1. Case study Developing students as critical consumers of business information A reflective practice framework

2. Accounting in Context BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance Level 3 40 credits (double module) in 3 rd year of operation 1 weekly lecture and 1 fortnightly workshop 100 students (25 in each workshop)

3. AIC and developing reflective practice Developing reflective practice Take a multi- disciplinary approach to business issues/problems Develop a critical appreciation of the nature, development and application of knowledge in business Integrate technical knowledge acquired from study across the programme Develop as critical consumers of ‘research’

4. AIC and developing reflective practice Developing reflective practice Take a multi- disciplinary approach to business issues/problems Develop a critical appreciation of the nature, development and application of knowledge in business Integrate technical knowledge acquired from study across the programme Develop as critical consumers of ‘research’ Case study Critical review of information & sources

5. Rationale for module aims Knowledge –What counts as ‘knowledge’? –Where does ‘knowledge’ come from? Gibbons (1994) modes 1 and 2 –Formal and informal knowledge –‘Relevance’ and ‘reliability’ and the role of ‘evidence’ Critical consumer –is information literate –what underpins this capacity? reflective practice and critical thinking Focus on: developing the reflective practitioner

6. Underpinning educational theory Students’ ability to ‘critique’ is affected by their ‘ways of knowing’ A way of knowing is more than a way of thinking (cognition) It’s a way of being Not changed easily!

7. Underpinning educational theory Support the development of reflective practice Assess

8. Developing the reflective practitioner Ways of knowing Absolute Transitional Independent Contextual Learner Peers Lecturer Assessment Nature of knowledge (Baxter Magolda, 1992) Contextual

10. Ways of knowing Absolute Transitional Independent Contextual Nature of knowledge Source Relevance Reliability A capacity: a way of being

11. The reflective practitioner ‘The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. (Schön, 1983, p.68)

12. Type of actionNature of activity/reflection Nature of critique Habitual actionWell-structured repetitive tasks (based on conceptual and technical understanding) No critique Thoughtful actionHigher order cognitive processes to analyse, perform, discuss and evaluate No critique Problem-solvingReflectionCritique of assumptions about content and process Problem-posingCritical reflectionCritique of premises: knowledge psychological sociocultural Learning in HE (Mezirow, 1991)

13. Developing reflective practice the start of a lifelong development activity ‘ The practitioner allows himself to experience surprise, puzzlement, or confusion in a situation which he finds uncertain or unique. He reflects on the phenomenon before him, and on the prior understandings which have been implicit in his behaviour. (Schön, 1983, p.68)

14. The assignment: ‘in-tray’ exercise You are a research assistant reporting to a financial director in a large international company. You have been asked to provide a report to brief the finance director on issues arising from an article she has read. She has particularly asked you to focus on: Other information sources on these issues that might inform her development of policy within the company; and The nature of these information sources: their relevance and reliability

15. Assignment (60%): two elements –a critical review of information sources (70%) –a reflective report (30%)

16. Reflective report opportunity to recall and review Supported by learning journal creates the conditions that support the development of reflective practice and learning: –time –space –opportunity to recall and review

17. Supporting reflection Activities to support reflective writing –identification/de-construction of ‘reflective writing’ (Moon, 2004)

18. Basic observations The workshop was fun and quite interesting Our presentation group worked well on the whole I did a search on my topic but I got fed up with it and went to meet my friends How can these be developed into reflection?

19. Writing down the learning outcomes I had achieved made me feel as though I were progressing and improving on the course. Maybe because I could see from my learning journal that I was picking up new skills. On reflection, I am happier when I feel I am improving. In the past I would not have thought that recording my progress would help me improve.

20. Supporting reflection Activities to support critical reflection –linking prior and current studies within overriding frameworks corporate governance ethics –critical review of information sources activity models the reflective process involves comparison of approaches with other students

21. We learn to be critical this week – to see from different angle. Honestly, I never did something like this before. I tend to accept everything published, unless I know that the news is gossip or from crap magazine. I should have re-think it further.

22. Activities to support critical reflection –‘how am I doing?’ - questioning learning outcomes –‘pulling students up short’ (Lucas, 2007) identifying emotions/feelings comparing reactions/views with other students questioning the ‘everyday’

23. Activity 2 everyday activities: Washing your hair Riding a bike List all the sources of knowledge that you draw on to engage in that activity!

24. Activities to support critical reflection –‘how am I doing?’ - questioning learning outcomes –‘pulling students up short’ (Lucas, 2007) identifying emotions/feelings comparing reactions/views with other students questioning the ‘everyday’ –modelling time for reflection during/at end of classes reflective questions to frame presentations lecturer reflects too… –should the lecturer keep a learning journal?

25. Reaction of the students? good sign? humour, play confirmation and contradiction

26. Reflecting on our experience more development needed in levels 1 & 2 reflective practice thinking skills more structure/confirmation needed assessment of reflective report more explicit discussion/reflection about the meaning of the learning outcomes and ‘information literacy’