Siobhan Maclean
NOPT Conference Workshop
July2012

• Domain 6 of the PCF: Critical reflection and analysis
• Essentially draws together holistic assessment
• HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Social
Workers in England – standard 11: be able to reflect on and review practice
• Guidance on critical reflection is in development to support the PCF

 Time constraints
 Striving for certainty
 Evidence based practice
 Reflective practice can be painful and create a crisis of confidence
 Organisational constraints
 Lack of reflective supervision
 Lack of clarity about reflective practice

• Process of review to inform learning (eg:
Schon, Reid etc)
• Active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge (Dewey 1933)
• Mental process of trying to restructure existing knowledge and insights
(Korthagen 2001)

• Assumption analysis : challenging our own beliefs and values
• Contextual awareness : recognition of social construction of beliefs and practice
• Imaginative speculation: ability to imagine a different way
• Reflective Scepticism: Challenging or suspending existing knowledge and beliefs

Critically reflective practice: key components
 Rethinking / deconstructing power
 Awareness of values and implications for practice
 Exploring emotions / emotional intelligence
 Drawing on knowledge / developing knowledge and practice wisdom
 Self awareness
 Creating uncertainty through dynamic questioning – willingness to live with that uncertainty

 Reflection in action
 Reflection on action
 reflection for action
(Killian and Todnem 1991)

Plan – reflection for action
Do – reflection in action
Review – reflection on action

 Support them to find a model of reflective practice which they are comfortable with – this will vary for each individual
 Enable them to understand the need for
“critical friendships” – and be a critical friend to them during placement
 Develop their awareness of what is impacting on their reflection
 Make sure that they don’t avoid the questions – but likewise don’t delay actions

There is a limit to what each of us can do alone… critical friends help to shape and frame our reflection.

Examples of students and practitioners theorising on models of reflective practice…

HAIR-RAISING
MOMENTS
What were the moments that made you think “wow”? i.e. the things that shocked you;
That you were not expecting?
What gave you goose-bumps?
TUMMY-SINKING
MOMENTS
What are the moments you think did not go as hoped? What, if anything, gave you the
“sinking feeling”?
i.e. what might you do differently next time?
RACHEL RAYNER
HEART-WARMING
MOMENTS
What went well? What made you feel good about your work/practice?
What are you proud of?
TOE-CURLING MOMENTS
What were the moments that made you feel uncomfortable? The moments that you had not/could not plan for that you learn from the most?
i.e. the moments that in years to come you will look back and say, “I remember… and these “awful” moments are often the ones that we learn from the most.

 Before you get on the ride
– what are you expecting?
Any apprehensions? etc
 During the ride – how does it feel? Do you want to get off? etc
 After the ride – how do you feel? What was it like? etc
 POWER – who put you on the ride? Did you have any choices? etc

 Sunshine – what went well? What felt good?
 Rain – what didn’t go so well?
 Lightening – what came as a shock?
 Fog – where did you get lost? What couldn’t you see? Why?

Preparation
What ingredients have you got?
What recipe are you using?
How are you feeling about making the cake?
Making the cake
Did you follow the recipe?
Did you add any spice?
Did you make a mess?
If so, how did you tidy it up?
Cont….

Digesting the cake
Did you burn your fingers?
Did you share the cake?
Did it sink or did it rise?
What did it taste like?
If you had changed the ingredients would it have tasted the same?
Did you cater for all tastes?

18

Stage 1: Description
Stage 2: Feelings and thoughts
Stage 3: Evaluation
Stage 4: Analysis
Stage 5: Conclusion
Stage 6: Action planning

GIBBS

 What?
 So what?
 Now what?

An individual:
 recaptures their experience
 thinks about it
 mulls it over (perhaps with others)
 evaluates it
 acts on the reflection

o Environment o Behaviour o Competences o Beliefs o Identity o Mission

1. Telling the narrative – ‘describing’ the practice.
2. Deconstruction – reflective questioning, exploring practice. Focus on power.
3. Reconstruction – planning future practice and putting the plans into action – again focus on power.

Concrete experience
Reflective Observation
Abstract Conceptualisation
Active Experimentation
- What was the event?
- What are your personal thoughts and feelings about the experience?
- How can you draw on previous experiences and on your knowledge to help you
‘make sense’ of this experience?
- If this event were to occur again, what would you do differently?
- What additional knowledge do you need to gain?

Description: What happened?
Feelings: What were you thinking and feeling?
Evaluation: What was good and bad about the experience?
Analysis: What sense can you make of the situation?
Conclusion: What else could you have done?
Action Plan: What was learnt? If it arose again, what would you do?

 Surprises
 Satisfactions
 Dissatisfactions
 Learning

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