Journal Title:  Journal of Pharmacy Teaching | Vol:  8 | Issue:  4 | Year:  2001   
Print ISSN:  1044-0054 | Online ISSN:     

Strategies to Improve Reflective Teaching

Director Dr. Evan T. Robinson R.Ph. and Ph.D.
Associate Professor Heidi M. Anderson-Harper R.Ph. and Ph.D.
Associate Professor Frances K. Kochan Ph.D.

pages: 49 - 58
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Abstract:

Schools/colleges of pharmacy must reexamine their instructional methods, materials, and strategies to ensure the incorporation of critical thinking and problem solving into their curricula. One means of helping faculty prepare for a more student-centered teaching environment is to encourage faculty to think about their teaching. That is, pharmacy educators need to become reflective practitioners. Reflective practice is a means of personal discovery by an individual regarding what is currently being done as well as discovering new ways to do things through self-awareness. This paper begins by providing several definitions of reflection and identifying a mechanism for becoming critically reflective. Next, some benefits of reflective practice are discussed, including faculty self-assessment, identifying differences between intended and actual classroom activities, and expanding the faculty members' professional development. Finally, strategies for achieving reflective practice are outlined, including both self- and collaborative reflective practices. To conclude, reflective practice is presented as providing faculty with the means to improve their teaching and become more thoughtful professionals.