Reflection 101
Reflection is one of the most important tools necessary to ensuring a successful service-learning experience. It is the means through which someone can make sense of what they are seeing and doing and learn from it.
Reflection helps students ask the basic questions of:
- What?
- So what?
- Now what?
Reflection is continuous, connected, challenging & contextualized…
Without a commitment to deliberate and guided reflection, students may not learn from their experiences, in fact they might even reinforce existing
prejudices.
Suggestions to Integrate Academic Service Learning into a Course…
- Allocate some class time throughout the semester to allow students to voice their experiences and hear those of others, even if it is only a few minutes per week.
- Connect reflection activities directly to course objectives/content by asking students to consider the outcomes and experiences of their service project in this context.
- Challenge students to come up with possible solutions to the problems they encounter or notice.
- Ask students to consider the subject of the course in terms of the “real-world” application; how does this relate to the service-project?
Note that without structured reflection, students may fail to make the connection between the course content and its relationship to the
service work.
Reflection Understanding Informed Action…
Faculty members utilize a variety of methods and tools to conduct reflection. Whatever forms of reflection are chosen, it is important to start
early in the semester to assure that students understand the process and its connection to the service-learning experience.
Methods of Reflection:
Personal Journals
Small-Group Discussions
Problem Solving Groups
Group Ethnographies or Case Studies
Reflective Essays
Artistic Projects
Whole Class Discussions
Electronic Discussion Groups (i.e. Blackboard)
Products Created for Organizations
Small-Group Discussions
Problem Solving Groups
Group Ethnographies or Case Studies
Reflective Essays
Artistic Projects
Whole Class Discussions
Electronic Discussion Groups (i.e. Blackboard)
Products Created for Organizations
Portfolios
Multimedia Class Presentations
Problem-Solving Papers
Theory Application Papers
Case Studies Papers
Agency Analysis Papers
Presentations to Community Organizations
Student Assistants as Reflection Leaders
Multimedia Class Presentations
Problem-Solving Papers
Theory Application Papers
Case Studies Papers
Agency Analysis Papers
Presentations to Community Organizations
Student Assistants as Reflection Leaders