SEEING KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWERS IN CRITICAL REFLECTION: Legitimation Code Theory

Critical thinking and reflection are often listed as important graduate qualities in university strategic plans. Yet critical reflection is often described in higher education research in terms of mental processes that are primarily cognitive. It thus remains unclear what it means for students to demonstrate evidence of critical reflection in their work - for students ‘critical reflection’ can be mystifying. This chapter explores how the sociological framework of Legitimation Code Theory offers a more accessible, robust, and visible approach to demystifying critical reflection. Showcasing a range of examples from nursing, social work, business, sports sciences, education, and English for Academic Purposes, this book illustrates how LCT can help design more effective approaches to researching, teaching and learning critical reflection in higher education.