Action, reflection and occupational therapy

The action research cycle described in a previous post will look familiar to occupational therapy students and therapists. Cycles of reflection and action are embedded in occupational therapy education and in demonstrating our ongoing compentence for practice through the occupational therapy board 'Continuing Competence Framework for Recertification  CCFR process.

 Bannigan and Moores (2009) describe reflection as a "deliberate, structured process involving the processing of information to assist with learning from complex situations" (p. 343). 

Image source:

http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/enviroprojects/what.html

The occupational therapy programme places a high value on experiential learning with 1000 hours of fieldwork completed over three years.

We have been encouraged to use Kolb's cycle of experiential learning to bring together our practical experiences, our critical reflection on those experiences, links to theory and further practical experiences informed by theory and our reflection. 

In the development of their model David Kolb and Roger Fry  were influenced by Kurt Lewin who first developed action research.

Another central figure linked to concepts of action and reflection and social change is Paulo Freire. His concepts of conscientization and praxis developed in his 1970 book "Pedagogy of the oppressed" have been influential in the development of participatory action research internationally.

I really like the definition of praxis from the Paulo Freire Institute so I have reproduced it here.......

"It is not enough for people to come together in dialogue in order to gain knowledge of their social reality.  They must act together upon their environment in order critically to reflect upon their reality and so transform it through further action and critical reflection" Freire Institute (2011). Concepts used by Paulo Freire. Retrieved from http://www.freire.org/paulo-freire/concepts-used-by-paulo-freire/

References: 
Bannigan, K., & Moores, A. (2009). A model of professional thinking: Integrating reflective practice and evidence based practice. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 76(5), 342-349.  

Freire Institute (2011). Concepts used by Paulo Freire. Retrieved September 3, 2011, from htp://www.freire.org/paulo-freire/concepts-used-by-paulo-freire/

Smith, M. K. (2001). 'David A. Kolb on experiential learning', the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved August 29 2011,  from http://www.infed.org/b-explrn.htm

Smith, M. K. (2001) 'Kurt Lewin, groups, experiential learning and action research', the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved August 29, 2011, from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lewin.htm