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.
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.
