Practising Critical Reflection: A Resource Handbook

How can professionals learn more easily from their own experience?How can critical reflection be performed in a structured way?How can professionals maintain a critically reflective stance when contexts may be restrictive? Critical reflection in professional practice is popular across many different professions as a way of ensuring ongoing scrutiny and improved practice skills. This accessible handbook focuses on a description and analysis of the theoretical input as well as the approach involved in critical reflection. It also demonstrates some skills, strategies and tools which might be used to practise it. The cross-disciplinary approach taken by the authors will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals and combines neatly with useful discussion of the complex educational and professional issues which arise from the practice of critical reflection.An innovative website containing a variety of useful resources accompanies the book www.openup.co.uk/fook&gardner. Resources include: Extracts from workshops, interviews and lectures Additional articles and readings Sample material for workshop preparation Throughout the book, the authors provide pertinent examples from their own practice, referring to relevant literature, providing annotated bibliographies, and noting where additional resource materials are available to provide further illustration. Practising Critical Reflection is key reading for a variety of students across social work, health sciences and nursing, as well as health care and social welfare professionals.

Table of Contents:
PrefaceThe context for professionals Clarifying our approach to critical reflection The theoretical frameworks underlying critical reflection The critical reflection model and process The introductory session The second session (stage one) The third session (stage two) The benefits and outcomes of critical reflection Using critical reflection in organisational setting Using critical reflection in research and evaluation Critical reflection and direct practice Ongoing Issues References Index

About the Author :
Jan Fook is Professor in Social Work Studies at the University of Southampton, UK. From 2002-2006 she was Professor and Director, the Centre for Professional Development, La Trobe University, Australia. Fiona Gardner is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Professional Development at La Trobe University, Australia.