Understand the development of professional practice through, and in the context of, reflective enquiry.

Assignment Summary and Guidance

This assignment is part of a module where students are asked to complete two separate tasks, both worth 50% each of the final grade. The tasks are designed to help students understand how theory connects to real-life practice in their professional roles, using reflection and academic research.

Assessment Feedback • Will be written feedback sheet with the grade mark available on turnitin 3 weeks after the submission date. Detailed Assessment Guidance In this section include all appropriate information about the assessment including • Indicative Assessment • The students complete two assignments in this module. • Critical review of a journal article (50% weighting); • an examination of the relationship between theory and practice with reference to their own professional role, using critical incident analysis (2000 words, 50% weighting). • Academic writing style and Harvard referencing format • Format restrictions Arial font size 11 or Times New Roman font size 12, double spaced lines and page numbers. • Your name and student ID should be in the header and the module name and code. • Your work should include the front coversheet that has been signed to declare that this is your work. The Turnitin receipt should also be attached to your paper copies of your work along with the signed front coversheet. • The work is assessed using the marking grid below and the learning outcomes of the module, see the learning outcomes below: • Learning Outcomes o understand the development of professional practice through, and in the context of, reflective enquiry; o demonstrate emerging understanding of current issues, ideologies and styles of research and evaluation and their relationship to theoretical perspectives in professional contexts; o make explicit and review their understandings of their own role and positioning as a professional practitioner.

Assignment Breakdown

1. Critical Review of a Journal Article (50%)

In this task, you need to choose a journal article and critically review it. This means you should:

• Summarise the main ideas of the article

• Evaluate its strengths and weaknesses

• Comment on how useful or reliable the article is

• Reflect on how the article relates to your own area of study or work

2. Critical Incident Analysis (2000 words, 50%)

In this second task, you are asked to think about a real event or situation (a "critical incident") that happened in your professional life.
You must:

• Describe the incident clearly

• Explain what theories or research apply to this situation

• Reflect on what you learned and how it changed or confirmed your thinking

• Show how theory and practice connect in real situations

Writing and Presentation Rules

• Use academic writing style (formal, clear and well-structured)

• Use the Harvard referencing system to list your sources properly

• Use Arial size 11 or Times New Roman size 12 font

• Your work should be double-spaced with page numbers

• Put your name and student ID in the header

• Include the module name and code

You must also:

• Attach a signed front coversheet saying the work is your own

• Attach your Turnitin digital receipt to any paper copies you submit

Assessment and Feedback

• Your assignments will be marked using a grading grid that matches the learning outcomes of the module

• You will get your written feedback and grade on Turnitin, 3 weeks after submission

What You Are Expected to Learn (Learning Outcomes)

By completing these tasks, you should be able to:

1. Understand professional development

   • Learn how reflective thinking and writing can help you grow in your career

2. Recognise key issues and research styles

   • Show awareness of different ideas and types of research, and how they link to real work situations

3. Understand your own role as a professional

• Think about and explain how you see yourself in your professional setting, and how your role is shaped by what you learn

Sample Answer

Professional Practice Module

Student Name 
Student ID
Module Name and Code

Introduction

In this assignment, I will reflect on a critical incident that happened during my time working as a professional practitioner. A critical incident is a real-life situation that challenged me and helped me learn something important about my role and responsibilities.

By using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988), I will explain what happened, how I felt, what I learned, and how theory helped me understand the experience better. I will also explore how this incident has helped me grow as a professional.

The Incident

The incident happened while I was working at a care home. One day, a service user became very upset and started shouting loudly. This person had dementia and was confused about where they were. I was the first person to approach them.

At first, I didn’t know what to do. I felt nervous and worried that I might say the wrong thing. The person became more distressed when I tried to explain the situation logically. Eventually, another staff member stepped in and calmly guided the person back to their room.

Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle

1. Description

A resident with dementia became aggressive and confused. I approached them but failed to calm them down. Another colleague took over and used a calm voice and simple words, which helped settle the resident.

2. Feelings

At the time, I felt anxious, unsure, and a bit helpless. I wanted to help but didn’t feel confident. After the incident, I felt disappointed in myself but also curious about what I could have done differently.

3. Evaluation

The good part was that the situation was brought under control without harm. However, I did not handle it well, and I realised I lacked knowledge on how to deal with such behaviour. I learned a lot by watching my colleague.

4. Analysis

This incident helped me understand the importance of person-centred care, a theory explained by Tom Kitwood (1997). His approach focuses on treating people with dementia as individuals with feelings and identities, not just patients. My colleague used empathy and a calm tone, which fits with Kitwood’s theory.

Also, communication theory played a big role. According to Argyle’s communication cycle, how we send and receive messages affects behaviour. My logical, detailed explanation confused the resident, while my colleague’s short, simple phrases were more effective.

5. Conclusion

I learned that when dealing with people with dementia, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that matters. Staying calm, using simple words, and listening with empathy are more important than giving lots of facts.

6. Action Plan

If something like this happens again, I will:

• Stay calm and speak slowly.

• Avoid long explanations.

• Use body language and tone to show kindness.

• Ask for help if I feel unsure.

I also plan to attend a dementia training workshop to improve my skills.

Continued...