Collective reflection strategy for moderating conformity tendency and promoting reflective judgment performance

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 383 - 396
• Main Authors: Chen, Ming‐Puu, Lord, Asta Y. Z., Cheng, Yu‐Yao, Tai, Ku‐Chou, Pan, Wen‐Harn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.06.2020; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Behavior Change; Behavior Patterns; collective reflection; Comparative Analysis; Computer Mediated Communication; Computer simulation; Conformity; Controversial Issues (Course Content); Correlation; Decision Making; Digital media; Education; Health Personnel; Higher Education; Learning; Learning Strategies; Medical Evaluation; online learning; Physicians; Privacy; Reflection; reflective judgement; Reflective teaching; Social Media; Social networks; Strategy; Teaching Methods
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12419

Reflective judgement is crucial for medical‐related practitioners in dealing with controversial issues. However, the conformity phenomenon is likely to occur and interfere with reflective judgement learning during interactive activities. Effective strategies are required to moderate the conformity behaviour tendency (CBT) and improve reflective judgement performance (RJP). This study demonstrates two significant results: (a) Compared with the guided self‐reflection learning strategy, the online collective reflection (OCR) learning strategy effectively weakened the learners' general CBT while dealing with professional controversial issues; and (b) a significantly negative correlation between the RJP achieved and the change of CBT in online environment was detected in the OCR group. The implications and potential applications in higher education were discussed. Further studies are needed to confirm the long‐term effects and the extending application to other professional studies. Lay Description Lay Description What is already known about this topic Reflective judgement is a critical competence in dealing with professional controversial issues. Conformity behaviour tendency becomes salient while encountering controversial issues, which may lead to interference with reflective judgement performance especially during class debates. What this paper adds With the computer‐assisted anonymous collective reflective learning strategy, the learners performed better on reflective judgement with less inclination to exhibit conformity behaviour. Implications for practice and/or policy The collective reflective learning interface simulated the function of online social media platforms, which presents the potential of widely applying the free and popular computer‐assisted technology (e.g., online social media platform) to enhance reflective judgement learning in higher education.