Reflect, adapt and grow: the journey of reflective practitioners

Practicing reflection in teaching 

I think that being a reflective practitioner is a dynamic and intentional process, often going beyond one’s routine tasks. It involves a thoughtful examination of experiences, decisions and interactions in the class and an understanding of what shapes a student’s interests and motivations in learning. Through this introspective process, one can gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement. By embracing a reflective practice, educators can adapt more effectively to challenges, refine their skills and ultimately contribute to a more resilient and successful work journey. 

The process of applying for Advance HE Fellowship is actually the start of a transformative journey of self-reflection, and gathering of evidence as we explore the effectiveness of our teaching approaches. 

Recognition of success 

In August 2023, Curtin University Malaysia achieved recognition as one of the leading institutions in the country for having a high number of Advance HE Fellows. This is testament to the University’s commitment and dedication in ensuring the quality of teaching to enrich student experience and engagement at the University. Being more reflective about our teaching practices has also led to numerous other achievements, notably the increased scholarship in, and research in, teaching and learning and the improved profile in teaching achievements among the faculty.  

The recognition and acknowledgment have had favourable effects on the staff, leading to the attainment of various international, national and University teaching awards and research grants. This highlights the staff members' high motivation and dedication to improving the quality of teaching.  

Impact on professional practices  

My journey began with baby steps. I applied for Associate Fellowship first then proceeded to apply for Fellowship. However, my journey towards applying for Fellowship really taught me to be more reflective in my teaching. During the write up process, I had support from my mentor and colleagues from the Teaching Excellence Team (LITEC) in Curtin Bentley, which for me, was the most valuable part of the application process. They prompted me to think more deeply about my teaching practices and how this impacted my students, and consequently, to examine how I could improve on my teaching based on my reflections.  

By achieving both Associate Fellowship and Fellowship, my drive to nurture teaching excellence has prompted me to engage in more scholarship and research in teaching and learning. I was also more careful when designing class activities and exploring various pedagogies that would suit the diverse needs of my students. As evidence of recognition of my efforts, I was awarded the 2023 Curtin Malaysia Learning and Teaching Excellence Award, employing the reflective practices and methods that I had learnt while preparing for my fellowship application. 

Another impact of my fellowship journey was the impetus to conduct action research to improve the quality of our teaching. Our team was awarded two Curtin Malaysia Teaching and Innovation Project grants in 2020 and 2021. Both research projects were focused on understanding students’ perceptions and engagement in the classroom through personalised learning and community engagement. Our research project involves interdisciplinary collaboration between two faculties and involves students in engineering, commerce and media courses within the University. The projects gave us valuable insights to students’ perceptions and the strategies they employ when learning, allowing us to tailor our teaching to cater to students’ needs.  

What fellows at Curtin have to say

Anita Jimmie is a Senior Teaching Fellow at Curtin University Malaysia. She has 20 years of teaching experience. She is also the Chair of Engagement for the School of Pre-University and Continuing Education and works with both internal and external parties on knowledge transfer programmes and community outreach initiatives.