This semester you will be on a journey that will lead you to learning a great deal about yourself, your peers, higher education expectations, and self responsibility. You will also learn valuable lessons from failure and success, and from trying new ideas and strategies, including the importance of emotional intelligence, interdependence, stress reduction, health and wellness, and mindset. In all, you will lay a powerful foundation for the rest of your college experience and for your life!
Instead of a final exam, you will be writing a reflective paper on your first semester of college and analyzing your strengths and challenges in order to become a stronger student. You also will be brainstorming what tools you want in your toolbox to help you stay on track for your goals during the rest of your college career. During our final exam period, students will be asked to share parts of their paper with the class.
Option 1: Reflection Paper
You will write me a paper to answer the questions below. This is not a question and answer paper- you need to connect things together to make a flowing paper.
I will take points off for major spelling and grammar errors (things that are underlined by Microsoft, capital letters, periods, etc.). Think about this as if you were submitting it to get into college or get a scholarship, I want your best effort in your writing.
You must answer the questions (not answering questions will result in half credit).
Paper must be in Arial font, size 12, and at least one page single spaced. You can write as many pages as you need, but one is the minimum.
Just put a title on the top of the paper that says “First Name Last Name Final Reflection Paper”. No other heading information is needed.
You can also save the paper by the same name. Save and upload as a PDF.
Option 2: Reflection Video
You will create a slideshow answering all of the questions outlined below. You are making it personal, not just doing questions and answers.
I will take points off for major spelling and grammar errors (things that are underlined by Microsoft, capital letters, periods, etc.). Think about this as if you were submitting it to get into college or get a scholarship, I want your best effort in your writing.
Then you will record yourself going over the power point (recorded using Screen Pal).
You can just do key points on the slides and talk more in depth about them when you record, but you must answer the questions (not answering questions will result in half credit).
Video must be at least 5 minutes long (can be longer) and you can either send me the quick share link or download the video as an MP4 and submit it.
During our final exam period, we will have a shared meal and students will be asked to share parts of their paper/video with the class.
Requirements:
Part 1: Who I Am Today
Describe the life events and people (to your comfort level) that have shaped you into the person you are today.
In this section make sure you also include your answers to the following questions:
Remind yourself-What is your why? Why did you choose to come to college?
What motivates you to be successful in college?
1+ things that you are proud of accomplishing this semester (big or little)
1+ things that makes you strong
1+ unique gifts you bring to the world, (a strength, a talent, an awareness, etc.).
Part 2: Who I Am Growing Into (As a College Student & Beyond)
Describe the college student you want to be and the experiences you want to have while in college. (click here to write a strong goal statement)
Set one short term that will happen by the end of Spring 2024
Set one long term goal that will happen by graduation
Please pick at least 2 things we discussed in class (see course overview and on course textbook for refresher) and discuss how they have helped you lay a strong foundation or how you plan to incorporate them in the future based on experiences this semester. I want specific and personal examples connecting to the material.
You talked about strengths above, any additional strengths you want to add when thinking about college?
Pick at least one area of growth and one solution on how you can grow in that area.
Part 3: My College Experience & Who I Want To Be
Conclude by using the technique of visualization (as discussed numerous times in the textbook). Take a second and envision graduation day and describe to me how it will feel to graduate and tell me who you want to be (as a person and as a professional) when you finish your college career and walk across the stage.
Specifically- what experiences do you want to have when you step into post-college life (job, dream graduate program, traveling, starting a family, etc.)
Part 4: Staying On Course
So you identified your strengths, areas of growth, some tools, etc. Now I want you to tell me how you plan to know if you are on or off course in being successful in college and what you will do to get back on course to be able to live out the experience you described in Part 3.
Part 5: Your Grade
Like discussed in the ungrading model, you will be sharing with me what grade you feel you have earned this semester. In this section, let me know what grade you feel you have earned and explain your rationale for that grade. Please visit the ungrading page for a reminder and some guidelines on what I was looking for at each grade level. Honestly will be considered when giving final grades.
AI Use is optional on this assignment. If you plan to utilize it, please read my guidelines for this specific assignment below!
Appropriate Use- Remember, if you use AI, you must write in the submission box what platform you used and how you used it:
This is a reflective response is on an experience unique to you, therefore AI can only be utilized for spelling, grammar, and paragraph structure support.
You are free to use spell check, grammar check, and synonym identification tools (e.g., Grammarly, and MS Word).
You are free to use app recommendations when it comes to rephrasing sentences or reorganizing paragraphs you have drafted yourself.
You are free to use app recommendations when it comes to tweaking outlines you have drafted yourself.
Inappropriate Use-
Having AI do all or the majority of the assignment for you.
Not letting me know how you utilized AI during your process.
You will not earn a grade in the course if you do not include part 5!
Paper is written in MLA format or a video is submitted.
It is one page, single spaced or the video is at least 5 minutes long.
Students do not just answer the questions in a question and answer format- they write or share in paragraph form.
All parts are included
Reflection is thoughtful and detailed
Student wrote or spoke in complete sentences.
3 or less of the following are not done:
Student turned the assignment in late
Paper is written in MLA format or a video is submitted.
It is one page, single spaced or the video is at least 5 minutes long.
Students do not just answer the questions in a question and answer format- they write or share in paragraph form.
Only 3 of the 5 parts are included
Reflection is thoughtful and detailed
Student wrote or spoke in complete sentences.
No assignment was submitted or
4 or more of the following are not done:
Student turned the assignment in late
Paper is written in MLA format or a video is submitted.
It is one page, single spaced or the video is at least 5 minutes long.
Students do not just answer the questions in a question and answer format- they write or share in paragraph form.
Only 2 or less of the 5 parts are included
Reflection is thoughtful and detailed
Student wrote or spoke in complete sentences.