interprofessional education reflective essay

Volume 20 Supplement 2

Peer Teacher Training in health professional education

• Open access
• Published: 03 December 2020

Interprofessional education: tips for design and implementation

• Christie van Diggele 1 , 2 ,
• Chris Roberts 2 , 3 ,
• Annette Burgess 2 , 3 &
• Craig Mellis 4  

BMC Medical Education volume  20 , Article number:  455 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

83k Accesses

99 Citations

8 Altmetric

Metrics details

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a critical approach for preparing students to enter the health workforce, where teamwork and collaboration are important competencies. IPE has been promoted by a number of international health organisations, as part of a redesign of healthcare systems to promote interprofessional teamwork, to enhance the quality of patient care, and improve health outcomes. In response, universities are beginning to create and sustain authentic and inclusive IPE activities, with which students can engage. A growing number of health professionals are expected to support and facilitate interprofessional student groups. Designing interprofessional learning activities, and facilitating interprofessional groups of students requires an additional layer of skills compared with uniprofessional student groups. This article outlines the key points for planning and practicing interprofessional facilitation within the classroom and clinical setting.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (2010), states that “ Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professionals learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes” [ 1 ]. In an increasingly complex healthcare system, members of the health service delivery team need to collaborate with each other to accomplish common goals to improve the patient’s experience and outcomes [ 2 , 3 ]. There is international agreement that health professional students should be prepared for practice by experiencing Interprofessional Education (IPE). Many international health organisations have promoted IPE in the context of an aging population, limited financial resources, and the recognition of a need to redesign the healthcare system to improve teamwork between disciplines, enhance quality of patient care, and improve health outcomes [ 2 , 4 ]. Universities have been challenged to create and maintain authentic IPE activities that are inclusive of all cohorts [ 4 ]. It is critical for health professional students and graduates to engage with the IPE opportunities that they are presented with across various clinical environments at the level of pre-qualification and pre-registration [ 5 ].

Despite the abundance of IPE reviews targeting staff, there is a paucity of guidance for students wishing to actively engage in IPE activities as a facilitator. This paper provides health professional students and junior health professionals with strategies for planning, designing and facilitating interprofessional groups of students within formal classroom and informal clinical settings.

Interprofessional education: what and why?

Most health professional education is uniprofessional, where the goal is developing the depth of disciplinary knowledge necessary for the newly qualified graduate to be prepared for practice. Learning from and with other health professional students can occur in many environments, including large classes, small group tutorials, simulation and the clinical setting. Meeting the learning goals of IPE can occur through planned collaborative learning experiences, but also through the unplanned encounters where students are co-located in clinical placements. Institutions that support interprofessional collaboration work on developing and maintaining effective interprofessional working relationships with learners, practitioners, patients/clients, families and communities [ 6 ]. The leadership teams working alongside healthcare teams embrace IPE as a requirement of health professional practice, that is key to delivering good healthcare [ 7 , 8 ].

Interprofessional competency development

The learning goals of any IPE activity are best drawn from existing interprofessional competency frameworks. There are several of these to choose from, including the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative [ 6 ] and Interprofessional Education Collaborative (2016) [ 9 ]. The core competencies for IPE can be summarised into five themes [ 9 ]:

Roles and responsibilities

Ethical practice

Conflict resolution

Communication

Collaboration and teamwork

One or more of these themes should be considered as an outcome when designing an interprofessional activity and where possible matched to an assessment task [ 9 , 15 , 16 ]. Table  1 summarises some of the key issues underpinning each of these five themes to take into account when designing and/or facilitating or providing feedback on teamwork activities [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].

Preparing for Interprofessional learning activities

In IPE, there are opportunities for both formal and informal learning experiences. While informal experiences can assist students in their communication and confidence in their area of expertise, structured formal experiences are more beneficial for beginning students to scaffold their learning [ 2 ]. For example, one might compare the medical and pharmacy student experience of participating in a pharmaceutical ward round (informal), with their experience of patient management planning in an interprofessional student-led clinic (formal). Participation in IPE as a formal, planned learning experience works towards the goal of developing students’ attitudes, knowledge, skills and professional behaviours [ 2 ].

When designing interprofessional activities, constructive alignment ensures learning outcomes are directly aligned with the activity, and to relevant assessment tasks. This must be made evident to the participating students at the start of an activity. Facilitating interprofessional groups of students is similar in theory and practice to that of uniprofessional groups of students, with the fundamentals remaining the same in planning and activity design. However, literature suggests that facilitators need to adjust their teaching strategies to interact and direct student learning for different professions [ 17 ]. In turn this requires more rigorous preparation and guidance [ 17 ]. Table  2 displays items to consider when planning learning activities for uniprofessional groups in comparison to interprofessional groups of students [ 17 , 18 ].

