The Critical Incident Technique (CIT) in certain research practices on reflexivity

The paper analyzes the possibilities and limits of the Critical Incident Technique (ICT) used in precise research contexts directed to study the reflectivity in the educational process. It aims to examine the characteristics of this approach in three different empirical research paths based on the idea that reflexivity can influence on growth of skills of subjects. Critical reflection is a systematic form of evaluation of the experience and action that considers an event, a situation etc. from different points of view in order to identify key assumptions, influences and personal meanings to act the experience facilitating learning (Van Manen, 1977; 1991; 1995). The CIT, developed by John Flanagan in 1954 to obtain and analyze qualitative data, originally indicate the activity in research that helps individuals to reflect on important aspects of their work; it is connoting itself as useful means for the identification of significant experiences or "critical incidents", which are often complexes and variegated, and potentially at risk of being misrepresented. They needs to be properly explained, especially in the early stages of professional training of teachers. There are convincing evidence that reflexivity leads to deconstruct preconceived beliefs bringing out to new connections (Raven, 2006; Bogdan, Biklen, 2007; Colombo, 2003; Hall, Callery, 2001; Kleinsasser, 2001; Behar, 1996) and that most innovation in education and training systems is based on a reflective practitioner able to take into account both the expected results as well as those of his unexpected action. In order to improve the educational and professional effectiveness, becomes crucial in current systems try to identify forms of support for learning to reflective competence on the part of education professionals to work alongside their accompanying technical and methodological skills. The aim of the three studies was thus to explore a different level the relationship between action of training and reflexivity in order to develop a methodology direct to develop the reflection in the context of learning of professionalism, making use of an integrated strategy in terms of specific procedures, techniques and tools. Three groups of participants: 55, 36 and 36 subjects. The survey design is modeled by two main techniques of analysis: the CIT and the structured reflection (Johns, 2004). The two techniques were combined with a semi-structured dynamic reflective cycle punctuated by a series of activities (description, analysis, evaluation, conclusion and action plan) (Gibbs, 1988). The focus of the trial was to study the relationship between narrative structure and application performance (action). The work has included the development of a precise technique based on a multi-methodological and multifocal critical incident approach, also considered under the events/obstacles profile, and on the link between the stories and narratives of critical materials (oral and written) to establish qualitative and quantitative connections between their structures. The results are to be ascribed to: - the construction of the reflective process; - the analysis technique of reflection; - the construction of the self-evaluation of the reflective tool. The main research report is published in the volume REFLECT (Nuzzaci, 2012), which summarizes the work conducted.