REFLECTION

THE VALUE OF REFLECTION

Being reflective is one attribute of the IB learner profile: “We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.”

Reflection is central to building a deep and rich experience in CAS. Developing a culture of reflection helps students recognize and understand how to be reflective as well as deciding the best methods and appropriate timing. Student learning is enhanced by reflection on choices and actions. This enables students to grow in their ability to explore skills, strengths, limitations and areas for further development. Through reflection students examine ideas and consider how they might use prior learning in new contexts. Reflection leads to improved problem-solving, higher cognitive processes and greater depth of understanding in addition to exploring how CAS experiences may influence future possibilities.

The thinking skills category of the approaches to learning in the Diploma Programme highlights the need to explicitly teach students to reflect in different situations. For reflection in CAS to be meaningful, schools must plan how to engage students in reflection as a learned process. The development of reflective skills is best when explicitly taught across the curriculum, leading students to reflect independently as a valued process.

REFLECTION PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO:

• deepen learning

• consider relevance of experience

• explore personal and group values

• recognize the application of knowledge, skills, and attributes

• identify strengths and areas for development

• gain a greater understanding of self and others

• place experience in a larger context

• generate relevant ideas and questions

• consider improvements in individual and collective choices and actions

• transfer prior learning to new situations

• generate and receive constructive feedback

• develop the ongoing habit of thoughtful, reflective practice.

CAS Guide, p. 26