NURS 602 Applying Critical Reflective Practice Research Examples

NURS 602 Applying Critical Reflective Practice Research Examples Example 1 UBG331 Applying Critical Reflective Practice Part A Aim and Context Human Resource professionals face an environment that is “complex, uncertain and changeable” (Gardner 2009), as I have experienced this within areas of a Management role and faced with this perception, I still wish to pursue a career within HR. The aim and purpose of this research is to explore whether my maternity (trigger) was the influence that led me to my career crossroad of leaving my job and undertaking an undergraduate degree. To discover this, my research context is framed around the professional body of Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). My reasoning for this is because CIPD are known for setting the professional benchmark in HR whilst being a highly recognised accreditation. I am able to identify a deeper understanding about them from their vision and purpose, which is to; “Define, improve and represent practices in people and organisation development to benefit individuals, businesses, economies and society” (Our purpose, vision and mission - About us - CIPD, 2016). Using the CIPD Profession Map I am able to demonstrate through active imagination a diagnosis of why these three behaviors; Curious, Courage to Challenge and Driven to Deliver ("Behaviours | CIPD") describe my maternity trigger and most describe my HR journey and experience so far. Importantly, Pettica-Harris and McKenna (2013) argues that a professional person may have choices in which career path they take but will face struggles at the heart of discovering professional knowledge. This is due to CIPD’s own knowledge in action framework ("Profession Map For HR And L&D | CIPD") which shape’s and moulds professionals to be specific behaviours of what they have to ‘be’ (du Gay, 1994; McKenna, 2010 cited in Peticca‐Harris and McKenna, 2013, pg.823). This draws internal identity conversations of ‘Inside’ work (Peticca‐ Harris and McKenna, 2013) such as questions of; “Who am I? What should I be? How should I be it?” (Archer, 2003 cited in Peticca‐Harris and McKenna, 2013 pg. 824). Theoretical Direction As the focus of this research is knowledge in action (Schon, 1983) this will consider how my professional knowledge (practical wisdom) was triggered by my maternity. I begin my theoretical direction by researching critical reflection, Bolton (2010) Through-the-Mirror writing 5 step approach takes control of our experience by analysing our own stories through the lens to aid a better understanding of knowledge and experience to create awareness of HR developmental areas. Similarly, Bassot (2013) identifies the same reflection process as the metaphorical mirror, using the Driver’s Mirror is a way to see ‘what is behind us and identify how to move forward’. In order to critically reflective an individual need’s to understand their own values, Mezirow (1978; 1981) 7 levels of reflexivity focuses upon an individual’s feelings, attitudes and values, as Van Woerkom (2004) suggests individuals face implications when organisational and individual learning needs, behaviours and values collide, as my individual personal values attached to CIPD’s may differ, however the concept of critical reflective work can bridge understanding between the two (Van Woerkom, 2004). Mezirow 7 step process could identify ways to solve these implications. Gardner (2009) Affirming Values, stated within the research report “that workers believed the job was personally challenging and valuable to the wider community, and they perceived themselves as making a difference within their field”. The focus of this research is knowledge in action taking into account the reflective practitioner approach presented by Schon (1983). This approach supports the writing through-the-mirror as it allows me to see the professional knowledge I have collected over a period of time. The construction of personal and professional knowledge from learning from experience is an approach which gives me meaning because it allows me to look back at ‘action’ and how this ‘action’ has influenced my evolution of professional identity (McIntosh, 2008). The experiential approach to reflection allows me to consider the stages of the trigger using metaphor as a tangible event (Bolton, 2010). Umberto Eco (1979) stated 'live metaphors help our understanding of reality and that they should be kept if they work but once they become restricting they should be disregarded' (Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016, pg.618). I am able to identify my personal trigger ‘maternity as my turtle’ (Hunt, 2006) which lead me to my experience framing my professional identity and ultimately my transformation as an aspiring HR professional. By re-imaging the Pixar movie ‘Inside Out’ which illustrated how Riley’s (main character) emotions lead her everyday reactions to tangible events, I am able to express my active and artistic imagination (Winter et al., 1999) (see part b for method), with a dialogic process of journal entries (Ripamonti et al., 2016). Reflexive emergence allows transformation to begin from personal experience (in-action) to discussion and observation (diary) by placing my knowledge in action events (experience) with the Through-the-Mirror writing approach as a way of linking internal personal values with professional identity (Mcintosh, 2008). Bibliography Armstrong, P-A. (2016). Deciding the Theoretical Direction of the Research. Bassot, Barbara. The Reflective Journal. 1st ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. Print. Bolton, G. (2010) Reflective practice. 3rd ed. Los Angeles: Sage, p. 4, 31, 128. "Behaviours | CIPD". CIPD. N.p., 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. Czarniawska, B. (2016). Reflexivity versus rigor. Management Learning, 47(5), pp.618 Gardner, F (2009) 'Affirming values: using critical reflection to explore meaning and professional practice', Reflective Practice, 10 (2), pp. 179-190 Hunt, Cheryl, (2006) "Travels with a turtle: metaphors and the making of a professional identity", Reflective Practice, 7, 3, pp.315-332 McIntosh, P (2008) 'Reflective reproduction: a figurative approach to reflecting in, on, and about action', Educational Action Research, 16 (1), pp. 125-143 Mezirow, J. (1978) Education for Perspective Transformation: Women’s Re-entry Programs in Community Colleges, New York: Centre for Adult Education, Columbia University. Mezirow, J. (1981) ‘A critical theory of adult learning and education’, Adult Education, 32.1: 13- 24. Our purpose, vision and mission - About us - CIPD (2016) C. Available at: Peticca‐Harris, A. and McKenna, S. (2013). Identity struggle, professional development and career. Journal of Management