Supporting Collaborative Self-Study: An Exploration of Internal and External Critical Friendships

This article outlines how a cyclic process of reflection and action was strengthened by the role of an external critical friend in a collaborative self-study. As three teacher education practitioners, two of us participated in the collaborative self-study, acting as internal critical friends to each other, while the third added an external layer of criticality. We both coached the university football team through one playing season: planning, coaching and reflecting collaboratively. Examination of the collaborative self-study identified two essential elements that supported our learning. The collaborative self-study was supported by a cyclic process of reflection, planning and action, and this foundational layer with review and deliberation to support the critical reflection contributed to learning and practices, both as coaches and as teacher education practitioners. A second layer of collaboration, in conjunction with an external critical friend, added to the depth of critique. While the role of critical friend is not new to self-study, analysis of data from both layers of critical friendships is useful in exploiting the structures and methods used throughout the study to contribute to individual and collaborative learning. This article presents the intricate details of the modus operandi - the repetitive cycle of action and reflection at the foundational layer, and the additional review and deliberation with an external critical friend in the second layer. Este articulo delinea el modo en que un proceso ciclico de reflexion y accion se fortalecio por el rol que jugo un amigo critico externo en un self-study colaborativo. Como un grupo de tres formadores de profesores, dos de ellos participaron del self-study colaborativo, actuando como amigos criticos internos, mientras que el tercero anadio una capa externa de criticidad. Ambos entrenamos al equipo de futbol de la universidad durante una temporada de juegos planificando, entrenando y reflexionando colaborativamente. La examinacion del self-study colaborativo identifico dos elementos esenciales que sustentaron nuestro aprendizaje. El self-study fue llevado a cabo por medio de un proceso ciclico de reflexion, planificacion y accion, y esta capa fundamental - acompanada de revision y deliberacion para apoyar la reflexion critica- contribuyo al aprendizaje y las practicas, tanto como entrenadores como formadores de docentes. Una segunda capa de colaboracion, en conjunto con un amigo critico externo, anadio a la profundidad de la critica. Aunque el rol de un amigo critico no es algo nuevo para el self-study, el analisis de los datos de las dos capas de amistad critica resulta de utilidad al revisar las estructuras y metodos utilizados a lo largo del estudio para contribuir al aprendizaje individual y colaborativo. Este articulo presenta los intrincados detalles del modus operandi - el ciclo repetitivo de la accion y la reflexion en la capa fundamental, y las revisiones y deliberaciones adicionales con un amigo critico externo en la segunda capa.