Reflection for experiential learning

A simple, yet powerful model. Ideal for in-class assignments, short reflection assignments, and for introducing students to reflection in academic contexts. Provides minimal guidance to allow students to explore their reflective process.

Developed by Rolfe et al (2001).

An intermediate model for reflection, D.E.A.L. can help students make their experiential learning process visible and draw explicit connections to course content.

Adapted from Ash & Clayton (2009).

A comprehensive model to encourage deeper introspection. This model asks students to evaluate their affective responses and to create action plans. Well suited for larger reflection assignments after students had the opportunity to practice with simple models like What? So What? Now What?

Developed by Gibbs (1998).

Requires students to write a brief, in-the-moment reflection about an experience. One-minute reflections are most effective immediately after engaging in the experience.  

Helpful tips: 

• Encourage students to "write-to-think" instead of thinking before writing. 
• You can use one-minute reflections to gather feedback from students. 
• These activities are generally not graded and don't include writing guidelines or criteria (e.g. no word-count).
• You can use one-minute papers as prompts for future self-reflection. 

Requires students to practice and record their reflections over a set period of time and with regular frequency (e.g. bi-weekly journal entries over 1 month).

Helpful tips

• Reflective journals are best suited for activities that happen over extended periods of time.
• Students can use any of the reflection models shared above to structure their entries. 
• Short, focus entries (around 250 words) are ideal. 
• Build-in pre-experience and post-experience entries to help students students for the experience and reconcile their learning journeys.
• Can be combined with group projects to encourage reflection on the process of collaboration. 

Reflective essays follow the classic essay structure : introduction, body, and conclusion. These stand-alone reflection activities encourage students to engage in deeper reflections, make clear and explicit connections to course content and practice their writing skills. 

Helpful tips: 

• Use a series of smaller reflection assignments to prepare (i.e. scaffold) students for a reflective essay. 
• Require students to prepare an outline of their final essay and create opportunities for feedback. 
• Encourage students to use any of the 3 models of reflection shared above to create their outline. 
• Focus the assignments reflection question on the experience, rather than course content. 

A learning portfolio is a collection of artifacts, documents, and reflections that demonstrate a student's learning, growth, and achievements over time. These portfolios are used to provide a holistic view of a student's progress and development. 

Important considerations: 

1. Artifacts: Learning portfolios contain a variety of artifacts that showcase a student's work and achievements. These artifacts can include essays, research papers, creative projects, presentations, multimedia creations, and more. Each artifact should be carefully selected to represent a specific aspect of the student's learning journey.

2. Reflections: For each artifact, students provide written reflections that explain the significance of the work, what they have learned, and how it relates to their educational goals. 

3. Organization: Portfolios are typically organized into sections or categories that align with the learning objectives or competencies of the course or program. This organization helps both the student and the assessor understand how the artifacts and reflections connect to the curriculum.

4. Process Orientation: Learning portfolios are process-oriented, meaning they are not static documents. Students continually update and revise their portfolios to reflect ongoing learning and growth. This allows for a dynamic view of the student's progress.

5. Assessment and Evaluation: Learning portfolios are often used for assessment and evaluation purposes. Educators or assessors can review the portfolio to gauge the depth and breadth of the student's learning, the quality of their work, and their ability to engage in reflective practice.

6. Showcasing Development: Over time, learning portfolios provide evidence of a student's development and growth in areas like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and subject-specific knowledge. They allow students to see how far they've come and where they still need to improve.

7. Holistic Assessment: Learning portfolios offer a more holistic view of a student's capabilities compared to traditional exams and assignments. They enable the assessment of skills, knowledge, and personal development in a comprehensive manner.

Use this rubric to assess short reflection papers and basic reflection activities such as individual journal entries and group-work reflections.  

Adapted from RJ Castro Paredes.

Use this rubric to assess reflective essay assignments.