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Reflective practice: Curriculum
development through research
informed teaching in sports science
Zoe Knowles, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences
1. Introduction
Researchers and educators in sport have recently introduced reflective
practice as a learning tool to their own curricula. In doing so, they have drawn
on the more developed expertise of allied health/education professions for
best practice in defining reflection, models demonstrating the process of
reflection and techniques. (e.g. nursing Ekeburgh, 2007; teacher education
Lee, 2007; health promotion Fleming, 2007; social work Ruch, 2007 and
physiotherapy Donaghy & Marss, 2007)1. This range of professions (like sport)
all have common themes which involve dealing with people (interpersonal
relationships); a dynamic and constantly changing practice environment; the
ability to make decisions in practice and the need to learn from experience.
The author has previously engaged in reflective practice research exploring it's
application to sports coaching education in University curriculum and also in
Governing Body Education (Knowles, Gilbourne, Borrie & Nevill, 2001;
Knowles, Borrie & Telfer, 2005; Knowles, Tyler, Gilbourne & Eubank, 2006).
This research more recently extends to the training of sports psychology
practitioners (Anderson, Knowles & Gilbourne, 2004; Knowles, Tomlinson,
Gilbourne and Anderson, 2007; Knowles, Niven & Gilbourne, under review)
and has been influential in driving the National Framework for the British
Association of Sport and Exercise Science supervised experience programme
(post M.Sc leading to professional accreditation www.bases.org.uk/
newsite/supervisedexp.asp) and also the British Psychological Society
stage 2 training for sport and exercise psychology
(www.bps.org.uk/qualifications/sp&ex.cfm).
learningdevelopment@ljmu.ac.uk
2. Defining reflective practice
and associated techniques
Reflective practice itself can be viewed in many
ways. It is more than simply thinking over and
over what has happened. Reflective practice is a
cognitive (thinking) process which brings
together several stages of deliberate exploration
of thoughts, feelings and evaluations focused on
practitioner skills and outcomes. The outcome of
reflection is not always preparation for change,
or action based, but perhaps confirmation
/rejection of a theory or practice skill option. For
example, it may be that an outcome of reflection
is seen through understanding how certain
training techniques actually work in practice (e.g.
you may discover that you can be successful by
adapting communication skills in certain ways for
a target audience but not others). Reflective
practice is a process by which we can generate
self awareness, focus on our practice, and that of
others we may work with, and formulate new
knowledge and ways of working.
Reflection can be an individual or shared activity
and it is important to understand that we can
learn from reflecting with others as well as our
own self reflection on practice. Recent research
has depicted reflection as an isolating activity
(Knowles et. al, under review) and therefore
researchers agree that the observation of others
in practice, or discussing practice/events after
they have occurred, creates opportunities for us
to indirectly question our own practice too.
Table 1 gives some typical examples reflective
activities seen within the literature.
1 The multiprofessional international journal
established in 2001 'Reflective Practice' bears
testimony to the range of professional fields
using reflective practice as a learning strategy
www.tandf.co.uk/journals
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Exploring complexity through reflection

Format Benefits How to go about it

Journals Written evidence; able to come back to it; can jog
memory; useful immediately post event. Allows
critical/significant incidents to be recorded and then
interrogated.
Bullet points, brief statements, full sentences,
mind maps, colour coded. What you did/what
you thought about. Write as yourself /another
person/as the other/storytell or write as if
you are sending yourself a memo

Discussion Allows thinking time; allows alternatives to surface Establish learning set group; agree boundaries
forums therefore contextualising. Often balances situational and limitations; set agendas; limit time; ensure
in groups and practitioner elements. Develops craft reflection. everyone speaks; record.
Can throw up the unexpected.

Reflective Usually focused and structured; gets at the why and Choose critical friend relative to the issue or
conversations how questions. Challenges self perceptions situation; record; track what happened to
with critical why and then how and follow on to action
friend planning for future. You can set up
hypothetical conversations.

Taped narrative Gets at reflection-in-action; allows for in the moment Need digital voice recorder; ability to self talk
(in action) questions and observations and what the practitioner while thinking (making decisions).
is thinking

Table 1: Examples of reflective activities. From Telfer & Knowles (in press)

To engage in any of the techniques in table 2, a guide or model might be used to facilitate the process of reflection (although
the role of 'spontaneous' reflection is also acknowledged in the concept of staged reflection - see Knowles et. al 2007 for a
review). For example, Gibbs' (1988) six stage cyclical model poses questions designed to increase the practitioner's movement
from a start point of description through awareness of feelings, evaluation/analysis, conclusion and formulation of action plan
(a linear and more complex model is depicted in Anderson et. al (2004) for the interested reader)

Description
What happened?
Action Plan Feelings
If it arose again what What were you thinking
would you do? and feeling?

