Reflective thinking in higher education: contributions from narrative methodologies

Abstract

This study presents the effect of narrative methodologies for the promotion of reflective thinking in the construction of knowledge and competence development of students of the Bachelor’s degrees of Teacher from the University of Barcelona. A mixed method has been used with a triangulation design that combines complementary techniques: a self-administered questionnaire on reflexive thinking to 215 students from two compulsory subjects and focus groups to deepen in the narrative of the process, the experience and the satisfaction of the learning by the students. The data processing has been carried out through the triangulation of statistical techniques and qualitative data analysis procedures for the sequential deepening of the information. We conclude that reflective writing and narrative favour a thinking relationship with what the student does and require their self-regulation and proactive attitude in a participative-guided learning process where they are self-and-co-formed. The use of reflection-based activities also contributes to increase awareness of the meaning of learning, the effort to learn and to value different points of view. At the level of teaching, this implies a change of focus towards a teaching oriented to learning, with new spaces where the support and feedback integrated in the formative evaluation are highly relevant and require more time than in traditional teaching-learning situations.