Facilitating interprofessional education

Representatives including students from various disciplines should contribute to IPE programs and activities through joint planning, the investment of time, accountability, and a commitment to the facilitation of interprofessional learning [ 19 ]. Role modelling of ‘interprofessional leadership’ by facilitators, allows students to witness the collaborative nature of joint leadership, promoting trust and acceptance of interprofessional practice. It is important to facilitate the scaffolding of student learning, and support students’ ‘ownership’ of learning. Students should be encouraged to build on their current knowledge and skills, and share the responsibility for shaping their teaching and learning.

The establishment of a supportive and inclusive learning environment should be evident from the onset of any teaching activity [ 20 , 21 ]. Without it, students are less willing to participate and actively engage in the learning experiences offered. Small group teaching offers an effective mechanism to facilitate IPE in the classroom. The benefits of small group teaching include increased teaching flexibility, differentiation for student learning, increased student engagement, and active student involvement [ 20 , 21 ], providing a more independent approach to learning. Close interaction of group members provides a community like environment, social interaction, and a shared sense of identity, leading to a more meaningful learning experience [ 20 , 21 ].

Facilitating interprofessional groups of students can be rewarding as well as challenging, as the diverse group of students look to the facilitator for guidance. While advice and guidance may be offered it can be difficult to remove the discipline specific ‘hat’, and consider all health professional responses. Key to good facilitation is a shared depth of disciplinary knowledge around student learning outcomes, and a focus on the interprofessional collaborative outcomes. Other elements essential to facilitation of IPE activities include demonstration of appreciation and respect for the roles of other health professionals, promotion of team formation and conflict resolution, and insight into one’s own professional practice [ 17 ]. Additionally, the use of online media to deliver IPE is becoming increasingly prevalent [ 22 , 23 ]. This reflects the adjustment needed to overcome a range of timetabling and geographical difficulties associated with the face-to-face delivery of IPE [ 22 , 23 ]. Although there is much research needed in this area, a recent review highlighted the need for facilitators to be proactive in guiding learners to share their professional perspectives on the online IPE discussion boards [ 22 ].

Facilitating IPE in the clinical setting

Facilitators often feel they are capable and well prepared to teach students of their own profession, but not those of other health professions. Egan-Lee et al. (2011) state that facilitating interprofessional groups of students in the clinical setting requires a specific skill set, and incorporates a range of attributes, including: confidence, flexibility in managing professional conflict, and a commitment to IPE [ 24 ]. Tips to encourage trust between health professions [ 25 , 26 , 27 ]:

Trust develops over time, be patient and work on the development of interpersonal relationships

Use students’ names, not role or location

A disagreement should not be interpreted as disrespect, just differing opinion

Offer your skills and knowledge, with trust developing through your successes.

Table  3 provides ‘ten tips’ to assist facilitation of interprofessional learning and the building of positive team function’ [ 7 , 13 , 20 , 21 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].

Key challenges of IPE facilitation

The role of the facilitator is central in mediating group dynamics, although team members also have opportunities to influence and diffuse potential issues that may arise in small teams. Facilitators often find it a challenge to support ‘teamwork’, as with student centred learning, facilitators are required to support the team, but also need to allow them to work independently [ 26 ]. Common barriers to effective teamwork include [ 33 ]:

Lack of communication skills

Differing professional cultures

Traditional hierarchies and assumed leadership

‘Role blurring’, confusion over boundaries and responsibilities.

Planned IPE activities

Some activity designs are more effective and better suited to the delivery of IPE. Small group teaching is an effective method for facilitating interprofessional student groups and preparation is essential for effective student learning [ 34 ]. Examples of methods of teaching used in design of interprofessional activities include Team-based learning (TBL), simulation and student led interprofessional clinics [ 35 , 36 ]. In particular, in the junior years, TBL has the capacity to draw participants’ attention to the process of learning, and has been correlated with encouraging better teamwork skills and improved communication [ 35 ].

Peer teaching in IPE

Within IPE activities, peer teaching provides a form of student interaction facilitated within formal professional contexts [ 20 , 21 ]. Learning in this context provides a process of socialisation, where students have the opportunity to share their experiences within their own discipline, with students from other disciplines. The social and cognitive congruence of students provides a quality that is difficult to emulate, as they learn from each other. IPE activities provide students with opportunities to familiarise themselves with the different language and tasks of each others’ professions. Concurrently, this process contributes to the development of students’ own professional identity, and their understanding of different professional responsibilities [ 29 ].

Assessment and feedback during IPE activities

The provision of accurate, timely feedback to learners on their progress towards achievement of IPE outcomes is a critical component of health professional education programs [ 37 ]. Feedback should be seen as an active process that emphasises the agency of the learner as an active seeker of feedback on the basis of which they can improve their performance. Giving and receiving peer feedback within the interprofessional context can be powerful. The views of health professionals outside of one’s own discipline is often meaningful, increasing self-reflection. Multidisciplinary feedback has the ability to promote reflection on communication and the use of terminology [ 24 ].

