Transcript Slide 1
The utility of reflective practice during the provision of sport psychology support Tracey Devonport Andy Lane Aims • This presentation is intended to: – Detail our interpretation and usage of reflective practice – Discuss the role of reflection in: • professional practice; • personal development; • theory development. What is reflective practice • Many conceptual definitions of reflective practice. • Two common elements: – 1) a critically analytical process intended to; – 2) enhance professional competence. • Sits closely with requirements for continuing professional development. 3 Reflective practice…. when it starts…..? How we define our use of reflective practice? • Purposeful but largely informal critical analysis of events past, present or future, the intention being to enhance professional competencies and the attainment of professional objectives. • Our experiences support the notion of reflective practice as an effective tool for increasing understanding of consultancy practice and/or applied research (Knowles et al., 2007; Tod, 2007). • Models of reflection inform rather than dictate the approach we undertake. • We tend to: – Analyse an incident considering pertinent thoughts, feelings and consequences (for ourselves and others); – Develop action points taking into account current circumstances, research and theoretical propositions; – Seek and consider the reflections of people relevant to the context of consultancy (e.g., athlete, coach, officials, fellow athletes, parents, partners and so on). • Reflecting on past practice - reflection-on-action (Schön, 1987); the product is referred to as knowledge-in-action. • Integral to effective practice as it incorporates values, prejudices, experiences, knowledge, and social norms (Knowles et al., 2007). • We all have psychopathologies and worries. Recognising maladaptive thinking and behaviours can help us understand and be more empathetic towards clients (Andersen & Stevens, 2007). • Reflection-in-action - thinking about a situation whilst it is occurring. • Practitioners should be conscious of their own thoughts and feelings and remain adaptable. – Not impervious to experiencing unwanted emotions during consultancy. – It helps to be aware that you are nervous and these nerves will be influencing your thoughts and actions. • Honesty and openness are prerequisites for advancing applied practice and theory via reflection (Devonport & Lane, 2009). • Applied experiences present practice-based evidence (Margison et al., 2000). • Reflecting upon practice-based evidence and evidence-based practice can improve practice knowledge and effectiveness. On being a fraud…. • Andersen and Stevens (2007) suggest that feeling like a fraud helps to maintain safe practice. • As you become more experienced you realize that there are multiple ways of doing things, each equally correct in its own way. • Andersen and Stevens (2007) contend that humans and indeed life are both messy and complicated. Reflection generates knowledge… Take home messages • Reflect upon and draw meaning from events that occur across professional and personal contexts. – Life experiences typically exemplify the application of psychological principles in differing contexts, and moreover, sport is a life experience. • Rather than having a steadfast reliance on theory and literature look for a more balanced approach. Take home messages • Be honest and open, developing confidence to share reflections with the acknowledgement that these might be judged to be incorrect. • We all have psychopathologies and worries, failing to acknowledge these can present barriers to effective practice. We hope this presentation has been thought provoking and enjoyable For a further information on reflective practice see: Knowles, Z., Gilbourne, D. Cropley, B & Dugdill, L. Reflective Practice in the Sport and Exercise Sciences http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415814935/