Applying Critical Reflective Practice for ACCA Professional Identity

This report focuses on the critical reflective practice of ACCA, a professional association for chartered certified accountants. The report includes a literature review on ACCA, research methods and data analysis, and a personal reflection storyboard. The report emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and continuous learning in professional development.

Applying critical reflective
practice

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
TASK ..............................................................................................................................................3
Part A: Research Aim(s) and Literature Review ........................................................................3
Part B: Reflections on Research Methods and Data Analysis....................................................5
PART C: Reflexive Practitioner Storyboard...............................................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERNCES:................................................................................................................................12
Books and Journals:..................................................................................................................12
Online........................................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Reflexive practice is the way to get indulge in self assessments to take actions when the
event in happening. A reflective practitioner is well known about themselves and exactly
understand what should be done and what should not. Through reflexive practices, an individual
becomes able to asses and grant their actions and control on activities It is a part of continuous
learning process which help the individual to boost their skills, capabilities and knowledge and
ascertain growth and development. This report is based on formal professional identity which
defined by the framework of ACCA(Krasodomska, Michalak,and Świetla, 2020). It is the
Association of Chartered certified Accountants (ACCA). It provides chartered services
accountant professionals. It is based on London and founded in 1904. with the help of this
report, it is going to present about the critical understanding under ACCA, types of research
methods and use of reflective model. Also, the reflexive storyboard is also going to show
personal experience in developing professional values.
MAIN BODY
TASK
Part A: Research Aim(s) and Literature Review
Aim:
To ascertain the practices of ACCA in order to build professional identity by knowing its
behaviours and values.
Objectives
To evaluate critical framework related to ACCA.
To identify various practices cover under ACCA to be able to perform role of reflexive
practitioner.
To explore the impact of ACCA in defining professional identity and values.
LITERATURE REVIEW
It is a type of research data which is gathered through performing investigations, analysation of
facts and work on others perspective. It helps in completing work in appropriate manner
literature review present all the information according to the required material and
knowledge. It gives theoretical perspective over a subject study that helps to combine
thoughts and ideas form various sources. Mainly, the best sources are books, journals and

articles. This will help in identifying the relevance of ACCA in developing processional
identity.
Evaluate critical framework related to ACCA.
According to Norol-janah, 2020 ACCA is an association of chartered accountant which was
established in 1904. it is scattered at worldwide level which provide education and degree
of Chartered certified accountant. The company has reputed name across various countries
and demonstrate education to many students from different parts of the world. The main
purpose behind is to prove eduction and training to the members of ACCA. It works based
on principles and make sure about members regulation. With the help of this association, an
individual could easily look forwards to build their career in the field of finance and
accountants. As this the most regulated career opportunity that require more of professional
knowledge and ability to reflect on self action. This institution provide flexible education
that makes the subject an interesting part of individual life (Snyder, 2019). All the chartered
accountants are the member of ACCA as the association confirms their job as an accountant.
There are different regulations in order to work for public interest. As these norms include
practitioner certificate, insurances and liability towards inspection. It helps in boosting
skills of the individual to undertake highest positions. A person will become self reliant and
career focused to achieve their targets. This mainly promoted the principle based
regulations.
Identify various practices cover under ACCA to be able to perform role of reflexive
practitioner.
According to Loft, 2020 A reflective practitioner is able to identify self assessments and
analyse the problem of situation. It is only become possible when a person has professional
ways of working. As the chartered accountants works in professional ways in which they
have own set of standards and working criteria. An individuals could on assess this
behaviours through all by themselves. Therefore, ACCA helps in providing value to their
talent and enhancing skills like critical thinking, evaluation and analysis. These practitioner
works on the basis of cultural norms, ethics and provision set under the association. They
promotes social work and participate in conferences that are held for the betterment of
society and businesses. ACCA has effective practices as they work with utmost honesty and
authenticity.

Explore the impact of ACCA in defining professional identity and values.
According to (Bouilheres, 2017) ACCA is globally known for its best practising standards
which keep up effective control over accounts and its provisions. The field of chartered
accountant is itself a professional role through which the individuals get certified to hold a
professional degrees and work with different values. It regulates all the academic practices
required to make career in finance and accounting. The individuals get to know about many
behaviours, role policies and values in serving best to the country. These professional
identity helps to achieve career aims and be financially independent. As a charted
accountant earns a lot by their work and talent to manage monetary data and give valuable
opinion over financial stability to the various organisation. The individual becomes the
holder of many certificates, specimens and integrity of knowledge. It shows that the person
is able to work on managing finances and operations.
Part B: Reflections on Research Methods and Data Analysis
Research methods are the process of determining work in a systematic manager by
using tools and techniques. It helps in gathering data, identify and select and posses the facts
through relevant sources and materials. Therefore, the researcher must be attentive while
choosing the best method of research.
Research method: It is the most vital function of a researcher to select an appropriate
methods among primary and secondary. As these are the two methods through which data are
collected and comes to a conclusion (Mohajan, 2018). The data collections sources are
qualitative and quantitate. This reflective research is based on qualitative research which is
under secondary method. As this source is suitable and gives wide area of study to get
professional understanding of ACCA.
Research strategy: A research strategy is necessary to carry out the project in a
professional way. It provides a way and path to carry out the investigation and how to draw a
valid conclusion. It is the process of determining the effective evaluation. As this research is
based on collecting data and experiences to ascertain the professional identity.
Data collection: Data collection method are significant requirement to carry out a
research based project. These data collection sources are beneficial and suitable on the basis of
topic and the depth of subject matter. This research gathers data through secondary sources via

