Reflective practice begins with awareness of self and the dynamics between educator and learners in the context of the specific educational setting. The concept of effective reflection is that this awareness is accompanied by a willingness to examine practice for error as well as strengths before taking action to change or improve practice.
"Reflection is effective when it leads the teacher to make meaning from the situation in ways that enhance understanding so that she or he comes to see and understand the practice setting from a variety of viewpoints,"-Loughran (2002, 36).
Reflective teaching involves reflection on the practice of teaching:
- What at the learning objectives for this clerkship? In other words, what does the student need to know and/or be able to do by the time they complete this clerkship experience?
- Which patient encounters or other clinical experiences will be most suitable for helping students accomplish clerkship objectives?
- What am I doing that is helpful to students?
- What's not as effective?
- How can I help the student become a more effective and reflective learner?
Effective reflective teaching should promote as well reflection on the part of the learner.
This does not have to be a time-consuming task. Instead, finding out what what might challenge the learner to expand what they know and can do is something you can assess on a case by case basis, in relation to the patients you are caring for throughout a given shift.
BDA is a framework that can help you do that.