Evaluating the implementation of IPE activities

A Cochrane systematic review provides evidence that IPE evaluation and research lacks rigorous design, and to date has not effectively provided insight into how IPE affects change in healthcare processes and patient outcomes [ 38 ]. The authors suggest research be explicitly focused on IPE, include comparative studies, and large sample sizes. Reeves et al. (2015) suggest that high quality evaluations of interprofessional education include the following steps [ 38 ]:

Plan and consider the evaluation early on during curriculum development

Have a clear purpose for the evaluation and form concise evaluation questions

Have an understanding of the intended stakeholders and the learning outcomes

Consider the use of a theoretical perspective to strengthen the evaluation

Use an evaluation model that adopts a comprehensive approach, and explores the processes related to the learning activity

Select an evaluation design that reflects the research question, considering whether quantitative or qualitative evaluation design, or a mixed methods evaluation is required.

Although IPE is an integral feature of forward thinking university health education programs, it is often raised as deficit, with many existing challenges, including adequate curriculum space and funding [ 39 ]. Planning, design and facilitation of interprofessional learning is challenging, but achievable through the creation of authentic IPE activities for health professional students. Early training and experiences of IPE have the potential to lead to improved leadership, collaboration and communication between healthcare teams, ultimately improving patient safety [ 39 , 40 , 41 ].

Take-home message

Availability of data and materials.

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

• Interprofessional education

World Health Organisation

Team-based learning

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

World Health Organization. Framework for action on interprofessional education and collaborative practice. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010. http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/70185 . Accessed 28 Nov 2018.

Google Scholar  

Buring SM, Bhushan A, Brazeau G, Conway S, Hansen L, Westberg S. Keys to successful implementation of Interprofessional education: learning location, faculty development, and curricular themes. Am J Pharm Educ. 2009;73(4):60.

Article   Google Scholar  

Reeves S, Fletcher S, Barr H, Birch I, Boet S, Davies N, Kitto S. A BEME systematic review of the effects of interprofessional education: BEME guide no. 39. Med Teach. 2016;38:656–68.

Jorm C, Roberts C, Lim R, et al. A large-scale mass casualty simulation to develop the non-technical skills medical students require for collaborative teamwork. BMC Med Educ. 2016;16:83.

Roberts C, Kumar K. Student learning in interprofessional practice-based environments: what does theory say? BMC Med Educ. 2015;15:211.

Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. A national Interprofessional competency framework. Vancouver: University of British Columbia; 2010. 34. ISBN 978-1-926819-07-5.

Karam M, Brault I, Van Durme T, Macq J. Comparing interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration in healthcare: a systematic review of the qualitative research. Int J Nurs Stud. 2018;79:70–83.

Maxson AM, Dozois EJ, Holubar SD, Wrobleski DM, Overman Dube JA, Klipfel JM, Arnold JJ. Enhancing nurse and physician collaboration in clinical decision making through high-fidelity interdisciplinary simulation training. Mayo Clin Proc. 2011;86(1):31–6.

Interprofessional education Collaborative. Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: 2016 Update. Washington, DC: Interprofessional Education Collaborative; 2016.

Suter E. Role understanding and effective communication as core competencies for collaborative practice. J Interprof Care. 2009;23:41–51.

Clarke PG, Cott C, Drinka TJK. Theory and practice in interprofessional ethics: a framework for understanding ethical issues in health care teams. J Interprof Care. 2007;21(6):591–603.

Thompson JE, Collett LW, Langbart MJ, Purcell NJ, Boyd SM, Yuminaga Y, Ossolinski G, Susanto C, McCormack A. Using the ISBAR handover tool in junior medical officer handover: a study in an Australian tertiary hospital. Postgrad Med J. 2011;87:340–4.

Nancarrow SA, Booth A, Ariss S, et al. Ten principles of good interdisciplinary team work. Hum Resour Health. 2013;11:19.

Fox L, Onders R, Hermansen-Kobulnicky CJ, et al. Teaching interprofessional teamwork skills to health professional students: a scoping review. J Interprof Care. 2017;32(2):127–35.

O'Keefe M, Henderson A, Chick R. Defining a set of common interprofessional learning competencies for health profession students. Med Teacher. 2017;39(5):463–86.

Rogers GD, Thistlethwaite JE, Anderson ES, Abrandt Dahlgren M, Grymonpre RE, Moran M, Samarasekera DD. International consensus statement on the assessment of interprofessional learning outcomes. Medical Teacher. 2017;39(4):347–59.

Ruiz MG, Ezer H, Purden M. Exploring the nature of facilitating interprofessional learning: findings from an exploratory study. J Interprof Care. 2013;6:489–95.

Roberts C, Jorm C, Gentilcore S, Crossley J. Peer assessment of professional behaviours in problem-based learning groups. Med Educ. 2017;51(4):390–400.

Hall LW, Zierler BK. Interprofessional education and practice guide no. 1: developing faculty to effectively facilitate interprofessional education. J Interprof Care. 2014;29(1):3–7.

Burgess A, Roberts C, van Diggele V, Mellis C. Peer teacher training program: interprofessional and flipped learning. BMC Med Educ. 2017;17:239.