books, journals and articles. It provide a broad context of study that helps to analyse the
importance of ACCA to gain professional skills.
Data analysis: it is the process of identifying, optimise , eliminate and building a valid
conclusion through gathered information (Balan, 2020). It is not necessary that all the
information is right and accurate,. Therefore, this research will analyse the facts and required
material which are fulling the objective of research.
Personal Reflection Model:
with the help of this research, there are certain experiences and events occurred which
will be present through applying reflective model. Gibbs reflective cycles is a perfect way to
showcase potential role covered during the project. It is based on 6 stages each are discussed
below:
Description: I was keen to do a research project on the topic of my interest, then I got this
project which reflects the knowledge about professional practices, values and the role of
ACCA. Therefore, I was exciting to research on various professionals behaviours which could
help me to secure my future skills (Göker, and Bozkuş, 2017). I gained a lot of understanding of
research methods, writing styles, content formation. As this research is based on qualitative
method, which provides me a lot of data that increase my ability of critical thinking. All these
are a part of professional development.
Feeling: at the initial time, I felt nervous and under confident to carry out this research project.
As I was not good at doing research. But this project made me improve my skills to secure a
better and professional future. When I was down with half of my project, I felt happy and
confident which boost my motivation to complete this investigation within time. I felt that, data
analysing tools and techniques have helped me a lot to gather data which I could add in the
research.
Evaluation: From the evaluating of this research, I find that, this project has made me improve
many of my skills like writing style, critical thinking, understanding of facts and collecting data.
Apart from this, I faced some hurdles in selecting best source and managing my time.
Analysis: it has analysed that, research projects are essential to boost thinking capabilities
(Stodter, Cope, and Townsend, 2021). It is required to have knowledge about professional values
which is essential to fulfil expectation of global marketers.

Conclusion: This experience has conclude that, I could secure my future by learning more skills
and focusing on continuous development plan. These projects are helpful to improve many skills
and helps to gain knowledge.
Action plan: As I have faced issues like time management and gathering data. I will create a
time management plan and put the prioritised activities on top of the list. Also, I need to get more
of research projects which makes me perfect in academic writing.
PART C: Reflexive Practitioner Storyboard
I am feeling highly pleasant for getting the opportunity to carry out evaluation of analysing
role of ACCA in context to aspect of developing formal professional identity. I am student of
business and financial management course which emphasises towards learning and developing
knowledge about investment strategies, commercial planning, financial analysis and hence forth.
I have been selected area of ACCA to enhance professional values together with behaviours as it
is termed as a professional study that helps a person to gain direction for exploring idea in the
financial field along with devising professional path in order to gain progression. Major purpose
of conducting critical incident analysis is to emphasis towards the event, that comprises analysis
of circumstances around it, actions involved, responses to event and results (Dyches and Sams,
2018). While completing the course, I have analysed realised that my past learning, experience
and developed knowledge base could play essential function in enhancing my performances
addition to minimise weaknesses. For developing my potential to examine myself as well as
finding out weaknesses that impacts adversely on my competence. In the essence, study on the
aspect of ACCA assist me to improve my knowledge and potentials for carrying out operations
in systematic and organised manner within financial department in ethical ways that are
imperative for implementing financial practices.
Conducting research within various areas that needs to be developed guided me for
analysing my own competences together with improving them as well. For performing the
investigation, it was decided be me to gather information from sources to perform reflection on
experiences which are gained in initial phases. I have gained learning from my professional
working and also determined that there are certain areas which needs development for the
purpose of making higher professional identity in the field. With self-reflection, I would like to
improve my awareness and in tune with personal together with professional abilities. My self-
discovery about formal personality characteristics and qualities helped me in the field. Now, I am

more equipped towards catering my actions and practices through aligning originated within my
formal personality for improving my learning. ACCA has provided me opportunity along with
open access to people of potential and supported my working with promoting highest
governance, ethical addition to professional standards. Qualification of ACCA builds foundation,
provides better job opportunities, complete accounting education program and assist in
functioning of business (Hill and Kang, 2020). Idea of course of ACCA would guide me to
explore financial knowledge through which I have great opportunities for becoming significant
part of any venture and my knowledge in the field will be advantageous for organisation to
achieve advancement and further development. With improved personal and professional
competence, I am able to support effective future growth. Through personal reflection, presently,
I am confident to implement my own activities for achieving success in the field. Enhanced idea
related to personal features are more efficient for me to choose future grounds properly with the
hope of achieving desired career prospects.
My personal and professional discovery in formal world is to enhance concept related to
own practices at the time of looking introspectively as well as valuable to ask fellow participants
or students for feedbacks about my performances to gain idea for future development. Personal
reflection aids in finding self traits and personality that benefits to consider desired future
objectives in liable ways. The critical incident analysis assists me to find wider opportunities
according to my personal and professional traits for attaining progression in the field. Within the
event, method used for analysing person data was Gibbs Model because the model guide to
exploring individual abilities, overview of experience in the event and development areas
(Kerrigan and McIntyre, 2019). With use of Gibbs reflective model, I have analysed that it
makes sense of the event at work in order to understand practices that are performed well and
what practices could be performed better in future. It acts as testament to various events in a life
at the time when self-consciousness seep in ability of a person and prior any situation which
makes an individual to think about failure in desired filed to carry out practices.
Action research, auto ethnographic practices and reflexivity are some research
methodology that are used by me in the event. Along with this, I have selected personal data
sources that are learning styles questionnaire as well as team role questionnaire for collection
information related my potentials and qualities. In aspect to self-awareness diagnostic personal
data, emotional intelligence is being opted as it assists in identification and regulation of

