on
this programme and studentswork in action learning sets to complete their dissertation.All the assessment is work based, applying theory to work problems or issues.
The data and methods used
Data have been generated throughout the duration of the programmes, focusingon individuals’ reflections and articulations as they experience the postgraduate
programme. An inductive approach to generation and analysis of data has
provided insights into the relationship between HRM and HRD professionaleducation and HRM and HRD professional work, and, in particular, the expected
Corley and Endes: ‘Becoming’ critically reflective practitioners
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and realized ‘added value’. Ongoing analysis and reflection on these data haveprovided insight into the relationship between academics and students, and in
particular how academics need to be prepared to question, and have questioned,
their academic practice if they are to support students’ ability to question theirown work practice.
The data analysis was informed by the concepts previously discussed, and a
series of interventions evolved aimed at facilitating the development of criticallyreflective practitioners. We believed that, in order to support the development
of critically reflective practitioners, we needed to explore and attempt to make
our own implicit knowledge of postgraduate-level work explicit, and inparticular postgraduate-level work within the context of the HRM and HRD
programmes. An action research approach was utilized and a series of
interventions evolved, involving cycles of planning, acting, observing andreflection. The interventions were planned and evaluated within the framework
of module and programme review and were introduced throughout the
programmes, commencing with interview and evaluated at periodic timesduring the programme cycle. The final stage of reflection utilized academics’
and students’ reflections to inform future planning and this has led to
continuous improvement and innovation in teaching, learning and assessmentprocesses within the programme.
The interventions
The following interventions have evolved during the course of this research, andthese will be further refined as the programme team continues to model the
critically reflective practitioner concept and share their evolving understandings
with new cohorts of students. Taken in isolation, each intervention may seemunremarkable. In fact, many of the interventions may be present on other
educational and work-based programmes. However, the distinct difference with
these interventions was the integration across the HRM and HRD programmes,and the integration during the programme. The ‘critically reflective practitioner’
concept was introduced at interview and reinforced continuously during the
programme. The ability to reflect on and improve practice by undertakingresearch and by applying theory to practice was evident within all modules and
the team continuously reflected on how they could make implicit knowledge
explicit.
. At interview the demands of postgraduate study were explained and the potential
to complete research into practice were explored. In particular, the potential toaccess data to satisfy the requirements of a master’s level dissertation was
discussed.
. During induction, descriptors of postgraduate-level learning and other keyconcepts were explored utilizing group discussion. This activity opened a debate
on the contested nature of knowledge, and began the process of students
developing their understanding of independent learning and the criticallyreflective practitioner.
Perspectives on Practice
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. Students were involved in discussing and setting criteria for assessment, ensuringthat assessment enabled them to apply and challenge the application of theory to
practice.
. Students were involved in peer assessment exercises enabling them to access this(often implicit) aspect of learning and evaluation.
. Qualitative evaluation, focusing on individual learning and transfer of learning to
the employing organization, was also carried out.. Academics’ reflections on learning and assessment processes were also shared and
planned improvements were agreed with the students.
. Individual and generic feedback on course work and exam performance wasprovided.
. Students were also provided with feedback from the external examiner.
. Action learning sets were used to facilitate deeper reflection and ownership oflearning.
. Focus groups and individual interviews were used to enable individuals to
produce ‘deeper’ reflective learning accounts.. The criteria for marking reflective learning accounts were clarified and agreed and
examples of good practice were provided.
The above interventions have been informed by social constructionist perspectives
and utilize the concept of communities of practice to emphasize the symbiotic
relationship between students and academics as practitioners. The interventionsintegrate individual and group learning activities with a focus on developing a
shared language to enhance understanding. These have impacted on students’
and academics’ learning and the process of ‘becoming’ critically reflectivepractitioners.
Applicability of the research to the HRD profession
Learning to learn has been widely acknowledged as the key challenge for thiscentury, and the ability to understand and enhance individual and organizational
learning is key to effective HRD practice. Critically reflecting on practice is a central
feature of effective learning, and this paper provides some insights into theprocesses involved, and the interventions that can be used to enhance reflective
skills.
The concept of ‘becoming’ a critically reflective practitioner within a ‘communityof practice’, able to transfer personal learning into a work context, promises to be a
useful model of the relationship. Extending ‘dominant’ learning theories, by
incorporating critical and social constructionist aspects of learning, offers someinsights into how this might be achieved (Brown and Duguid 1991; Lave and
Wenger 1991). However, the starting point appears to be that HRD practitioners
need to be prepared to lay open their own practice in order to support and developthe learners’ ability to do likewise.
