From Graduate to Reflective Practice Scholar

Abstract

The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. London: HMSO. Department of Health (2004a) Agenda for change.

Establishing a community of practice for Occupational Therapy curriculum development: The value of a two‐way process

“…The CoP provided practice scholars the opportunity to influence curriculum development, by contributing tacit knowledge from their experience by reflecting on their practice (Wilding et al ., ). While previous research has highlighted the value of CoP for health professionals and students to enhance learning (Li et al ., ; Quick, Forsyth & Melton, ; Sayer, ), there is less evidence on the benefits to academic staff (Naidoo & Vernillo, ; Nixon & Brown, ). The findings of this study suggested that engagement with practice scholars enhanced the confidence of academics in the relevance of curriculum content and delivery for local and contemporary practice.…”

Enhancing occupational therapists' confidence and professional development through a community of practice scholars

“…This adds to Quick et al . 's () finding that practice scholarship can be useful in assisting practitioners to develop their skills in becoming ‘occupation‐focused, theory‐driven and evidence‐based practitioners’ (p. 473). When therapists are involved in a community of practice, in which there is dialogue between academia and practice, practitioners have the opportunity to reflect on their practice, and to articulate and justify their professional reasoning (Quick et al ., ).…”

“…'s () finding that practice scholarship can be useful in assisting practitioners to develop their skills in becoming ‘occupation‐focused, theory‐driven and evidence‐based practitioners’ (p. 473). When therapists are involved in a community of practice, in which there is dialogue between academia and practice, practitioners have the opportunity to reflect on their practice, and to articulate and justify their professional reasoning (Quick et al ., ). It was clear that involvement in the community of practice scholars enabled participants to, as suggested by Boyer (, p. 1), develop professionally by engaging in ‘a full range of intellectual and creative activities that may include the generation, validation, synthesis and/or application of knowledge’ to their practice.…”

“…Gaps between theory and practice can be reduced by close collaboration between researchers and practitioners (Peterson, McMahon, Farkas & Howland, ), and an understanding that all occupational therapists, regardless of their assigned work roles as academics, practitioners, managers or researchers, have a responsibility to contribute to knowledge generation that advances occupational therapy practice (Forsyth, Summerfield Mann & Kielhofner, ; Kielhofner, ). Practice scholarship involves reflecting upon one's practice (Kielhofner, ) and taking a critical stance to that practice: that is, questioning taken‐for‐granted practices and asking ‘is this really the best way to practice?’ This use of reflection to enhance and shape health‐care practice is well documented (Johns, ; Moon, ; Paterson, Wilcox & Higgs, ) and is firmly established in occupational therapy as a means of developing professional reasoning skills within the rapidly changing and complex environment of health practice (Bannigan & Moores, ; Kinsella & Whiteford, ; Quick, Forsyth & Melton, ).…”

“…Practice scholarship involves reflecting upon one's practice (Kielhofner, 2007) and taking a critical stance to that practice: that is, questioning taken-forgranted practices and asking 'is this really the best way to practice?' This use of reflection to enhance and shape health-care practice is well documented (Johns, 2009;Moon, 2006;Paterson, Wilcox & Higgs, 2006) and is firmly established in occupational therapy as a means of developing professional reasoning skills within the rapidly changing and complex environment of health practice (Bannigan & Moores, 2009;Kinsella & Whiteford, 2009;Quick, Forsyth & Melton, 2007).…”