Reflection in Action: Developing Reflective Practice in Health and Social Services

Newly available in paperback, this original and informative volume outlines a new, well-designed reflective teaching and learning model that can be used with single- or multi-disciplinary groups of students and professionals. It offers an overview of the origins of the different theories of reflection and explains how different levels of reflection can be understood and incorporated into everyday teaching and training. Outlining specific teaching and learning techniques to be used in training situations, it also includes examples of how these techniques have been successfully used with groups of professionals from health and social care areas. This edition features a substantive new preface, bringing the book up to date with recent developments in the field. It is a well-researched guide to both the theory and the practice of reflection, and it also offers those who teach and train professionals a clearly delineated reflective model for use in the classroom or professional training environment.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction; The process of reflection: an overview of the literature; The reflective theories of Argyris and Schön; Designing the reflective teaching model; Phases I & II: introduction and exposure to new ideas; Phase III: simple model rotation; Phase IV: full model rotation; Phase V: ending the research; Final thoughts; Appendix A; Appendix B; Bibliography; Index.

About the Author :
Bairbre Redmond is Vice Principal for Teaching and Learning in the College of Human Sciences at University College Dublin, Ireland. She was one of the inaugural winners of the President's Teaching Award at UCD and her work on the development and evaluation of innovative reflective teaching approaches has received international recognition. She is currently carrying out longitudinal research on the changing professional experiences of social workers at the beginning of their professional practice.

Review :
’This book is a very impressive piece of work. It tackles an issue that has been very central to the training of human service practitioners. This book is suitable for both beginning and advanced professionals in that it provides an excellent point for discussion in graduate training, staff development and supervision. Redmond is to be applauded for the way she has integrated her view of pedagogy (reflective practice) and actual application with graduate students.’ Robert Moroney, Arizona State University, USA ’Reflective practice is one way for social workers to break out of the taken for granted approach to practice and Redmond’s book is a valuable and creative addition to the debate, giving as it does practical ideas and encouragement to think about the way we deliver social work education.’ British Journal of Social Work ’...offers a very readable account of designing and using a new reflective teaching and learning model...would be a useful text for learning disability students; students studying reflection; teachers using reflective techniques; educators of health and social care teachers...It could also provide good case study material and rich dialogue for those involved in inter-professional education.’ Learning in Health and Social Care ’Redmond provides students of reflective practice with a significant resource in this text, not least of which is a very detailed and immensely valuable review of the literature...a very thorough text...’ Social Work Review 'This book addresses an important need in the area of reflective practice. The account is highly engaging for educators and students alike and the overview of the field is commanding yet grounded. It should prove compulsory reading for any educator who is seriously concerned with undertaking reflective teaching and learning.' Jan Fook, University of Southampton, UK 'This insightful and scholarly book moves our knowledge of reflection and reflective practice a huge step f