Development, [online] 32(8), pp.823-835. Available at: "Profession Map For HR And L&D | CIPD". CIPD. N.p., 2016. Web. 17 Dec. 2016. Ripamonti, S, Galuppo, L, Gorli, M, Scaratti and A L Cunliffe (2016) 'Pushing action research towards reflexive practice', Journal of Management Inquiry, 25 (1), pp. 55-68 Schön, D. A. (1983) The reflective practitioner (New York, Basic Books). Van Woerkom, Marianne. "The Concept Of Critical Reflection And Its Implications For Human Resource Development". Advances in Developing Human Resources 6.2 (2004): 178-192. Web. 21 Nov. 2016. Winter, R., Buck, A. & Sobiechowska, P. (1999) Professional experience and the Investigative Imagination: the ART of reflective writing (London, Routledge). Part B Methodology The influence of this research was my maternity (trigger) and the underlying assumptions I reveal are; my maternity leave initiated my cross roads and new career path and to understand this I will use reflexive dialogic action research (Ripamonti et al., 2016) and a range of conversational lens to make sense of my reflexive consciousness (see method). Cunliffe (2002) suggests when one is positioned within a critical stance we try to make sense of it by engaging in dialogic to highlight our assumptions and by restructuring learning as a “reflexive dialogical practice” the critique is placed within the practice and within ourselves. Similarly, Rolf (2011) suggests a practitioner who reflects in action is a reflexive practitioner as reflecting-in-action can be seen as a form of action research. Method To facilitate my active imagination and diagnose the reasons why I am the CIPD behaviours I assume I am, I have taken a diagnostic approach of knowledge in action by using Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998; Bassot 2013 pg. 58) as Cunliffe (2002) suggests ‘skilled practitioners use knowing-in-action to help their awareness within circumstances’. By choosing this method it has enabled me to make sense of my identity struggle which has detailed the different situations and challenges I faced and how I reacted to them. Using McIntosh 2008 “reflective reproduction” concept to utilise ‘active imagination’ has allow me to re-image the Pixar movie ‘Inside Out’ in the form of a critical incident analysis which makes sense of reflective lens and the interpretation of my personal data, by using different colours to identify feelings to CIPD behaviours and personal data source’s and reveals a connection between them (see trailer to storyboard introduction) and with journal entries for dialogic discussion. Bolton (2010) suggested “journals are records of experiences, thoughts, ideas about particular aspects of life and that reflective writing takes control of our experience by analysing our own stories to aid a better understanding of knowledge and experience to create awareness of our developmental areas” similarly Beveridge (1997) suggested ‘creatively noting things down without the anxiety of others opinions is an incredibly powerful thing’; transformation of personal diagnostics; Belbin, Myers Briggs and Life Value Inventory (B, 2016; M, 2016; Life Values Inventory, 2016) which was also completed on my behalf by peers gives an honest and unbiased view, as the value of ‘critical friends’ who can shed light on your hidden self (Bager- Charleston, 2010). Using multiple voices and sources during this process can reveal “different logics of action, cultures both professional and organisational and how they meet each other” (Shotter, 2010), I am able to link these with the CIPD behaviours which allows me to deeply look into myself to drop my ego and reveal the questions orientated from the unconscious to established personal forms of knowing (McIntosh 2008, pg. 141). Colour Key: Internal Emotions - Yellow, Blue, Purple, Green and Red CIPD, Personal Data and Journal are colour coordinated and linked to the above colour codes. Critique of Research Design I have chosen to critique two areas of my research; the use of Myers Briggs Type Indicator as a form of person data and reflection-in-action research. Firstly, Myers Briggs Type Indicator is not scientifically proven as the theory of psychological type was based from Jung’s observations and reflections and later progressed by Isabel Briggs Myers (Centre for Confidence and Well-Being, 2009). The Army Research Institute commissioned a review of Myers Brigg Type Indicator and stated the test should not be used for career planning counselling and suggested the “types may simply be an example of stereotypes” (Pittenger, n.d. pg. 6). The descriptions are “generally flattering” and “sufficiently vague” and it is thought that people will believe the extent of the description, this is known as the “Barnum Effect” (Dickson et al., 1985 cited in Pittenger, n.d pg. 6). Petersen (2006) states the reliability of the test is inconsistent as the same test can be taken by the same person on different occasions and receive different results, whilst the validity of the test is described as low due to a “distorted picture” which the test may reflection upon the individual giving not a true reflection. Secondly, research suggests there are two types of theory being used within reflection-in-action: “espoused theories” from interviews and “theories-in-use” which are taken from observations of actual practices. Espoused theories are versions of rationalist models of decision making and theories-in-use are suggested by Knorr Celina, 1981(Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016) are detailed observations rarely spoken about: ‘Managers do reflect-in-action however do this whilst ‘in-action’ resulting in their reflection remaining private and not available to others’ (Schön, 1983: 243. Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016). This is when theories-in-use should be made clear and to achieve this is to educate reflexive practitioners (Schön, 1987. Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016), similarity, Ann L. Cunliffe (2009) (Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016) suggests leadership education is an opportunity to reflect over practice in a context separate from that practice. Research suggests that reflection-in-action can only be taught if practitioners switch between acting and reflecting as it is impossible to do both at the same time (Niklas Luhmann, 1998. Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016) Schön’s (1983) stated reflective practitioners must establish a “double vision” (p. 164), as reflecting ‘observation needs action’ can only happen at a distance (Source: Extracted from Czarniawska, 2016). The legitimacy of reflecting-in-action is that “double vision” can be achieved in the form of journal entries, as logging the experience, actions and feelings relating to the practitioner,