Now you see it, now you don’t

A case for developing reflection among higher education staff? http://www.herts.ac.uk/apply/schools-of-study/business

What are we going to talk about?

• Findings from initial research into

teaching and learning staff

development

• The implications of the data

• Whether a planned framework of

reflection would be a useful step in

designing effective staff development

We asked staff …

• In what ways has the knowledge you gained from your staff development

changed how you do your job ?

• What learning and teaching staff development would you like to see

provided in the future ?

• Emerging themes from the data

• Confidence building, teaching techniques, networking, use of specific

technology, reflection, student engagement, internal university processes,

management of self and others, wider HE perspective

What did staff say they gained?

What did staff say they wanted?

Leader board

Question 6 – what have you gained

Teaching techniques/ideas/session design

26

Reflection 10

Networking/sharing 9

Nothing 9

Understanding of internal processes 8

Specific technology 7

Question 9 – what do you want

Teaching techniques/ideas/session design

16

Reflection 1

Networking/sharing 12

Understanding of internal processes 6

Specific technology 5

What was our definition of reflection?

Classified as reflection anything which denoted:

• “ stepping or sitting back from a situation to review it “ (Clark,

2009:215)

• “reflective practice ….is the practice of periodically stepping back to

ponder the meaning of what has recently transpired to ourselves

and to others in our immediate environment” (Raelin, 2002: 66)

Why was reflection hardly requested?

Something perceived as already learned (Moon, 2001)

Not enough time – complex and changing role (Locke, 2014)

Not specific enough for staff to think it could be suitable for

development activity (Moon, 2001)

May be a resisted concept - narcissistic, self-indulgent (Rigg, 2008;

Davis & Moon, 2014)

How might planned reflection help?

References and Further Reading

Bolton, G. (2010) Reflective Practice. London Sage Publications

Clark, P. (2009) Reflecting on reflection in interprofessional education: Implications for theory and

practice, Journal of Interprofessional Care, 23:3

Davis, H. & Moon, J. (2015) Making room for new traditions: Encouraging critical reflective practice

for tertiary education management in Humanistic Management Network Research paper no 11/15.

Ghaye, T. (2011) Teaching and learning through reflective practice: A practical guide for positive

action. Abingdon: Routledge

Harwood, T. & Clarke J. (2006) Grounding continuous professional development (CPD) in teaching

practice in Innovations in Education and Teaching International 43( 1) pp29-39

Hafez, R. et al (2007) CPD for Teachers in post compulsory education; occasional paper No.18.

London: Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers.

Locke, W. (2014) Shifting academic careers: implications for enhancing professionalism in teaching

and supporting learning. York: Higher Education Academy

Moon, J. (2001) Reflection in Higher Education Learning PDP Working Paper 4 LTSN generic

Centre

Raelin, J. (2002) I don’t have time to think v the art of reflective practice in Reflections 4 (1) Society

for organisational learning centre and Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Rigg, E. (2008) Let’s not get too personal: critical reflection, reflexivity and the confessional turn.

Journal of European Industrial Training Vol 32 (5) 385-399

Webb, G. (2013) Understanding Staff Development. Abingdon: Routledge

THANK YOU