Episode 4

Reflection

This episode's aspect of learning to learn involves a skill that can become a lifetime's habit of mind: self-reflection. Intertwined with agency, reflection is the skill that differentiates between having experience and learning from experience. It's quite possible to refuse to learn and change based on experience: it's reflection that leads to action that gives learning traction.

In this episode, we'll compare two "flavors" of the teaching of reflection at the college. As you may recall from Episode 1 of this season, "flavor" is Mary Helen Hendrix's word for the customization of common learning topics we teach at the college yet are taught and practiced in quite different ways depending on the subject.

Matthew Stilwell, Public Speaking Professor in the School of Humanities, will talk about the cadence of reflection in his classes. Cayce Hendrix, Respiratory Therapy Professor and COL Lead for the School of Healthcare, will talk about the value of reflection in the practice of medicine professionally and as a student and will explore how she embeds it in her classes. Both professors also talk about their own reflective practice, which is what lead both of them to their fulfilling and meaningful careers at MTC.

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Multi-Modal Reflection

Both professors in this episode use various modes of reflection to maximize impact and also allow students to find a mode that best fits their practice. Here are a few notes about modes of reflection for you to consider as you adapt reflective practice in your classes.

Reflection in Community

Group reflection can be intensely valuable for the perspective they bring but to be useful it depends upon a strong and constructive classroom community. In order for this mode of reflection to be fruitful, the professor must put the following elements in place: tools for creating and offering useful feedback, tools to accept and evaluate feedback received, and a trustworthy and positive class dynamic.

Reflection in Writing

Writing, often in the form of journaling, is an ancient tool for self-reflection. Usually, the content of the writing and not the writing itself is the focus of any grading. Strong practices around written reflection are degrees of privacy, clear rubrics around any kind of grading, and development of reflective depth over time as it connects to actual changes in practices.

Cayce's Embedded Course Reflections

Casey has adapted COL course reflections into her Respiratory Therapy courses and she uses them often. You can adapt these in your courses if you don't currently use milestone reflection activities.

Midterm Reflection

Here's a midterm reflection to help students focus on their own process and progress in the class and respond to each other's experience.

Periodic Check-in Reflection

Here's a very short reflection that can be used at any point in the course,which also allows students to connect with each other about decisions going forward.

Final Reflection

Here's the final reflection Cayce offers at the end of a course to allow students to summarize for themselves (and her) their experience overall.

Matt's After-Action Reflection Activities

Here are two journaling reflections that Matt uses after two different speeches. You can generalize the structure for your own classes and adapt them for after-action reflection customized to what your own courses.

Journaling Reflection 1

Here's a structured reflection for a speech in one of Matt's 200-level courses.

Journaling Reflection 2

Here's a second reflection for a different kind of speech in the course.

Reflecting as a Professor

Both Matt and Cayce talk about their own reflective practice as professors and also as people making their way through the world. Do you have a deliberate reflective practice in your professional workflow? Do you find yourself reflecting informally? Do you have set checkpoints at which you reflect about how a particular class is going, how a course is going, how your career is going? All of these are valuable and fruitful habits you can develop in your own style and in your own cadence. If you'd like to explore this practice together, contact the CTE for a consultation, or join one of our upcoming workshops.

Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!Kahoot! is a game-based learning platform that brings engagement and fun to 1+ billion players every year at school, at work, and at home.

Kahoot!

Cayce mentions that she uses a tool called Kahoot! to get her students connected with each other and reflecting on their experience in Respiratory Therapy classes. You might explore this tool and see if you can adapt it for use in your class.

Foundational Thinkers on Reflection

Dewey and Schon are two important philosophers to read when moving reflection beyond self-gaze into change agent. Here are some small ways into their thinking; they both offer rich rewards with further study. A CTE workshop using their ideas and methods is forthcoming.

John Dewey

This article by Carol Rodgers grounds itself in John Dewey's philosophy and tenants for fruitful reflection. She builds on Dewey in order to offer clear and structured reflection in education. You may find her summaries of Dewey and her suggestions useful in your teaching.

Donald Schon

Another important person in the tradition of American reflection, building on Dewey, is Donald Schon and his book The Reflective Practitioner. Here is a site that breaks down some of his theories from the book.

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