Critical Reflection for Civic-Mindedness: The Executive Blog as “Regeneration Alcove”

Abstract

This study explored the use of critical reflection blogs to integrate civic-mindedness into an executive education program at a large public university in the south Atlantic region of the United States. Although there is a robust literature on the use of blogs for critical reflection in degree programs, far less attention has been given to blogging in nondegree executive education programs. Participants ( n = 10) were senior executives participating in a nondegree preparatory program for an emerging C-suite role. Blog postings submitted over an 8-month period were analyzed using theory-driven content analysis to explore the extent to which reflective blogging contributed to the regeneration of civic-mindedness among well-educated, seasoned professionals. Study findings identified a variety of themes related to examining one’s own assumptions about civic-mindedness and how those themes could be translated into initiatives for organizational transformation. Study limitations and implications for other adult learning programs are also discussed.