Evaluation
Conclusion What was good and bad about
What else could you have the experience?
done?
Analysis
What sense can you
make of the situation

Fig.1 Gibbs (1988) 6-staged model of reflection

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Exploring complexity through reflection

Through the process of reflection we may challenge our values
and prejudices and indeed that of 'what we say we do and what
we actually do'. We should therefore see reflective practice as
a means to validate ethical practice and increase accountability.
For example, if asked to note down some of your values about
your work you might start your sentence with 'I believe that....'.
A football academy coach may state that:
'I... believe all of my players have the right to equal amounts of
my time and direction when in a session...'.
This may be challenged however if the coach then knows that
the players are due for release or not to be selected for the
upcoming match and therefore he may want to focus more
time on those who are eligible.
So far we have established that the practicalities of engaging in
reflective practice allow you to focus on you and your work
practices as well as perhaps uncovering your values and beliefs.
The process of reflection itself can be spontaneous or planned,
guided or unstructured and undertaken as an individual or as a
shared activity. The outcome of reflection can be preparation
for change (action) or understanding/generation of knowledge.
However, it is important that reflective practice is not
uncritically received as a panacea for professional development.
Debate continues within the literature as to how to best
represent and assess reflection (from students/candidates for
academic awards or professional accreditation). Ongoing
research by the author suggests that narrative research may
provide some direction here (Knowles et al, under review).
Addressing questions such as 'what makes a good reflection?'
and 'what are the potential benefits of reflective practice (and
for whom)?, may help towards the formation of such a
framework which (within the research literature and
professional training) have typically depended on written
formats. As reflective practice becomes more widespread we
should continue to question its value, and indeed question how
we can assess its value. By continuously questioning the value
of reflective practice, we can consider how we can develop
reflective practices to facilitate more effective practitioners.
The following section demonstrates how these principles and
ideas are embedded within the applied sports science core
strand of the B.Sc (Hons) Sports Science programme and M.Sc
sports science curricula.
3. Reflective practice in the sports
science curriculum
The reflective practice component of the core sport science
strand follows the developmental pathway of familiarisation at
level 1; skilling up at level 2 and engagement at level 3.
Philosophically, the process follows the procedures and
guidelines for reflective practice in applied postgraduate training
routes (see BASES/BPS references above in section 1) and is
informed by current research initiatives by contributing staff
members.

Table 2: Core applied sports science strand of the B.Sc (Hons) Sports Science programme and M.Sc sports science curricula

Level, credits, module Taught component Practical component Assessment

code and title
1 (Familiarisation) Lecture defining reflection Linked with careers 10% component of MCQ
12 credits SPSSS1004 and associated models/ programme within PDP within 1 hour exam
Applied Sports Science 1 processes (skills/self analysis)

2 (Skilling up) Lecture focused on Individual and shared Assessment of engagement

24 credits SPSSS2094
Applied Sports Science 2
3 (Engagement)
12 credits SPSSS3011
Applied Sports Science 3
M (Mastery)
20 credits SPSSSM156
Applied Placement
exploring techniques of
reflection (individual/shared/
written/conversational/
staged) Followed by student
self study pack of key
journal articles
Lecture based review of
current research within
sports science and allied
professions followed by
group tutorial on reflection
techniques for applied
project 2
The accrediting body
procedures are outlined
aligned with BASES/BPS
2 Introduced for 2008-2009 in response to student feedback in section 4
reflection following
supervised group lab
practical. Staff encourage
this through the practice
within the session
Group based applied
project with placement
providers with recorded
engagement in written/peer
group and supervisor
reflective activities
Individual applied project
(though students are
allocated reflection sets)
and supervisor facilitated
group tutorials
in reflection processes
through section of lab
report with feedback
directed on process of
reflection as well as
outcomes of practical work
100% coursework essay
with 50% evaluation of
learning contract and 50%
reflection on practice
Case study presentation
influenced by reflective
practice on applied work,
personal practice
philosophy statement
(reflecting on values) and
post placement viva.

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Exploring complexity through reflection
4. Student feedback
As module leader for SPSSS3011, during this academic cycle
(2007-2008) we gained extensive feedback for Centre of
Excellence for Teaching and Learning (CETL) on the module.
Of particular interest was how the students perceived the
reflective component of the applied project and assessment
(my comments in italics).
} In a sense the project really allowed me to enhance the
reflection process and almost allow me to understand and
assess aspects from a different perspective.
} Reflective skills were developed to an extent, although I feel
this is something I already carry out in work and practice
(often the perception of students that 'it is something I do
already' however these self directed practices are often
superficial and not supported)
} I think I did learn how to reflect better though applied
practice
} Reflection is used often as this is the point of the
placement we do not get marked on our placement
per se and we only get credit for the reflection essay. I felt
that more work goes into the placement than the essay and
a mark for the standard of sports science support we
supply would better reflect our input into this module
(a typical example of students focusing on outcome rather
than process)
} Reflective skills - I feel that having taken part in this module
the practice of reflecting following sessions had developed
my perceived ability to reflect on events. However, I think
it is key to note that what I regard as reflection may not be
correct as there has been no specific briefing (possibly in
the form of practical or written examples) on how to
actually perform reflection (see footnote in table 2)
} Reflective skills improved over time, key component to
learning and advancing
Acknowledgements
The author has been funded through CETL to engage in part
time research discussed above over the last academic cycle.
Extracts within this article are taken from Knowles & Telfer
and Telfer and Knowles (in press).
Contact details
Zoe is a part time senior lecturer and BASES accredited
practitioner in Sport psychology within the School of Sport
and Exercise Sciences.
E-mail: Z.R.Knowles@ljmu.ac.uk
Tel: 0151-231-4212
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References
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