Considerations for Reflections

 

Introduction

This page provides resources for consideration when requiring reflections. 

• Reflections should allow a space for students to critically reflect on their learning
• Reflections are subjective and should be graded on what you can easily observe
  • Is it on topic
  • Is the writing clear and cohesive
  • Does it have good writing mechanics
  • Is it of the required length
  • etc. 
• Reflection prompts help guide students in their reflections
  • What is the most valuable thing you learned?
  • How did you learn it?
  • How will you apply it going forward?
  • If you could begin again, what would you do differently? 

Creating an Ongoing Lab or Journal

In a course where students are keeping a lab notebook or learning journal requiring weekly entries, you can set up an ongoing discussion (due at the end of the semester) with discussion groups of 1 student per group. This way, the instructor can comment on weekly entries and ask/answer questions to guide student learning, and the student can track their own progress without getting bogged down in their peers' entries.

The accountability piece comes with a weekly quiz in which students indicate whether they completed their entry. 

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