Critical reflection

Critical reflection is commonly seen as central to social transformation in Participatory Action Research (PAR). However, the groundings and practice of the concept and its associated applications are seldom questioned or examined. The lack of a clear conceptual basis upon which reflective practice could be developed is manifested in the routinized presentations of ‘lessons learnt' in writings. This article inquires into the concept of critical reflection and its current practice in PAR, drawing on key contributors and current PAR writings. This exploration has prompted a construction of a conceptual framework grounded on the principle of extended epistemology (Heron, 1992), in which the role of reflection or critical reflection in the creation of different forms of knowledge can be clearly discerned. In addition, the framework explicitly incorporates first-, second and third-person research practice (Reason & Torbert, 1999) to allow for the different aspects of reflective practice to emerge. Examples from my own reflective practice are given to illustrate the various dimensions of the framework. I argue this framework provides a clearer conceptual basis upon which reflective practice can be developed, with important implications for the future development of PAR.