Burgess A, van Diggele C, Mellis C. Faculty development for junior health professionals. Clin Teach. 2018;15:1–8.

Evans SM, Ward C, Reeves S. Online interprofessional education facilitation: A scoping review, Medical Teacher. 2019; 41:2, 215–222, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1460656 .

Curran V, Reid A, Reis P, Doucet S, Price S, Alcock L, Fitzgerald S. The use of information and communications technologies in the delivery of interprofessional education: a review of evaluation outcomes levels. J Interprof Care. 2015;29:541–50.

Egan-Lee E, Baker L, Tobin S, Hollenberg E, Dematteo D, Reeves S. Neophyte facilitator experiences of interprofessional education: implications for faculty development. J Interprof Care. 2011;25:333–8.

Gregory P, Austin Z. Trust in interprofessional education: perspectives of pharmacists and physicians. Can Pharm J (Ott). 2016;149(4):236–45.

Carlson E, Philhammar E, Wann-Hansson C. The team builder: the role of nurses facilitating interprofessional student teams in a Swedish clinical training ward. Nurse Educ Pract. 2011;11(5):309–13.

Nisbet G, Hendry GD, Rolls G. Field Interprofessional learning for pre-qualification health care students: An outcomes-based evaluation. J Interprof Care. 2008;22:1,57–68.

McDonald J, Jayasuriya R, Fort HM. The influence of power dynamics and trust on multidisciplinary collaboration: a qualitative case study of type 2 diabetes mellitus. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012;12:63.

Silberman M, Auerbach C. Active training: a handbook of techniques, designs case examples and tips. San Francisco: Wiley; 2011.

Schmitt M, Blue A, Aschenbrener CA, Viggiano TR. Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: reforming health care by transforming health professionals’ education. Acad Med. 2011;86(11):1351.

Nisbet G, Jorm C, Roberts C, Gordon C, Chen T. Content validation of an interprofessional learning video peer assessment tool. BMC Med Educ. 2017;17(1):1–10.

Andrade H, Du Y. Student responses to criteria-referenced self-assessment. Assess Eval High Educ. 2007;32(2):159–81.

Hall P. Interprofessional teamwork: professional cultures as barriers. J Interprof Care. 2005;19(1):188–96.

Barr H, Ford J, Gray R, et al. Interprofessional Education Guidelines 2017. Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education. 2017. ISBN 978-0-9571382-6-1.

Thompson BM, Schneider VF, Haidet P, et al. Team-based learning at ten medical schools: two years later. Med Educ. 2007;41:250–7.

Zarezadeh Y, Pearson P, Dickinson C. A Model for Using Reflection to Enhance Interprofessional Education. Int J Educ. 2009;1(1):E12.

Thistlethwaite J, Moran M, World Health Organization Study Group on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice. Learning outcomes for interprofessional education (IPE): literature review and synthesis. J Interprof Care. 2010;24(5):503–13. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2010.483366 .

Reeves S, Perrier L, Goldman J, Freeth D, Zwarenstein M. Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;2013(3):CD002213. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD002213.pub3 .

Thistlethwaite JE, Dunston R, Yassine T. The times are changing: workforce planning, new health-care models and the need for interprofessional education in Australia. J Interprof Care. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2019.1612333 .

Reeves, S. Interprofessional Education and Practice Guide No. 3: Evaluating interprofessional education. J interprof Care. 2015; (1356–1820), 29 (4), p. 305.

Brock D, Abu-Rish E, Chiu C, et al. Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety. BMJ Qual Saf Health Care. 2013;22(5):414–23.

Download references

Acknowledgements

About this supplement.

This article has been published as part of BMC Medical Education Volume 20 Supplement 2, 2020: Peer Teacher Training in health professional education. The full contents of the supplement are available online at URL. https://bmcmedicaleducation.biomedcentral.com/articles/supplements/volume-20-supplement-2 .

No funding was received.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building A27, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

Christie van Diggele

The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Health Professional Education Research Network, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Christie van Diggele, Chris Roberts & Annette Burgess

The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School – Education Office, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Chris Roberts & Annette Burgess

The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School - Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Craig Mellis

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

CVD, CR, AB and CM contributed to the drafting, and critical review of the manuscript. All authors read and reviewed the final version of the manuscript. The author(s) read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christie van Diggele .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate, consent for publication, competing interests.

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

van Diggele, C., Roberts, C., Burgess, A. et al. Interprofessional education: tips for design and implementation. BMC Med Educ 20 (Suppl 2), 455 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02286-z

Download citation

Published : 03 December 2020

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02286-z

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Multidisciplinary
• Facilitation
• Collaboration

BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

• Submission enquiries: [email protected]
• General enquiries: [email protected]

Reflecting on reflection in interprofessional education: implications for theory and practice

Affiliation.

