2009 What the HR literature tells us about reflective learning

What does the HR literature tell us about promoting reflective learning to improve performance?Dr Sue GreenerBrighton Business SchoolUniversity of BrightonS.L.Greener@brighton.ac.uk

The point•Can educational institutions justify the

hyperbole about promoting reflective practice as a performance improvement tool?

•Do talking about reflection and assessing reflective practice belong more comfortably in HE and professional CPD than in the workplace?

•Searched online and publisher databases for relevant journal articles from 2003-9

The assumptions

“HRD is a field that values reflective

practice .., questioning

assumptions.., and embracing change...”

(Bierema 2005)

Literature search7 had no recent articles on reflective practice in relation to workplace learning

Main domains outside HR: healthcare/clinical practice, project management, small business, marketing

Figure 1. Situating themes in the HR literature on reflective learning for the workplace

E.g. Aims to find practical

recommendations in literature on using reflective tools to develop

innovatory practice

E.g. To establish link

between individual

learning and organisationa

l learning

Eg. How learning is acquired in

specific craft vocational

context (dry stone walling)

E.g. To operation

alise critical

reflection

Theory

Practice

Specific context

Generic context

Aims in non HR literature:•  • Development of reflective practitioners in project management• Impact of self-regulated learning theory on reflective practice in

nursing• Presents a model of reflective learning in marketing based on

Kember and Mezirow.• Evaluates effects of innovation programmes in manufacturing

SMEs• Reviews undergraduates’ use of Blackboard™ to reflect online

(public health and social care)• Reviews reflection in action on the job • Reviews faith development in relation to reflective practice• Introduces reflective practice in health promotion• Proposes that reflective practice can and should be taught• Tests reflective practice groups externally facilitated over six

months, healthcare professionals development• Scenarios presented in groups for discussion - initially to help pre-

service teachers develop practical knowledge construction, then used with more experienced teachers to promote deeper reflection

Methodologies in these articles•Small case study or multiple case studies•Literature review

•Frequent reference to feminist research perspectives

•Surveys, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, action research, ethnography

•Most from qualitative, interpretivist paradigm

So were there practical applications to improving workplace performance?

Some advocates of coached reflection using structured questions – avoid self-indulgence

Some advocating longitudinal approaches: logs, diaries – how do they find the time?

Group approaches: action learning/reflective practice groups, network relationships – vulnerability?

Scenario-building/visioning/story-telling to achieve breakthrough thinking – commit to creativity

Mediation through mentor/facilitator – cost?

Focus on positive psychology – appreciative enquiry rather than post-mortem

Conclusions• Few papers to date tackle complexity and time

pressures of the workplace• Much argument for more critical HRD in

workplace, few ways forward• Much case study with little possible

generalisation• HE encourages reflective learning habits but

how sustainable are they into the workplace?• Genuine need for research into practical

strategies for reflective thinking in workplace designed to improve performance