Nursing Education and Faculty Reflection What Is Faculty Reflection?
Faculty reflection involves the thoughtful consideration and critical analysis of an educator’s actions, thoughts, and feelings before, during, or after an educational encounter. This reflective process helps educators examine their teaching methods, identify areas for improvement, and develop new perspectives or strategies that can lead to enhanced performance or changes in teaching practice (Freshwater, Horton Deutsch, Sherwood, & Taylor, 2005; Schön, 1983; Shellenbarger, Palmer, Labant, & Kuzneski, 2005).
Faculty Reflection in Nursing Education
In nursing education, faculty reflection plays a crucial role in fostering personal and professional development for nurse educators. This process of self-improvement requires educators to critically examine teaching situations, identify significant events, actions, and activities, and document these reflections for future reference. Various activities can facilitate faculty reflection, including writing or journaling, creating audio, video, or digital recordings, drawing, poetry, or other creative expressions. These activities allow educators to review their teaching experiences and refine their practices.
Reflection can be an individual activity conducted in isolation or enhanced through dialogue with others. Engaging in discussions and responding to questions from colleagues can help faculty explore their thoughts and feelings more deeply. Questions such as “What did you do or say?”, “Why did you do it?”, “What does it mean?”, “What were you feeling?”, and “What will you change?” can prompt educators to critically analyze their actions, understand their motivations, and identify areas for improvement.
Regardless of whether reflection is conducted individually or with peers, it must involve a critical analysis of activities to help faculty examine their knowledge, challenge assumptions, explore alternatives, and generate new ideas (Bridgen & Purcell, 2013). However, several barriers can hinder faculty reflection, including unfamiliarity with the reflective process, lack of time, lack of structure, lack of support, and conflicts with cultural norms and expectations.
To overcome these barriers, faculty can adopt strategies that promote reflection, such as being mindful of teaching practices, staying open to new ideas, expressing ideas freely, allowing spontaneity, and engaging with colleagues to create a culture of reflection (Taylor, 2006). Additionally, setting aside structured time for reflection soon after teaching sessions can help ensure clarity and prevent distractions from interfering with the reflective process (Reflection, 2010). After critically examining their actions, thoughts, and feelings, faculty may decide to make changes to their practice or continue with effective current approaches.
Impact of Faculty Reflection
Reflection has been described by Dewey (1933) as the “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or knowledge” (p. 9). Dewey also suggested that faculty might not be motivated to reflect unless there is an issue or dilemma that needs addressing. Other scholars have built upon Dewey’s work, describing faculty reflection as a process of thoughtful inquiry and analysis (Mezirow, 1998; Schön, 1987). Some emphasize that reflection involves critiquing assumptions and analyzing experiences from different perspectives (Brookfield, 1995; Mezirow, 1998).
Faculty reflection generally occurs in three phases: awareness of feelings and thoughts, critical analysis of the situation, and development of new perspectives (Freshwater et al., 2005; Freshwater, Taylor, & Sherwood, 2008). The literature also discusses different types of reflection: reflection before action (thinking in advance), reflection-in-action (reflecting during the moment), and reflection-on-action (reflection after an event) (Sherwood & Horton Deutsch, 2012).
Effective faculty reflection should be structured, guided, purposeful, regularly occurring, intentional, focused, and involve active inquiry and critical thought. Reflection can lead to professional growth and increased awareness of educator actions and interactions. It also helps educators find meaning and purpose in their work while developing personal solutions to teaching challenges.
Outcomes of Faculty Reflection
Much of the literature on faculty reflection is based on personal experiences and individual activities, and there is a limited evidence base to support the use of specific reflection activities. Research on faculty reflection is needed to guide professional educator practice and to determine the most effective strategies for reflection.
Studies could be conducted to understand the usefulness of various faculty reflection strategies and identify best practices. Additional research could also evaluate the impact of reflection on educator practice improvements, addressing the question: Does faculty reflection lead to effective practice changes? Further exploration is needed to determine the optimal timing and approaches for reflective activities. Although existing literature suggests that faculty reflection positively influences teaching and professional development, more research is necessary to thoroughly evaluate this concept.
Conclusion
Faculty reflection is a valuable tool in nursing education that fosters personal and professional development for nurse educators. By critically analyzing their actions, thoughts, and feelings, educators can identify areas for improvement, develop new perspectives, and enhance their teaching practices. Despite the recognized benefits, there is still a need for more research to establish a stronger evidence base for faculty reflection activities, their effectiveness, and their impact on educator practice. With continued exploration and implementation of reflective practices, nursing educators can create meaningful changes in their teaching, ultimately improving the quality of nursing education and patient care.