• 1 Program in Gerontology and Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, USA. [email protected]
• PMID: 19415562
• DOI: 10.1080/13561820902877195

Interprofessional education (IPE) involves learning, and learning requires reflection. Educators need to "reflect more on reflection" if they are to be effective teachers in ensuring the learning outcomes essential for teamwork and interprofessional practice (IPP), including incorporating both theory and practice into the development of educational interventions. First, this discussion surveys the IPE-relevant literature on reflection, and then defines and refines the multidimensional concept of reflection as it relates to IPE in developing and implementing teamwork learning programs and experiences. Second, specific methods to promote reflection are presented and explored, including self-assessments, journaling, and written papers. Actual samples from student journals and assignments provide examples of the impacts of using these methods on participant reflection and learning. Finally, implications for an expanded understanding and application of reflection for IPE will be discussed, and recommendations made for educational practice and research in this area.

• Education, Professional / methods
• Education, Professional / organization & administration*
• Health Occupations / education*
• Interprofessional Relations*
• Models, Educational*
• Personality
• Problem-Based Learning

Gibb’s Reflective Model

Introduction

This essay is going to discuss and analyze a reflective analysis model namely Gibb’s reflective cycle. However, in the year 1988, this reflective cycle was designed through Graham Gibbs to provide a structure associated with reflective analysis so that the individual learners can learn successfully from their experiences. However, in this essay firstly, the reflective analysis model by Graham Gibbs is going to be defined which highlighting the key idea of the author behind designing this reflective model. In addition to that, the applications of this reflective analysis model in learning, self-assessment and self-development are going to be focused upon. Then again, the six different stages included by Gibb’s model of reflective analysis would thoroughly be discussed. Furthermore, the discussion will portray the significant benefits of this reflective analysis model in terms of producing an effective and useful reflective analysis besides taking consideration of the criticisms about this reflective analysis model. Eventually, the easy would be concluded with making a summarization of the important points covered in the discussion and developing valid recommendation relating to the way this reflective analysis model can be used to draft a successful self-reflection which can contribute to self-learning and long-term development of an individual learner.

The Concept Of Reflective Practice

(Source: Constantinou et al. 2020)

The term reflective practice can be defined as the capability of an individual of reflecting on their actions to involve in a procedure of continual learning. In addition to that this process involves taking consideration into the practical theories and values that are responsible for informing the day to day activities of an individual through analyzing the practice reflexively and reflectively leading to the development of an insight relating to own strengths and weaknesses. However, the key rational associated with reflective practice would experience alone cannot lead to the process of learning necessarily whilst a deliberate self-reflection on experience would equally be essential. Be that like it may, reflective practice plays a crucial role in a practice-oriented professional learning and development setting where the individual professionals or learners continue learning from the own professional experiences of them instead of through the formal knowledge or skill transfer or professional development courses(Constantinou et al. 2020). Therefore, it is considered as one of the most essential sources of professional as well as personal improvement and development whereas it is an equally significant method to combine practice and theory by dint of the reflection an individual would be capable to view with labelling forms of theory and thought in the context of their work. On the other hand, an individual that can reflect throughout their practice would not only considering the past events and actions but also would be having a conscious glance through their actions, experiences, responses and emotions along with utilizing that information for adding value to their existing knowledge and skill base aiming at reaching a higher degree of understanding (Dhaliwal, Singh& Singh, 2018). However, according to Online assignment help London experts, in Kolb’s cycle of reflective analysis, there are four different phases in a reflective practise which are concrete experience, active experiments, reflective observations and abstract conceptualization. These stages are going to be discussed briefly in the following discussion:

Concrete experience:

Concrete experience refers to a new situation or experience which would be encountered. However, it might involve the reinterpretation of the experience of an individual learner.

Reflective observation:

The reflection observation or analysis of the new experience is highly essential since it involves the inconsistencies and unpredictability between the understanding and experience (Crawley& Hendry, 2018).

Abstract conceptualisation:

Abstract conceptualisation associated with the reflective practice is responsible for providing an impulse to a new modification or idea of a past abstract concept which the individual might have leant from their previous experience. 

Active experiments:

In an active experiment, the individual learner continues applying their understandings, ideas and newly developed skills to the world across them to view the consequences and use the same to bolster their experience (Ahmed, 2020).

The Definition Of Gibb’s Reflective Model

(Source: Pianpeng & Koraneekij, 2016)

The famous researcher and scholar Graham Gibbs designed a reflective analysis model through facilitating the model of reflective practice associated with the experimental reflective learning cycle developed by Kolb. When it comes to describing Gibb’s model of reflective practice, it can be said the experiences of an individual is responsible for shaping their personality, character and behavioral traits and thus would impact their conduct in the professional field as well. However, the experience would not be enough to make a person grow effectively (Ardian, Hariyati& Afifah, 2019). Therefore, they require to reflect on their essential experiences for developing rules, principles and theories which would make them better and efficient at their job. Be that like it may, Gibb’s reflective framework involves a simple reflective cycle including six stages of self-reflection which would help an individual in reflecting on their existing experiences and understanding in the workplace. In addition to that in this process, the individual learner not only keeps on learning and adding value to the skills that they are good enough but also the skills that they are not efficient enough or have enough understanding about through putting together an effective and relevant action plan for addressing their weaknesses (Dressler et al. 2018).

