Heidi Wicks

Researchers received $37,019 from the Memorial University Teaching and Learning Framework fund for their project titled, "Pharmacy students learn to critically self-reflect using e-Portfolios."

Critical thinking and reflective practice are emphasized in national and international outcomes in pharmacy education. Teaching students to critically self-reflect is part of improving student learning.

 In fall 2015 and winter 2016 we conducted the first part of a two year study with first and third year pharmacy students to improve their critical self-reflective skills. Students wrote four self-reflections in an electronic portfolio over two semesters. They were not given any feedback from their instructors between the first and second reflections. They were given written individual formative feedback after the second, third, and fourth self-reflections, as well as class instruction that explicitly focused on how to improve their critical self-reflect skills.

 Student learning was determined using a rating scale for seven components of the reflections. Students improved from their first to fourth self-reflections in all components. 

Most students thought the self-reflections were helpful, but some did not think they were beneficial. Many students wrote that the reflections helped them think deeply, provided insight, and gave them opportunity to think about how they could improve.

For example, one student wrote, “It is very easy to forget the reasons why we are learning…These critical self-reflections forced me to take a step back and really look at the big picture. It forced me to take a look at how I was doing as an individual in a professional program, and to evaluate myself…helpful in keeping my head straight, keeping me motivated when I saw the bigger picture”.

 These same students in their second and fourth years of their program will continue with this project.