Using contemplative reflection in teaching and assessment

1. Education Insight Series Applying Contemplative Pedagogy 2 Using contemplative reflection in teaching and assessment Dr Caroline Barratt School of Health and Social Care

2. Outline • Introductions • What is contemplative pedagogy? • What is contemplative reflection and how can it be used in teaching and learning? • How can reflection be assessed? • How is this relevant in your own teaching and learning? • Trying out a contemplative reflective practice

3. Contemplative pedagogy “...‘first person’ approaches which connect students to their lived, embodied experience of their own learning. Students are encouraged to become more aware of their internal world and connect their learning to their own values and sense of meaning which in turn enables them to form richer deeper, relationships with their peers, their communities and the world around them” (Barratt 2014 https://contemplativepedagogynetwork.com/what-is-contemplative-pedagogy/)

5. What is reflection?

6. Group discussion • Why is reflection used in teaching and learning? • What forms of reflection do you use in your current teaching and learning? • What challenges do you experience as either a teacher or learner when using reflection?

7. Problems of reflection in HE B • Lack of clarity over the concept - what do we mean by reflection? • Lack of empirical evidence for the effectiveness of reflection • Lack of clarity over perceived connection between reflection and practice • Lack of ‘modelling’ by those who teach • Increasingly instrumental and superficial approach • Lack of a ‘holistic approach’ – predominantly intellectual • Poor teaching on how to reflect • Lack of awareness of context – power and ethics • Emotional ‘performativity’ • (Beauchamp 2015) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14623943.2014.982525?needAccess=true&instName=University+of+Essex

8. Contemplative reflection Contemplation: ‘the action of looking thoughtfully at something for a long time’ • ‘deep reflective thought’ • https://www.google.com/search?q=contemplation+defintion&rlz=1C1GCEA_enGB765GB765&oq=contemplation+defintion&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2287j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

9. Contemplative reflection Roots of Contemplate https://www.google.com/search?q=contemplation+defintion&rlz=1C1GCEA_enGB765GB765&oq=contemplation+defintion&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.2287j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#dobs=contemplate

10. Contemplative reflection • Valuing process not just outcome • Developing awareness of complexity and different view points • Deepening understanding of the individual within the context of community • Bringing the affective and embodied dimensions of experience into view • Considering ethics and safety • Creating a contemplative learning culture within which reflection is modelled, experienced and understood

11. Contemplation & action ‘I am talking about a special dimension of inner discipline and experience, a certain integrity and fullness of personal development which are not compatible with a purely external alienated, busy-busy existence, This does not mean that they are incompatible with action…On the contrary these go well together.’ (Merton 1998: 154)

12. How do we do this? Flickr/PetrasGagilas

13. Example 1 HS613 Mindfulness, self-compassion and compassionate care • Critically discuss the barriers (both internal and institutional) that health and social care practitioner’s face in delivering compassionate care. • Select from a range of tools in order to develop their own mindfulness and self compassion and critically reflect on the impact that these tools has had on their own practice. • Discuss how they relate to patients whilst they are caring for them. As a result learners will be more able to critically reflect on the care that they give and able to identify more compassionate ways of caring in the future. • Identify ways in which mindfulness and self-compassion can be applied in complex and challenging professional contexts..

14. A 1500 word essay: ‘In order for health and social care professionals to deliver more compassionate care it is essential that they become more mindful and self-compassionate themselves’. • A 1500 word reflective report on your learning and practice development throughout the course. You will reflect on your experience of the course and how you met the learning outcomes. Tips for completing the reflective report: • Focus on your own experience of applying mindfulness and self-compassion techniques to your practice at work. • Do not avoid exploring difficulties you have had – it is often from these that you learn the most and from which the most interesting reflection comes. • Consider the impact it has had on you, those you care for and work with.

15. How is reflection integrated? • Reflective and contemplative practice modelled throughout the teaching • Meditative reflection – reflecting on a time they had cared compassionately for someone and a time where they had been uncompassionate. • Mindfulness practice • Free writing • Teaching on receptive models including Johns

16. Example 2 PS508-6-SP “Believing is Seeing” The power of belief and suggestion on the mind and brain (Module lead Dr Elia Valentini) Learning outcomes • Be familiar with psychological and neural processes involved in belief- and suggestion-based phenomena. • Be able to critically evaluate empirical research and scientific opinions in the specific areas of enquiry covered during the module. Extend their understanding to everyday life and societal relevance. • Be able to provide evidence of reflection and self-reflection in diaries that will show the student can go beyond descriptive approach to the learning material and reveal understanding and consolidation of the course material.

17. How is reflection integrated? • Guidance on reflection given during the introductory lecture • Levels of reflective depth used as marking criteria • Reminder given in class to complete reflective diaries • Student’s sign posted to resources by Moon

18. Descriptive= no arguing, no questioning, no implications, no exploring, no linking, no focus on anything in particular (marks 0-36%) Descriptive with some reflection= little ideas and comments, hint to explore but don’t do it, questions but little answers (42-58%) Reflective= perhaps not very descriptive but ideas and information are explored and argued, “standing back from the event”, recognition of emotional content and its role, perspectives (62-68%) Deeply  reflective= description serves reflection, internal dialogue, previous experience, metacognition and multiple perspectives, critical thinking (75-95%) (Moon 2007)

19. Marking Reflections

20. Smaller steps • Reflect on learning - for 2 minutes at the end of the class. What have they learnt and what have they contributed? • Quotes – providing quotes from different writers, thinkers and asking them to identify one which relates to their experience and explain why. • Drawing – draw your journey as a PhD student…moving reflection from cognitive into more creative domains… • Objects – how does the object reflect your experience? • Opposites – ask them to find contradictory examples…you should never cause a patient pain – list 5 times when this is NOT true. • Rejoicing – ask students to write down the name of a student that has enhanced their learning in that session and why. • Teacher reflection – demonstrating awareness of other perspectives and own processing. ‘The silence feels uncomfortable doesn't it but I am really keen to hear from you…’

21. Reflection using objects

22. Object reflection – five ways 1. Pick an object you feel drawn to spend three minutes looking at/feeling/smelling/listening the object. 2. Write down five ways that the object in some way reflects, or is similar to, your experience of your professional life 3. Write down five ways that the object is different from, or contrasts with, your experience of your professional life

23. Important considerations • Does the reflection need to be part of the summative assessment? • Have you been sufficiently clear about what you are expecting from students? • Have you explored the ethical aspects of reflection with them? • Have you included non-assessed opportunities for students to develop their reflective skills? • Do the students have sufficient freedom to ensure they can reflect on something meaningful to them?

24. What will you do? 3 minute silent reflection tocome up with ONE small thing you are going to do in response to this session. Group discussion to share and support

25. References • Barratt, C. (2014) What is contemplative pedagogy? https://contemplativepedagogynetwork.com/what-is-contemplative-pedagogy/ Accessed 22 March 2019 • Beauchamp, C. 2015. Reflection in teacher education: issues emerging from a review of current literature, Reflective Practice, 16 (1): 123-141. • Moon, J. 2004. Resources for Reflective Learning. https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/resources-reflective-learning • Moon, J. (2007) “Getting the measure of reflection: Considering matters of definition and depth.” Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice. Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 191-200 • Merton, T. 1998. Contemplation in a World of Action. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press. • Sloan, D. n.d. Reflective Activities. Tried and True Teaching Methods to Enhance Students’ Service-Learning Experience https://www.usf.edu/engagement/documents/s-l-reflection-activities.pdf