Be that as it may, it is one of the most renowned cyclic processes associated with the reflective learning leading an individual learner through six different phases to help them explore their experiences. However, these six stages would include description, evaluation, feelings, analysis, conclusion and action plan (Dhaliwal, Singh& Singh, 2018). It is worth mentioning in this particular context that this reflective analysis framework would be an effective way of working through the experience of an individual learner. In addition to that, assignment writing in Highland experts, it can either be a situation which the individual may frequently go through or a stand-alone experience. Be that like it may, originally Gibbs tried to advocate the application of this reflective analysis model in the repeated situation yet the principles as well as stages equally apply well for the specific experiences as well. Nevertheless, the action plan might end up becoming quite general in case of the stand-alone experiences whilst looking at the way the individual learner would choose to apply their conclusions in future (Crawley& Hendry, 2018).

The Key Idea Behind Developing This Reflective Cycle

(Source: Sekarwinahyu et al. 2019)

When it comes to portraying the key ideas behind the development of the reflective analysis cycle of Gibbs, it can be said Graham Gibbs, a psychologist and sociologist, conducted a research study named “Learn by Doing.” However, this study is all about inspiring individuals for thinking systematically about the experiences that they passed through during a particular event, activity or situation. Be that as it may, the reflection cycle of Gibbs would help the individual learner in implementing the study “Learn by Doing effectively and successfully in their learning journey to add value to their personal as well as professional development activities (Arumugam et al. 2017). Notwithstanding that he developed a circular framework of reflective analysis that is structured in six different phases. On the other hand, this model is responsible for breaking down the experience of an individual with allowing them to reflect on the experiences that they come across in their professional learning journey. Be that as it may, according to Graham Gibbs, the inventor of this reflective analysis framework, through reflecting on the learning experience of an individual learner, it would allow them to perform better as it would be taking place along with adding value to it for the future development of the individual (Li et al. 2020).

On the other hand, without the reflection on own learning experience of an individual learner, it would be quite difficult improving for the next time. According to Gibbs, it is tough enough to develop new skill sets simply through experiencing the activity, event or situation and hence to progress and learn fully, this reflective analysis would be vital.  In addition to that from the reflective analysis and through implementing the reflective cycle, one can be capable of taking away the core concepts and understanding from the experience on top of that they can recognise what has gone well with evaluating the areas that could further be improved (E-portfolio, 2019). As the above diagram indicates, in this reflective analysis process, the reflection is going based on three different analytical questions which are what, so what and now what. However, what query is answered in the description stage through considering what has taken place. Then again, so what is answered through considering the significance of the incident, activity or situation with analysing the level of self-understanding based on that situation, incident or activity. Thereafter, now what is all about the action plan for future which involves gaining insights for planning the future learning requirements accordingly besides taking account into what can differently be done in future to improve the performance level (Sekarwinahyu et al. 2019).  To know more about gibbs life cycle your assignments, you can also take assistance from SourceEssay Essay typer Geelong

The Six Reflective Stages Associated With Gibb’s Model Of Reflective Analysis

(Source: Tanaka, Okamoto & Koide, 2018)

1 st stage: – Description:

The first stage of this reflective analysis model is a description which demands a brief description of the event or experience for setting the scene as well as giving the context. Additionally, learning procedure should be described in detail in this step whilst it is essential answering the certain question relating to what happened during the incident and the timing of the incident as well as the individuals involved in the incident or activity. Additionally, there are questions regarding the role played by the individual learner who has been reflecting on their experience in responding to the incident or activity or situation and the outcomes of the entire procedure (Emery & Chang, 2017).

2 nd stage: – Feelings:

Feelings are all about the thoughts associated with the experience. Therefore, in this specific step of the learning cycle, the individual learner is supposed to explain and analyze the feelings which they experienced during the incident. However, it is worth mentioning that they are not supposed to evaluate or judge their feeling rather should simply state the same. Be that as it may, this step involves question like the way, the individual ended up feeling before and during the process and what they experienced or felt after the incident or activity. Then again, they need to consider the feeling or experience that their coparticipants might have gone through as well as considering whether their view relating to the incident can be changed in future (Tawanwongsri& Phenwan, 2019).

3 rd stage: – Evaluation:

The third stage of reflective analysis is the evaluation stage in which the individual learner needs to evaluate the good or bad experience they came across during the process. However, in this phase, the experience must be evaluated objectively with determining what have gone well and what have not gone very well. Moreover, it is very crucial to evaluate as honestly as possible for getting the best out of this reflective process. In evaluation step, the things that have gone well and the things that have not gone very well would be prioritised on with considering if the issues got resolved and the reasons for which the situation has been resolved or has not been resolved (Markkanen et al. 2020). Additionally, the positive or negative contribution of own as well as others to the situation would also be evaluated in this step of reflective analysis. Be that as it may, the key success factors of the activity must be taken into deliberation for reaching a thorough evaluation of the incident.

