Enhancing critical reflection in higher education

Abstract

The study examined the use of reflective journals as a mechanism to facilitate the process of reflection. In particular, it focuses on the level of reflective thinking that the students were commonly engaged in their reflective journals. Participants of this research study comprised of 12 students who were enrolled in a foundation programme at a local university in Brunei Darussalam. The main instrument used for data collection was students’ reflective journals. Each student submitted 5 reflective journals for this research. Based on the analyses of the students’ reflective journals, it was found that the students were engaged in different levels of reflective thinking, which varied from a lower to a higher level of reflection. This study also found that there were improvements in the reflective practice among the students. This study has implication on the use of reflective journals in the teaching and learning processes in higher education.The study examined the use of reflective journals as a mechanism to facilitate the process of reflection. In particular, it focuses on the level of reflective thinking that the students were commonly engaged in their reflective journals. Participants of this research study comprised of 12 students who were enrolled in a foundation programme at a local university in Brunei Darussalam. The main instrument used for data collection was students’ reflective journals. Each student submitted 5 reflective journals for this research. Based on the analyses of the students’ reflective journals, it was found that the students were engaged in different levels of reflective thinking, which varied from a lower to a higher level of reflection. This study also found that there were improvements in the reflective practice among the students. This study has implication on the use of reflective journals in the teaching and learning processes in higher education.