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“Have a bit of bloody confidence woman!”
…what I'd tell my 1st year student self
Dr Julia Stewart and Esther Pettit
To explore student reflection both on and for (Schön
1983; Wilson 2008) clinical placement practice
To examine the differences between students at
different stages of their development.
2. Research Aims
38 3rd year SLT students were asked to note down any
advice they would give their 1st year selves before their
first placement, from the perspective of now being near
the completion of their studies. They were also asked
about their worries regarding their own final placement.
All data were anonymous and confidentiality was
assured. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify
apparent themes and sub-themes in the data.
3. Method
4. Results
Themes
Reassurance
“There are no stupid questions so ask lots of them”
“You’re not expected to know everything”
“You will always be nervous but as time goes by you learn
how to control those nerves to push yourself”
“You do know enough”
Seizing opportunities
“Ask to see assessments”
“Enjoy observing and collect all the resources you can”
“Take every opportunity offered no matter how nervous you
are. Ask if you can have a go”
Learning
“Placement experiences will massively change your views”
“Progression isn’t always obvious but knowledge always
grows”
“If you don’t ask you won’t learn; you’re there to learn, not to
pretend you know everything”
Strategies
“Take some time at the end of each day to take stock and
reflect on your successes”
“Spend some time planning and managing time – it pays in
the end although it feels tedious”
“A smile and a warm positive attitude goes far”
Motivating
“Be yourself- feel confident enough to show your personality”
“Embrace the challenges, they are what make you grow”
“You can cope and are far more capable than you think”
(and worries going into final block? Concern about
relationships with placement educators was a prominent theme)
(Further findings from this study are presented in a sister poster:
“I don’t want to look like a lemon”)
5. Summary
1. Introduction
For many undergraduate speech and language therapy
(SLT) students the anticipation of clinical placement can
be a source of excitement, nervousness and anxiety
(McAllister & Lincoln 2004). University tutors typically
support students’ placement preparation in a range of
ways designed to both prepare them for the clinical
context and assuage their fears. This study explored
students’ feelings about clinical placement from two
perspectives: 1st years about to embark on their 1st SLT
clinical experience, and 3rd years about to start their final
block placement before graduating as competent SLTs.
The 3rd years were asked "what they would tell their 1st
year selves" with the benefit of hindsight and about their
thoughts/worries going forward into their final placement.
References Dall’Alba, G. (2009) Learning Professional Ways of Being: Ambiguities of becoming. Educational Philosophy and Theory 42, 1
Gordon Training International (date unknown). Conscious competence learning model
McAllister, L. & Lincoln, M. (2004) Clinical Education in Speech-Language Pathology. London: Whurr Publishers Ltd
Schön, D. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books Inc
Wilson, J.P. (2008). Reflecting-on-the-future: a chronological consideration of reflective practice. Reflective Practice 9, 2, 177-184
Final year students give a range of useful tips, advice and reassurance to less experienced students. From a perspective of
conscious competence they are able to identify what to, and not to, worry about as an conscious incompetent (Gordon Training
model). While many 1st year students worried about their lack of knowledge; advice from year 3 seeks to reassure that it is okay
not to have all the answers. And asking lots of questions is widely recommended to promote learning. The research process also
framed student reflection on practice in a new light which students reported useful and informative. In considering what advice
they might give their younger self, 3rd year students’ own professional development (Dall’Alba 2009) was highlighted. Students
reported that this reflection on how far they had come gave them confidence in their knowledge and skills as they approached
their final block placement.
Contact:
jstewart@marjon.ac.uk