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Developing a capacity to engage in critical reflection: Students' 'ways of knowing' within an undergraduate business and accounting programme

Lucas, Ursula; Tan, Phaik Leng

Authors

Ursula Lucas

Phaik Leng Tan



Abstract

The development of a capacity to engage in critical reflection is central to higher education. However, students vary in this capacity and its development requires students to move from an absolute towards a contextual way of knowing. Using 32 semi-structured interviews, this study identifies the ways of knowing of 17 business and accounting students at a large new United Kingdom (UK) university. In this study, absolute and transitional ways of knowing were found to be predominant. This appears to be significantly related to: (1) an extrinsic motivation for studying for a UK business or accounting degree and the desire to obtain a 'good degree'; (2) a strong focus on the organisation of learning, rather than on what is learnt; and (3) a strong focus on, and an unquestioning attitude to, assessment. The implications of these findings for further research and pedagogy within higher education are discussed. © 2013 Copyright Society for Research into Higher Education.

Citation

Lucas, U., & Tan, P. L. (2013). Developing a capacity to engage in critical reflection: Students' 'ways of knowing' within an undergraduate business and accounting programme. Studies in Higher Education, 38(1), 104-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.569706

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Feb 1, 2013
Journal Studies in Higher Education
Print ISSN 0307-5079
Electronic ISSN 1470-174X
Publisher Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 38
Issue 1
Pages 104-123
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.569706
Keywords ways of knowing, epistemological beliefs, critical reflection, business and accounting
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/939241
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.569706


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