Abstract:

Within the context of the BSc Healthcare Science (Audiology) programme, reflective practice is introduced to the students in year one of their undergraduate studies. Models or frameworks for reflection such as Gibbs (1988) and Johns (1994) are introduced to the class. The aim being to help students organise their reflective thoughts in a structured way. Without the use of structure, they lack focus and the purpose of the reflection is lost in a descriptive account of their experience. As Platzer et al (1997) notes reflective learning can be more effective if a framework is used to guide this process.

However, the concept of self-awareness tends to be explored at a superficial level, where students are exposed to traditional teaching methods exploring the concept of emotional intelligence and its relevance to reflective practice.

Unfortunately, teaching in this way rarely provided the space for students to explore their strengths and weaknesses, habits and values. Their attention was not focused on themselves, as individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, but on the conceptual ideas put forward by the lecturer. As Katz (2000) noted, a pre- requisite for developing reflective skills is a degree of self-awareness and the emotional maturity, to take responsible actions with regard to both colleagues and patients.

Therefore, introducing reflective practice as part of professional development, before students have acquired an awareness of their own actions and the beliefs and values which inform these actions would seem unwise (Osterman and Kottkamp, 1993). Consideration needed to be given as to how we could deliver self-awareness as a pre-requisite to reflective practice in a much more meaningful way.

This presentation focuses on the introduction of participatory photography to a cohort of 20 first year undergraduate Healthcare Science (Audiology) students with the aim of increasing their self-awareness and ability to identify opportunities for personal growth and professional development as a pre-requisite to reflective practice.

Keywords:

Self-Awareness, Reflective Practice.