emotions together with understanding about emotions of others within the event. My high
emotional intelligence assists me to develop and build relationships, defuse conflicts, reduce
stress on working addition to improve job satisfaction.
Examining the whole situation or event was possible through Gibbs model (Klein and
McIntyre, 2019). With this, it became easy for me to explain my experience about analysing
formal professional identity. The model is useful for me to view my actions in phases of
description, feelings, evaluation, analysis and hence forth. I have discovered a structure for
learning from my experience in the event with the help of the model. In future, it can permit me
for viewing my formal professional personality kind for reinforcing my perception about
success. Along with this, application of the model provides me accurate addition to balance
judgement about my experience. At description stage, I defined usage of qualitative research
method as it is more effective to provide detailed as well as conceptual information about
potential function of ACCA to develop formal professional behaviour addition to values of a
person. Further, reflective method is also used as to provide reflection about practices of mine
and sharing my experience accurately. Conducting the research guides me to enhance my
knowledge and skill set for role of ACCA to improve professional performances in desired field
of work. Next is feeling phase, wherein, I have shared what I felt prior, present and after
participation in the event as well as completing research methodology and the entire report. It is
also stated that there are certain data collection sources which are used properly while
performing investigation effectively. In this, I felt little nervous, but after completion of working,
I am more confident which reflects that I can conduct research practices properly in future.
Evaluation stage helped me to examine skill sets required for performing the project. I evaluated
that my academic, critical thinking, research and presentation skills are improved for carrying
out working in future in similar kind of work. I have analysed that examining effectiveness of
selected data collection methods provides insights about their significance. Conclusion stage
provides overall examination of field and selected methodology. My working in all stages of the
model helped me to determine my personality in professional context. With this, I am able to
examine my strengths and weaknesses to carrying out business and financial practices at a
company.
In the event of formal professional identity, I have gained huge knowledge about ways in
which working are performed in an organisation that is significant to attain objectives on time for

developing at professional level. In contrary, there are some skills which I require to develop or
improve so to attain desired career growth. The skills include rational decision making,
balancing demands of work with commitment of study, problem solving, high numeracy as well
as sound technical skills, etc so to communicate properly with others and manage financial
transactions of entity (Russell, 2018). While working as financial manager in the company, I
have faced certain complications such as arranging funds, raising loan and delegation of
authority. To manage the situations, my learning in business and financial management course
have helped me to deal with the challenges professionally and guide others to carry out practices
or transactions with available resources. Moreover, I have effectively utilised by skills and
competence to deal with the event. In future also, I have discovered that I will able to use my
skills perfectly while working in multi-national corporation which will help me to become
successful in my career and work satisfactorily to carry out practices. I have explored that it is
essential for me to develop my skills and knowledge base to sustain competitive edge in
professional field.
CONCLUSION
From the presented information, it is concluded that reflective practice is essential for
paying critical attention towards practical values addition to models that inform day to day
actions with the help of examining practices reflexively. It is essential to continuously develop
knowledge and skill sets at personal and professional level. In research, theoretical perspective is
termed to set of assumptions related to reality which inform questions that are to be asked as well
as kind of answers that an individual arise at as an outcome. Research methods as well as data
analysis aids to find patterns along with themes in data and information for easy determination
together with linking. Reflexive Practitioner Storyboard guides an individual to devise meaning
from specific event to better understand art of formal professional practice.

REFERNCES:
Books and Journals:
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organizations. Contemporary leadership challenges, pp.27-45.
Hill, R. and Kang, J., 2020. The application of a reflective practitioner methodology by clerks to
college governing bodies in England: reviewing the benefits for clerks, and also for
college governors and college senior staff. 25(1). pp.110-124.
Kerrigan, S. and McIntyre, P., 2019. Practitioner centred methodological approaches to creative
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Russell, T., 2018. 7. Paradigmatic Changes in Teacher Education: The Perils, Pitfalls, and
Unrealized Promise of the Reflective Practitioner. In (pp. 158-176). University of
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Snyder, H., 2019. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
guidelines. Journal of business research, 104, pp.333-339.
Stodter, A., Cope, E. and Townsend, R.C., 2021. Reflective conversations as a basis for sport
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