Abstract:

As societal and organizational problems become more complex, ambiguous, and urgent a critically reflective disposition becomes paramount (Millar and Price, 2018). A critical reflective mindset is further required to work effectively and ethically with artificial intelligence. Human Resource Management (HRM) graduate students entering work environments filled with profound uncertainty may need to draw less on human resource discipline specific technical skills and knowledge and more on critical reflective capabilities.

Critical reflection is a meaning-making process that helps students reflect on what they have come to know through their past experiences to inform their future action, while considering the implications of their thinking, perceptions, and behaviours on themselves and the broader communities in which they live. It is a process of uncovering and questioning taken-for-grated knowledge. It involves a willingness to reflect on personal practice, consider other viewpoints and work towards practice change. Some researchers consider critical reflection as a continuous practice, one that is devoted to discovering the truth in a fair-minded way (Paul, 1995). While critical reflection is a desirable competency for HRM student graduates and professionals there is limited information on the degree to which major HR professional certification and designation associations incorporate critical reflection capabilities in their competency frameworks, courses and assessments.

This study begins with an overview of the concept of reflection and critical reflection, followed by a discussion of their importance for HRM student graduates and professionals in complex dynamic AI driven contexts. We conduct a content analysis of competency models, courses and assessments employed by six leading HR designation-granting associations. We seek to gain an understanding of how critical reflection is conceptualized and practiced through HR competency models, courses and certification exams. In the context of the AI era, characterized by easily available course information and the challenges of meaningful course assessments, this paper concludes by providing an outline on how to embed critical reflection in post-secondary HRM curriculum (in person and online mode of delivery)-from design to implementation and assessment.

Keywords:

Reflection, critical reflection, human resource professional competencies, AI and learning, human resource management education.