4 th stage: – Analysis:

This step involves analysis for making sense of the incident or activity or situation. However, this specific phase of reflective analysis is all about measuring the areas that have gone good out of the experience leading to allowing the individual learner to repeat the success factors in future. It is highly essential for assessing the downfalls with analyzing the reasons behind the failure and learning from the same to perform better in future. Therefore, it ends up ensuring that the entire experience would fully be assessed and analysed. Moreover,individual learner needs to describe what they feel has hindered or facilitate the situation aiming at exploring the available options for them to handle successfully a similar incident again (Harerimana, 2018).  Therefore, this step would provide the individual learner with an excellent scope of conducting some research analysis into the academic tools and models that may help them.

5 th stage: – Conclusion:

This step involves drawing a conclusion relating the aspects, skills and understanding that the learner has gained from the situation and relating to the areas which they could have executed differently to reach a better outcome. Therefore, in this step, the individual learner requires to evaluate the overall process with asking what else they could have been performed for improving the situation. The question relating to the outcomes of the situation, the activities that could be avoided, the way this could be done differently for improving the experience and the way it would be better for the participants involved would be concluded with summarising the personal skills that would be enriched in future using the information that the learner has accumulated in their analysis (Oxenham, 2016).

6 th stage: – Action plan:

This stage involves the development of an action plan for the way the individual learner can handle similar incidents in future including the usual changes that they may find more effective. In this step, the reflector ends up planning based on their conclusion and considering how effective they are going to position themselves so that they can deal better with a similar incident next time. However, the reflector needs to take realistic actions besides developing the plan for bringing about improvement in their performance. Moreover, in this step, the learner needs to identify the particular actions they can take now for building on their skills and knowledge. Additionally, they may include any coaching or training which they feel can benefit them. Furthermore, the reflector requires to identify the essential support or information sources to add value to their future action in response to a similar situation (Sekarwinahyu, Rustaman & Widodo, 2019).

The Applications Of Gibb’s Reflective Model In Learning, Self-Assessment And Self-Development

Gibb’s reflective model can be applied in a range of various ways. However, the individual professionals, as well as learners, can use this reflective analysis cycle for bringing about positive changes in their performance, skill sets and understanding. Additionally, it can be applied to incorporate positive changes the way an individual would respond to a situation. Furthermore, this reflective cycle can also be used as a coaching and mentoring tool for making the coaches and mentees aware of their strengths, behaviour and weaknesses with identifying ways to help them add value to their understanding, performance and behaviour to deal with the situations successfully. In addition to that, the reflective cycle at times is utilised in higher studies, specifically during conducting the internship assignment, this cycle plays a vital role in providing an intern with an understanding of their actions. Notwithstanding that, this reflective framework is also used for helping people in making sense of the situations at the workplace so that they would be able to gain an understanding relating to what they might have done well and the areas that they still require to work on to deliver better performance in future.

The Benefits Of Gibb’s Reflective Model In Terms Of Doing An Effective And Useful Reflective Analysis

The potential benefit of Gibb’s reflective model is that it is responsible for offering a structured model which can easily relate to.

In addition to that, it can provide a viable initiation for the individuals that are suffering from ambiguity regarding where they can start from (Tanaka, Okamoto & Koide, 2018).

It allows a reflector to evaluate all the levels of a specific situation.

This reflective model can easily be understood and used by individual learners (Sekarwinahyu, Rustaman & Widodo, 2019).

Additionally, it would allow an individual to learn over time depending on the experiences they have gained.

Moreover, this reflective model provides an individual reflector with an accurate and balanced judgement.

The Criticisms About Gibb’s Cycle Of Reflective Analysis

When it comes to discussing the criticisms about Gibb’s cycle of reflective analysis, it can be said that it involves a reactive method instead of a proactive method which can help improve the skillsets of an individual.

Additionally, it might be a superficial model of reflection since there is no scope for critical thinking, evaluating the situation depending only upon the assumptions of the reflector.

Furthermore, this framework would not include any detailed probing query on top of that it is complex for several individuals to discuss freely their feelings. You can get ample information on criticism of Gibbs cycle from write my Essay in Gold Coast experts driven by SourceEssay .(Tanaka, Okamoto & Koide, 2018).

At the end of this essay, a conclusion about Gibb’s model of reflective analysis can be drawn that this framework of reflective analysis is responsible for offering people with a structure in order to examine the experiences. In addition to that, the cyclic nature of this reflective model continues lending itself specifically well for repeating the experiences, enabling an individual learner learning and planning from things which either have gone good or have not good enough. As mentioned previously in the discussion, the researcher and scholar Graham Gibbs tried to advocate the application of this reflective analysis model in the repeated situation yet the principles as well as stages equally apply well for the specific experiences as well. In addition to that in this process, the individual learner not only keeps on learning and adding value to the skills that they are good enough but also the skills that they are not efficient enough or have enough understanding about through putting together an effective and relevant action plan for addressing their weaknesses. However, it is one of the most renowned cyclic processes associated with reflective learning leading an individual learner through six different phases to help them explore their experiences.

