Reflective Skills Framework
Introduction
The Framework, which has been inspired by Claire Rees, Peter Forbes, and Bianca Kubler, Student Employability profiles: A Guide
for Higher Education Practitioners, HEA, York, 2007, is intended to help students and tutors to structure their reflective practices and
to illustrate the ways in which reflection relates to the QAA’s History Subject Benchmark and to the range of Employability Skills
identified by Claire Rees and her colleagues.
The Framework could be used with students who are being asked to reflect on a particular experience, such as a work placement, or
on their personal development. Specific module or course outcomes History could replace the Subject Benchmark column. The
division of Reflective Skills into Reflective Thinking and Reflective Action indicates the parallel but interrelated elements of reflection.
Students could be encouraged to work through the Framework in a linear fashion or to start at the point in the process that is most
relevant to their previous experience of reflection and self-assessment. In this sense the Framework builds on Kolb’s Experiential
Learning Cycle. The Framework also allows students to relate their reflection to Schön’s concepts of reflection for, in and on action.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Lisa Price, University of Wolverhampton Careers Service, Harriet Richmond, Newman University and other
members of the Historians Reflect Project Development Panel for their constructive comments on earlier versions of the Framework.
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The Framework
Reflective skills
Reflective Thinking
Recognise own
strengths/weaknesses/
development needs
Reflective Action
Be clear about
purposes/goals
Graduate skills
History Subject Benchmark
Command a body of (historical)
knowledge; gather and deploy data
Rees et al’s Employability Skills
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Handle data
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Design, research and present a
sustained independent study
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Understand how people have existed,
acted and thought in the past
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Organisational awareness
Self-awareness
Set medium/long term
objectives
Identify own (emotional)
responses to situations,
people and/or feedback
Manage own (emotional)
Work collaboratively…
responses individually and Work placements
as a member of groups or
teams
Identify what has been
learnt from specific
experiences
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Understand how people have existed,
acted and thought in the past
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Organisational awareness
Self-awareness
Team working
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Reflective skills
Reflective Thinking
Reflective Action
Adapt own
behaviour/practice in the
light of what has been
learnt
Conceptualise and devise
an e-action plan to
enhance
practice/performance
Graduate skills
History Subject Benchmark
Reflect on History’s nature, purpose
and practice
Rees et al’s Employability Skills
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Professional practice
Self-awareness
Marshal and present a
coherent…argument …
Autonomous behaviour
Communications
Emotional intelligence
Familiarity with IT
Handle data
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Use ICT
Review the action plan
regularly to assess
achievement
Recognise there are ways to test
evidence that require integrity and
maturity.
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Analyse and address (historical)
problems/evidence
Autonomous behaviour
Emotional intelligence
Identify/solve problems
Self-awareness
Amend the action plan in
the light of assessment
Revaluate own
strengths/weaknesses/
development needs
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