The process of teaching and learning about reflection: research insights from professional nurse education

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the process of reflection in professional nurse education and the part it played in a teaching and learning context. The research focused on the social construction of reflection within a post-registration, palliative care programme, accessed by nurses, in the United Kingdom (UK). Through an interpretive ethnographic approach, the organisational, contextual and cultural issues impacting upon teaching and learning interactions, and the use of reflection therein were explored with student and nurse educator participants. Data were collected from observations of teaching and learning, interviews, and extracts from programme documentation and reflective learning contracts (RLCs).

Findings contribute new empirical knowledge regarding the process of teaching and learning about reflection, including educator and clinical supervisor facilitation, the emotional work involved in reflection and methods of ‘mapping’ and ‘modelling’ to support reflection. The influence of both higher education and practice partner organisations on the use of reflection is also evident and indicates that professional reflective education requires institutional support from both education and practice. Specific findings in this paper are pertinent and transferable to other disciplines, where reflective education is used to develop being critical in order to learn through experience. This research offers valuable insights into the realities of reflective education and has currency for educators committed to developing skills for reflection and learning through experience for students, through the generation of a reflective culture.

Keywords:

• reflection
• learning facilitation
• learning and teaching
• professional education
• nursing education

Acknowledgement of contributions

CB contributed to the: conception and design of the study, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting and revising paper, final approval of version to be submitted. JL and MG contributed to the: supervision of the entire doctoral study, drafting and revising paper for intellectual content, final approval of version to be submitted.

Notes

1. Plato's Paradox of Learning proposed that certain things are unlearnable because they must be known before any process of learning could take place, Honderich (1995, 476).