Reflection and Assessment at Southern Connecticut State University
Experiential learning at SCSU prioritizes reflection as a critical tool for deepening student learning. Drawing from Kolb and Kolb's (2017) work, reflection is essential for extracting meaning from experiences and using that meaning to guide future learning. At SCSU, reflection connects practical experiences to course content, allowing students to articulate how their knowledge, skills, and values are applied in real-world contexts.
Designing Reflection
Reflection is an iterative process and should occur before, during, and after the experience. It can take many forms, such as reflective writing, group discussions, learning portfolios, and presentations. These activities should be assessed to emphasize their importance in the learning process. Several reflection frameworks that can be used at SCSU include:
- Do What? So What? Now What?
- DEAL Model
- Reflection Cycle
Sample Reflection Prompts
To design effective reflection activities, prompts should align with course outcomes. Questions may focus on deepening understanding of academic theories, personal development, or societal structures. For example:
- Academic/Cognitive Reflection: How does this experience enhance your understanding of course theories?
- Personal Reflection: How has this experience impacted your career goals?
- Civic Reflection: How does this experience contribute to your understanding of societal structures?
Sample Reflection Activities
- One-Minute Papers: Students quickly reflect on key points learned or questions raised during the experience.
- Double-Entry Journals: Students document factual experiences in one column and personal reflections in the other.
- Reflective Journals: Encourages ongoing reflection throughout the experiential learning process.
- Learning Portfolios/E-Portfolios: Students collect and organize artifacts that demonstrate their learning.
Assessing Reflection
Assessment of reflection activities is key to ensuring students’ growth and engagement. Clear rubrics help to evaluate students' ability to connect concepts to practice, reflect on their personal growth, and apply learning in new contexts. Rubrics also help streamline grading and provide structured feedback. At SCSU, rubrics for assessing experiential learning may evaluate:
- Meaningful connections between academic content and experience.
- Reflection and self-evaluation.
- Integrative communication of knowledge and skills.
- Application of knowledge, skills, and theories to new experiential contexts.
Tips and Challenges
Reflection requires time, and students often face competing demands. Instructors can build in-class time for reflective activities to ensure students engage fully. Additionally, reflection should take place in a trusting environment where students feel safe to express their thoughts and feelings freely. Grading reflective activities requires clear, measurable objectives to avoid focusing on grammar or format but on the depth of the reflection.
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