Abstract
Reflective thinking is an important skill in psychology, both as a tool in the therapeutic process and in professional development. The adapted 4Rs Model provides reflective writing structure and highlights the importance of Reporting & Responding, Relating, Reasoning and Reconstructing to students who are new to writing reflections. This chapter presents a case in which the 4Rs model (modified from the 5Rs model in Chap. 2 of this edition) was adopted to support reflective writing skills of undergraduate psychology students in a first year unit and in a final year unit. Although all students reflected on their learning within the units, the support activities leading up to the reflective tasks were adjusted to account for differences in the abilities of the cohorts and the focus of the units. In an evaluation survey, both groups of students endorsed statements about the importance of reflections and the utility of using the model. First year students also reported some difficulties understanding the 4Rs. This chapter will explore how first and final year students can be supported to develop reflection skills through scaffolding and modification of the same approaches and model.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bain, J. D., Ballantyne, R., Mills, C., & Lester, N. C. (2002). Reflecting on practice: Student teachers’perspectives. Flaxton: Post Pressed.
Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major C. H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Barnett, R. (1992). Improving higher education. Buckingham: SRHE/Open University Press.
Bazeley, P. (2009). Analysing qualitative data: More than Identifying themes. Malaysian Journal of Qualitative Research, 2, 6–22.
Bennett-Levy, J., Turner, F., Beaty, T., Smith, M., Paterson, B., & Farmer, S. (2001). The vaue of self-practice of cognitive therapy techniques and self-reflection in the training of cognitive therapists. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 29(2), 203–220.
Boud, D. & Walker, D. (1998). Promoting reflection in professional courses: The challenge of context. Studies in Higher Education, 23(2), 191–206. doi: 10.1080/03075079812331380384
Brockbank, A. & McGill, I. (2007). Facilitating reflective learning in higher education. Maidenhead: SRHE/Open University Press.
Cranney, J., Turnbull, C., Provost, S. C., Martin, F., Katsikitis, M., White, F. A., Voudouris, N. J., Montgomery, I. M., Heaven, P. C. L., Morris, S., & Varcin, K. J. (2009). Graduate attributes of the four-year Australian undergraduate psychology program. Australian Psychologist, 44(4), 253–262.
Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research, and Tertiary Education [DIISRTE]. (2011). Students: Selected higher education statistics, full year 2008–2010. Canberra: DIISRTE.
Dunlap, M. R. (1998). Methods of supporting students’ critical reflection in courses incorporating service learning. Teaching of Psychology, 25(3), 208-210. doi: 10.1207/s15328023top2503_13
Orsmond, P., Merry, S., & Reiling, K. (2002). The use of exemplars and formative feedback when using student derived marking criteria in peer and self-assessment. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 27(4), 309–323.
Psychology Board of Australia (2011). Psychology guidelines on continuing professional development. http://www.psychologyboard.gov.au/Standards-and-Guidelines/Codes-Guidelines-Policies.aspx. Accessed 30 March 2014.
Rosenshine, B., & Meister, C. (1992). The use of scaffolds for teaching higher-level cognitive strategies. Educational Leadership, 49(7), 26–33.
Russel, T., & Munby, H. (1991). ReFraming: The role of experience in developing teachers’ professional knowledge. In D. A. Schön (Ed.), The reflective turn: Case studies on educational practice (pp. 164–187). New York: Columbia University and the Teachers College Press.
Ryan, M. (2011). Improving reflective writing in higher education: A social semiotic perspective. Teaching in Higher Education, 16(1), 99–111. doi: 10.1080/13562517.2010.507311
Schön, D. A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.
Schön, D. A. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Skovhold, T. M., & Ronnestad, M. H. (1992). Themes in therapist and counselor development. Journal of Counselling and Development, 70, 505–515.
Thomas, D. R. (2006). A general inductive approach for analysing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 27(2), 237–246. doi: 10.1177/1098214005283748
Wilson, K. G., & DuFrene, T. (2008). Mindfulness for two: An acceptance and commitment therapy approach to mindfulness in psychotherapy. Oakland: New Harbinger Publications.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
O’Connor, E., Obst, P., Furlong, M., Hansen, J. (2015). Using the TARL Model in Psychology: Supporting First and Final Year Students to Compose Reflections. In: Ryan, M. (eds) Teaching Reflective Learning in Higher Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09271-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09271-3_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-09270-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-09271-3
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)