The health career model, reflection, curriculum development

There are many new insights and remembrances available in the content of -

Occasional Paper No 10 (PDF access)
Connecting Reflective Learning, Teaching and Assessment
October 2009 by Helen Bulpitt and Mary Deane

We tend to speak of reflection as if it is merely a case of being in the right place at the right time:
in front of a mirror or other reflective surface.

Among the issues raised in OP #10 (which I will expand and explore further) are:

• the need to embed reflection in learning, teaching and assessment at the curriculum design level;
• the existence of an optimal curriculum design that can foster effective critical reflection (Clouder, 2009);
• reflection to meet specific learning outcomes can be said to be 'reflection to order' (Dalley, Chap 2, 2009);

As this short list shows reflection is a complex and serious component and activity of learning. A central problem is in the assessment and marking of reflective writing (Deane, Chap 5, 2009; Dalley, Chap 6, 2009). Marking a piece of reflective writing what would we look for:

• Observation
• Structure
• Reasoning
• Critical review
• Argument
• Personal disclosure
  
• Writing?

There really is the basis for a paper here on the health career model, reflection and there on the horizon - curriculum development.

Image source:
http://www.reelcollectibles.co.nz/stargate.htm