Patterns of Reflection: Creating a Classroom Strategy

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Patterns of Reflection Creating a Classroom
Strategy

• Lynn Dominguez, Ph.D.
• Jim McDonald, Ph.D.
• Tom Kromer, Ph.D.
• Central Michigan University

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The Power of Student Reflections

• My learning did not stop with just learning
  about the action at hand, my learning went a lot
  deeper. I learned more computer skills, how to
  communicate with a large group, how to ask people
  to fill out a survey, and how to become more
  organized. People think that sometimes the time
  to take action is when something big happens, I
  disagree now. I think we need to do simple
  things everyday, like recycling and carpooling
  when possible, to help in saving the environment
  and our natural resources. I plan on becoming a
  registered voter, so that I can vote on issues
  that come up (reflections from a student working
  on a project concerning the Clean Air Act and the
  Clear Skies Initiative).

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The Reflection Process

• Most effective as a structured, guided, and
  purposeful activity.
• Used to
• examine critical issues
• connect the service-learning experience to
  coursework and
• assist students in finding personal meaning in
  their learning experience.

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Reflection Outcomes

• Learning vs. getting the job done.
• Make connections between actions and results.
• Translate experience into knowledge.

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Creating Your Own Reflection Pattern

• Individually
• Identify an area of your curriculum to which you
  would like to add a Service-learning project.
  OR
• Identify a S-L project you are already doing that
  needs a reflection component.
• Write your project down.

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Planning for Reflection as Assessment

• Prior planning is required.
• Select method(s) of reflection.
• Identify timetable to collect and engage in
  reflection.
• Identify project outcomes to be measured with
  reflective activity.

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Two Critical Elements

• Will the reflective outcomes be graded?
• Decide on the amount and type of structure or
  guidance for each reflective assignment.

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Creating Your Own Reflection Pattern

• For the project you identified earlier, you now
  need to make a preliminary decision
• To grade OR
• Not to grade

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Objective vs. subjective outcomes

• Students look within themselves to discover what
  they have learned.
• Reflective products tend to be subjective.
• Students have emotional and very personal
  connections to the outcome!

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How to Assess Reflection

• Participating in the Action Team Project has
  truly changed my life. It restored a sense of
  hope that had been slowly deteriorating prior to
  this class. For the past two years I have been
  working towards implementing a more extensive
  recycling program on campus. Faced with many
  obstacles and little support, it has at times
  been a very frustrating situation. Working in
  this group has also restored my passion for this
  issue, which over time, has been filled with
  disappointment. I am truly grateful to have had
  this experience as it has proven that when caring
  people commit to making a difference, social
  change beings to occur (reflection from a student
  working on a project to add non-carbonated
  beverage containers to the Michigan Bottle
  Bill).

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Creating Your Own Reflection Pattern

• What grading philosophy would you create for the
  previous reflection product?
• Why?
• Is it ever OK not to grade?

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How to Assess Reflection

• Remember
• Students may share feelings and thoughts that
  leave them vulnerable to criticism.
• Reflection also informs the teacher on the
  learning that has occurred.
• Challenge to grade or not to grade!

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Questions to Ask Yourself

• Do you want your students to
• Connect their experience with classroom content
  and studies?
• Integrate their experience with other areas of
  their life?
• Develop a sense of community in the class?
• Clarify misunderstandings, perceptions, biases?
• Improve observation and analytical skills?
• Develop an appreciation of others and the
  community?
• Deepen their knowledge and understanding of
  community and social issues?
• From Kaye, C.B.(2004). The complete guide to
  service learning.

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Common Reflection Methods

• Common Methods
• Guided reflection papers
• Journals structured and unstructured
• Discussions
• Reports

• Less Common Methods
• Skits
• Debates
• Songs
• Stories
• Photographs
• Others????

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Examples of Real-life Reflection Products
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When Reflection Occurs
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Creating Your Own Reflection Pattern

• KISS principle
• Identify one (possibly two) periods during your
  project to do reflection.
• Pick a reflection method to match with the
  period(s) you selected.

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Focus on Assessment

• Student Learning content and skill objectives
  cognitive and affective growth?
• Impact of the Service identify need and purpose
  of project what contribution was made what did
  the students accomplish were planned activities
  completed?
• The Process effective project planning areas
  for improvement can greater community
  partnerships be formed?

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Creating Your Own Reflection Pattern

• You have done this
• Selected a subject area you would like to add a
  service-learning project to.
• Or identified the type of project you would like
  to do.
• Selected a project period(s) and reflection
  method(s) you want to use.
• Decided whether to grade or not.

• Now you need to
• Form a sharing group.
• Briefly share your project, reflection method,
  time period, and grading philosophy.
• Report Out!
• Complete the Four-Square Reflection Tool

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A Final Reflection!
I have learned a lot from this action team
project. I never knew all this controversial
stuff was happening in the arctic area. I have
never been really up to date with all the news
and environmental controversies. I have always
been one that has just sat back and only worried
about what was right in front of me, I learned
however that it is important, and that I need
to take action if I want others too. I believe
my life has changed due to this project. I now
actively engage in discussions about politics and
environmental issues (reflections from a student
working on a project about proposed drilling in
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge).