Use of a common model of reflexivity for the analysis of post-simulation debriefings organized in the initial training of future police officers, midwives and teachers

Acquiring knowledge is an essential step to learn a profession. However, in order to be able to face the different situations encountered on the field, it is also necessary for the future professional to develop a reflective practice. Based on these findings, we studied three professional training programmes: police training, midwifery training and teacher training. More concretely, this article aims to show that it is possible, from a particular point of view of reflective practice, namely that of reflective processes, to question the processes underlying the activity of future professionals. In this article, we have also chosen to take a closer look at one particular reflective process, namely the process of legitimation. It’s a process by which the future professional justifies his actions (and his decisions). Overall, the results show that, unlike the future teachers, the investment of future midwives and police officers in a reflective approach remains low. Also, concerning the reasons invoked in the case of the legitimation, the results show a very different situation between the three professional fields analyzed. The future police officers tend to justify their practice considerably according to theoretical arguments related to the training (procedures) while the future teachers tend to justify their practice according to their preferences. Finally, the future midwives justify more broadly their practice according to the context. This approach can help to identify the possible limits of existing training, propose improvement suggestions and also contribute to the design of future training situations.