IADR Abstract Archives
Measurin the Reflective Thinking of Dental Student: A Quantitative Instrument
Objectives: Pedagogically, reflection allows the integration of new experiences with existing knowledge and skills, promoting self-regulated learning, which helps and encourages professional development. This is achieved by increasing students' self-awareness of their own instructional process, improving learning opportunities through a more in-depth approach to learning.
Aim: To analyse the utility of the self-reported Reflection Questionnaire (RQ) of Kember et al., translated into Spanish, as a method to measure the level of reflective thinking.
Methods: In 2017, 526 dental students of the of the University of the Andes, Chile, were invited to answer the 16 items of the RQ (scale 1-20) to later analyse the reliability and structural validity of the answers considering its four constructs: Habitual Action, Understanding, Reflection and Critical Reflection
Results: 484 students participated (92%). The average scores were Habitual Action 10.94, Understanding 18.28, Reflection 16.76 and Critical Reflection 14.32. Cronbach's alpha was 0.675. There was a positive correlation between academic performance and the levels of Understanding, Reflection and Critical Reflection, as well as a negative correlation with Habitual Action.
Conclusions: The Questionnaire presented an adequate internal consistency. The highest values achieved in Understanding and Reflection, are consistent with the conceptual design of the RQ indicating students use more frequently these levels of thinking. Further, the positive correlation between academic performance and the three higher levels of the RQ, are consistent with the original design of the instrument. In addition, this indicates that those students enthusiastic to understand topics also do it to reflect. In contrast, the significant difference between Understanding and Reflection, not reported in previous studies, could indicate a lower reflective practice of our students. There is also a tendency for an increase in critical reflection as students advance in the program ladder (table 1). Thus, the RQ is a useful tool to assess the level of reflective thinking of dental students.
Aim: To analyse the utility of the self-reported Reflection Questionnaire (RQ) of Kember et al., translated into Spanish, as a method to measure the level of reflective thinking.
Methods: In 2017, 526 dental students of the of the University of the Andes, Chile, were invited to answer the 16 items of the RQ (scale 1-20) to later analyse the reliability and structural validity of the answers considering its four constructs: Habitual Action, Understanding, Reflection and Critical Reflection
Results: 484 students participated (92%). The average scores were Habitual Action 10.94, Understanding 18.28, Reflection 16.76 and Critical Reflection 14.32. Cronbach's alpha was 0.675. There was a positive correlation between academic performance and the levels of Understanding, Reflection and Critical Reflection, as well as a negative correlation with Habitual Action.
Conclusions: The Questionnaire presented an adequate internal consistency. The highest values achieved in Understanding and Reflection, are consistent with the conceptual design of the RQ indicating students use more frequently these levels of thinking. Further, the positive correlation between academic performance and the three higher levels of the RQ, are consistent with the original design of the instrument. In addition, this indicates that those students enthusiastic to understand topics also do it to reflect. In contrast, the significant difference between Understanding and Reflection, not reported in previous studies, could indicate a lower reflective practice of our students. There is also a tendency for an increase in critical reflection as students advance in the program ladder (table 1). Thus, the RQ is a useful tool to assess the level of reflective thinking of dental students.