Abstract:

Reflective Practice is now an integral part of the Health Care Professionals training. It is an area that has gained increasing prominence in the Audiology curriculum over the last decade, but it is an area that still remains under researched.
We currently encourage our students to reflect, by offering supportive scaffolding's in the use of reflective models. However, we have long been aware that the student’s ability to reflect, remains extremely limited. Demonstrating their skills to describe events, but not their ability to question and make sense of their experiences.
We have failed to devise methods to encourage and promote reflection, as students develop their ability to engage with more complex clinical information.
To encourage our students to fully engage with the notion of reflective practice, we have had to re think our methodology for developing their understanding of the process.
In collaboration with colleagues in the Department Education, we explored the concept of participatory photography as method of introducing reflective practice to first year undergraduate Audiology students.
Participatory photography also referred to as “photo voice,” is a term used to describe a form of photography. Students were provided with photographic equipment, and through guided workshops explored the concept of using digital photographs as a tool for developing reflective skills.
The images students presented formed the basis of class discussion, providing the opportunity for them to present their world as they perceived it.
This project encouraged students to develop a heightened awareness of self, and allowed them to communicate about themselves and their world free from the constraints of the academic word.
It is recognised that this exploratory study is limited to the context and learning experiences of undergraduate Audiology students in the University of Manchester but it has the potential to be applied across a range of higher education programmes both nationally and internationally, involved in similar reflective practice developments.

Keywords:

Reflective Practice, Participatory Photography, Audiology.