We argue that reflective learning is a journey, not a destination, and all
journeys need a starting point. We would suggest that a good starting point forHRD practitioners is to question their current practice. We offer the following
Corley and Endes: ‘Becoming’ critically reflective practitioners
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questions as an outline plan to enable HRD practitioners to start, or continue thisreflective journey, and adopt or adapt the processes and interventions discussed in
this paper.
1 As an HRD practitioner, what theories of reflective learning inform yourpractice?
We have argued that experiential learning theories have dominated management
development and education and these theories have promoted an individualized
perspective on learning. A social constructionist perspective has informed this actionresearch project, and, as practitioners, we were influenced by the concept of the
critically reflective practitioner (Reynolds 1998), a concept that makes explicit the
social and political aspects of questioning current practice.
2 Can you identify communities of practice in your organization?
The concept of a community of practice where individuals learn to ‘become’
members of that community (Lave and Wenger 1991) also provided useful
theoretical insights into how HRM and HRD practitioners ‘become’ criticallyreflective practitioners. This paper discusses the different communities and
stakeholders involved in HRM and HRD educational programmes, and argues that
each community has developed, through the socialization process, its own languageand its own implicit and explicit knowledge.
3 How can you transfer knowledge across the communities in yourorganization?
We argued that a pivotal aspect of sharing knowledge was facilitation of thesocialization process, sharing expectations. An initial focus was attempting to
articulate and codify knowledge in order to facilitate the development of a shared
language. However, we recognized that having a shared language does not guaranteea shared understanding. We needed to enable individuals to contextualize this
language to their own circumstances, facilitating group discussions on key concepts
and exploring how the contested nature of knowledge, and knowing, contributed tothis knowledge transfer across communities.
4 Do you utilize individual and group learning activities in your HRDinterventions?
Many practitioners would answer yes to this question. However, questioning practicefrom a theoretical perspective (see questions 1 and 2), we acknowledged that many of
our planned interventions had been prompted by a humanistic perspective rather
than a social constructionist perspective. However, by reflecting on how we makeimplicit knowledge explicit, a series of interventions evolved integrating individual
and group learning activities with a focus on ‘conversations for understanding’ and
‘conversations for action’ (Pavlica et al. 1998).
Perspectives on Practice
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5 Do you want to facilitate the development of critically reflectivepractitioners?
The authors are convinced by Reynolds’ argument outlined on the first page ofthis article. This aim may not be compatible with other personal or organizational
views of HRD. However, we would argue that managers and HRD professionals
should be able to reflect critically on practice, questioning taken-for-grantedassumptions and questioning the application of theory to practice. We have
discussed above a series of interventions that can be adopted or adapted to other
HRD initiatives, and several students have reported introducing some of theinterventions into their own organizations. This paper describes why and how the
interventions were introduced within two postgraduate educational programmes.
We believe that the success of these interventions was greatly facilitated by: awillingness to lay our own practice open to scrutiny and questioning and our
ability to ensure the integration of the interventions across the HR/HRD
programmes and during the programmes. All HRD practitioners may notwelcome, or may not find support for, this approach.
Future research
Reflecting on practice takes time and the demands on practitioners are many andvaried. The key challenge is whether this level of reflection can be sustained and
rewarded. Educational establishments do not have the same reward and sanction
power as organizations. Individuals must therefore be able to perceive andarticulate the benefits of critically reflecting on practice both for themselves and
for the organization. Further longitudinal research is planned within organizations
to explore whether there is evidence that programmes designed to encouragecritically reflective practitioners improve individual and organizational perfor-
mance.
Addresses for correspondence
Aileen Corley
Liverpool John Moores University
Faculty of Business and LawManagement School
John Foster Building
98 Mount PleasantLiverpool L3 5UZ, UK
Tel: 44 (0) 151 231 3851
E-mail: [email protected]
Corley and Endes: ‘Becoming’ critically reflective practitioners
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Elaine EadesLiverpool University
University of Liverpool Management School
Chatham BuildingChatham Street
Liverpool L69 72H, UK
Tel: 44 (0) 151 795 3811E-mail: [email protected]
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