CAS Reflections
Reflection develops and strengthens lifelong skills for learning and is an essential part of the overall CAS programme. Understanding the purpose and practice of reflection and modelling diverse ways to reflect prepares the self-directed learner to adopt reflection as a choice.
Through reflection, students examine relevance of experience, apply thoughts and ideas garnered to different situations, consider actions of others, remind themselves of what was learned and how it occurred, and consider deliberate ways to improve individual and collective actions.
Reflection is not measured by length or quantity and that the aim is for reflection to be inspired rather than required. Throughout CAS, there are many occasions when students can discover those meaningful moments of inspiration deserving reflection.
The ultimate purpose of reflecting in CAS is not to complete “a reflection”, it is to become reflective by choice and as a lifelong process.
Questions to Ask During Reflection
These are the four important elements of the reflection process as referenced in the CAS guide:
Students can use words or images for their response.
What happened? Students retell memorable moments, identify what was important or influential, what went well or was difficult, obstacles and successes.
How do I feel? Students articulate emotional responses to their experiences.
Ideas? Notation of any generative possibilities.
Questions? What can be discovered about people, processes or issues?
Reflection builds skills and abilities as students:
Are observant
Identify similarities and differences
Learn from mistakes
Distinguish between cognitive and affective
Discern what has value
Maintain integrity in thought and action
Extend ideas
Effectively solve problems
Clarify misunderstandings
Value the reflection process
Transfer ideas to new settings and situations
Incorporate change as a constructive process to learning and to life.
Reflection IS:
honest
varied
done in many different ways
sometimes boring
difficult
sometimes creative
building self-awareness
necessary for learning
surprising
sometimes really fun
helpful for planning
done alone or with others
about thoughts, feelings and ideas
Reflection IS NOT:
only led by teachers
forced
right or wrong
good or bad
to be graded
difficult
copying what someone else said
predictable
to be judged by others
done to please someone else
a waste of time
only written
only discussion