Reflective Judgment Framework: a three-level developmental model of reasoning about ill-defined problems¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The Reflective Judgment Framework (RJF), developed by King and Kitchener, is "a developmental model describing the changing patterns of reasoning over a person's life-span," assessed by analyzing interviews about ill-defined problems with evidence for multiple solutions. It distinguishes Pre-Reflective, Quasi-Reflective, and Reflective levels, each characterized by distinct views of knowledge and justification: authority-based, opinion-based, and contextual evaluation of evidence. The article uses the framework to analyze how students in the restructured astronomy course experienced and practiced reflective judgment.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Reasoning level is evaluated by analyzing recorded interviews in which individuals think about ill-defined problems for which evidence supports two or more different solutions or options.

Constraints¶

• The article notes that speaking of individuals as 'in' a certain stage is an oversimplification; thinking levels are domain specific, and optimal versus functional levels of reflective judgment must be distinguished.

Target Learners¶

• college students
• undergraduate non-science majors

Target Learning Objectives¶

• reflective judgment
• critical thinking about problems in science
• epistemological development

Claims¶

• Restructured Astronomy Wide Reflective Judgment Variation [+M]

Related Theories¶

• Fischer and Knight's skill theory of cognitive development in real children
• Reflective Judgment Model (RJM)
• King and Kitchener's Reflective Judgment Model: a seven-stage developmental framework of epistemic assumptions and justification

Examples¶

• Lecture-free, problem-centered, collaborative course pattern built on model construction and evaluation
• Six recommendations for fostering reflective judgment in introductory college science

Key Sources¶

• Carr, K. M. (1997). A Constructivist Approach To Reflective Judgment and Science Literacy in Introductory College Science Instruction. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED414179