In Using Reflection and Metacognition to Improve Student Learning (ed. Kaplan, Silver, Lavaque-Manty & Meizlish, 2013), reflection is defined as "conscious exploration of one's own experiences." Reflective Practice involves reflecting and debriefing on an experience as part of the learning experience. Instruction or experience alone may not lead to true learning; reflective practice is an essential ingredient to deep understanding and increases the probability of application and transfer of learning.

What is "SKAP"

• S – Skills – may include a set of procedures to perform specific tasks, life skills, social skills, study and organizational skills
• K – Knowledge – ontent knowledge, comprehension/understanding of new information/concepts
• A – Attitudes/Beliefs – a way of thinking or feeling, more difficult to measure or observe
• P – Practice/Professional Dispositions – observable behaviors, set of valued behaviors aligned to specific profession/discipline

Why use Reflective Practice?

• Links theory to practice
• Makes learning authentic, meaningful and relevant
• Personalizes learning
• Engages and empowers students in their own learning

Here are some basic "Reflective Practice" prompts:

• How has this assignment/activity/article/video/class/course
  
  • Impacted your skills
  • Impacted your knowledge
  • Impacted your attitudes/beliefs
  • Impacted your practice/professional dispositions
• Give an example of how this assignment/article/video/class/course activity has
  
  • Impacted your skills
  • Impacted your knowledge
  • Impacted your attitudes/beliefs
  • Impacted your practice/professional dispositions
• After experiencing this assignment/activity/article/video/class/course, how has it changed your
  
  • Skills
  • Knowledge
  • Attitudes/beliefs
  • Practice/professional dispositions

How and when you can apply "reflective practice" in your courses:

• One Minute papers – at the end of a class or a unit, have the students write a "one-minute reflective paper" and turn it in as they leave class
• Journaling – have students keep a journal throughout the semester with their reflections. Ask them to respond to different prompts as the semester progresses
• VoiceThread/Discussion Boards – have students engage in online discussion boards, addressing and responding to others
• Reflection component in assignments/essays/projects – at the end of assignments/essays/projects (with grading criteria included), have students reflect on the experience
• End of Semester Class Forums – discussion group during last session
• Mid-Semester and Final Course Evaluation – include open-ended questions
• Exit Interviews – at the end of the program, have students reflect on their experiences
• Program Portfolios – include a reflective component

Resources

• Kaplan, Silver, Lavaque-Manty & Meizlish, (editors). (2013) Using Reflection and Metacognition to Improve Student Learning. Sterling Virginia: Stylus

To follow up on any of these ideas, please contact me at fglazer@nyit.edu. This Weekly Teaching Note was adapted from a contribution to the Teaching and Learning Writing Consortium hosted at Western Kentucky University and organized by Seneca College and New York Institute of Technology.

Contributor:
Judith Ableser, Ph.D., Director (CETL)
Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
Oakland University
Rochester, MI
ableser@oakland.edu