Ahmed, A. M. (2020). From reluctance to addiction: the impact of reflective journals on Qatari undergraduate students’ learning.  Reflective Practice ,  21 (2), 251-270. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 fromhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14623943.2020.1735328

Ardian, P., Hariyati, R. T. S., & Afifah, E. (2019). Correlation between implementation case reflection discussion based on the Graham Gibbs Cycle and nurses’ critical thinking skills.  Enfermeria Clinica ,  29 , 588-593. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S113086211930213X

Arumugam, B., Narayanan, V., Kathiravan, V., & Nagalingam, S. (2017). Reflective writing–how a medical student can reflect?.  Journal of Education Technology in Health Sciences ,  4 (2), 47-53. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from http://jeths.net/index.php/jeths/article/view/159

Constantinou, C. S., Andreou, P., Papageorgiou, A., & McCrorie, P. (2020). Critical Reflection on Own Beliefs for Cultural Competence in Medical Education: an Analysis of Tutors’ Reflective Narratives.  Qualitative Research in Education ,  9 (3), 273-299. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.hipatiapress.com/hpjournals/index.php/qre/article/view/5063

Crawley, H. J., & Hendry, C. (2018). WHAT is reflection? Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/file.PostFileLoader.html?id=5848b086615e27bfe3723876&assetKey=AS%3A436825782263808%401481158790173

Dhaliwal, U., Singh, S., & Singh, N. (2018). Reflective student narratives: honing professionalism and empathy.  Indian J Med Ethics ,  3 , 9-15. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5665/530978cdcbc50d23bd26a4ef6da8c50dd0ec.pdf

Dressler, R., Becker, S., Kawalilak, C., & Arthur, N. (2018). The cross-cultural reflective model for post-sojourn debriefing.  Reflective Practice ,  19 (4), 490-504. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14623943.2018.1530207

Emery, C., & Chang, J. (2017, July). Reflection in a new light: updating Gibbs’ reflective cycle on a foundation degree in healthcare sciences. In  HEA Conference, generation TEF . Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/id/eprint/37952

E-portfolio, A. K. S. (2019). How does the Gibbs Reflective model integrate with Evidence based practice in veterinary medicine? Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://amirakalloo.wordpress.com/2019/12/06/how-does-the-gibbs-reflective-model-integrate-with-evidence-based-practice-in-veterinary-medicine/

Harerimana, B. (2018). Reflective Practice for Professional Development Among Nursing Instructors.  Teaching Innovation Projects ,  8 (1). Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/tips/article/view/6216

Li, Y., Chen, W., Liu, C., & Deng, M. (2020). Nurses’ Psychological Feelings About the Application of Gibbs Reflective Cycle of Adverse Events.  American Journal of Nursing ,  9 (2), 74-78. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from http://article.ajons.net/pdf/10.11648.j.ajns.20200902.17.pdf

Markkanen, P., Välimäki, M., Anttila, M., & Kuuskorpi, M. (2020). A reflective cycle: Understanding challenging situations in a school setting.  Educational Research ,  62 (1), 46-62. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00131881.2020.1711790

Oxenham, J. (2016). Complexities of management of a urostomy in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a reflective account.  British Journal of Nursing ,  25 (5), S14-S19. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/bjon.2016.25.5.S14

Pianpeng, T., & Koraneekij, P. (2016). Development of a Model of Reflection Using Video Based on Gibbs’s Cycle in Electronic Portfolio to Enhance Level of Reflective Thinking of Teacher Students.  International Journal of Social Science and Humanity ,  6 (1), 26. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 fromhttp://www.ijssh.org/vol6/612-CH385.pdf

Sekarwinahyu, M., Rustaman, N. Y., Widodo, A., & Riandi, R. (2019, February). Development of problem based learning for online tutorial program in plant development using Gibbs’ reflective cycle and e-portfolio to enhance reflective thinking skills. In  Journal of Physics: Conference Series  (Vol. 1157, No. 2, p. 022099). IOP Publishing. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1157/2/022099/meta

Sekarwinahyu, M., Rustaman, N. Y., & Widodo, A. (2019, November). Problem-based learning skills and reflection skills of biology education students through the problem-based online tutorial. In  Journal of Physics: Conference Series  (Vol. 1280, No. 3, p. 032004). IOP Publishing. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1280/3/032004/meta

Tanaka, M., Okamoto, R., & Koide, K. (2018). Relationship between Reflective Practice Skills and Volume of Writing in a Reflective Journal.  Health ,  10 (3), 283-288. Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=83028

Tawanwongsri, W., & Phenwan, T. (2019). Reflective and feedback performances on Thai medical students’ patient history-taking skills.  BMC medical education ,  19 (1), 141. . Retrieved on 19 th January 2021 from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-019-1585-z