Active Reflection Strategies

Active reflection refers to the process by which a learner examines their own thinking by recollecting what they have learned, thinking deeply about the knowledge gained, and then considering how that knowledge may be applied to other situations or be used to influence future behavior. (Katambur, 2018; Wilkes 2021).

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 What Challenges Might You Face With Reflection in Your Digital Learning Course?

Reflection is a crucial element in the learning process promoting a learner's ability to build on existing knowledge, gauge areas for improvement, and make better decisions. Effective reflection in digital learning should be active, intentional, and purposeful. however, facilitating reflective learning may not be easy to accomplish in digital learning spaces as it requires instructors to engage in a reflective relationship with students through intentional reflective dialogue (Brockbank & McGill, 1998; Secules, 1999).

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Strategies to Promote Active Reflection in Online Courses

• Reflective Writing (Journals/Blogs): This is perhaps one of the most common reflective methods/strategies. Reflective writing can serve many purposes including encouraging students to recollect their past, current, and future learning. Instructors may facilitate reflecting writing by providing journaling prompts. 
  • Minute Paper Reflections
  • Use Word Clouds for Reflection and Synthesis
  • Incorporate Blogs for Reflection
  • Assign six word memoirs for reflection and synthesis
• Thought-Provoking Questions: Asking thought-provoking questions encourages students to reflect upon specific concepts and critically analyze how to respond, and how their response may be shaped by their past experiences. Thought-provoking questions can be combined with reflective journaling and blogging.
  • Using "hook" prompts to encourage reflection and discussion in synchronous sessions
• Self-Assessments: Self-assessments can provide an opportunity for learners to reflect on the information they are learning, identify learning gaps and take steps to remedy them. Self-assessments are most powerful when accompanied by some form of feedback. 
  • Using low-stakes quizzes to encourage mastery
  • Convert Course Materials into an Instructional Simulation using Gaming Elements
  • Modeling Spaced Repetition in Course Design
  • Canvas settings allow multiple attempts, students to see their quiz responses and the correct answers. Links to an external site.
  • Use Self-Evaluation and Instructor Feedback in Group Discussions to Enhance Participation in Large-Enrollment Courses
• Portfolios: Portfolios provide a unique opportunity for students to compile work that has been created over a period of time. This then allows them to be able to go back and reflect on the work they have done, and visually see a representation of the progress they have made. 
  • Using a learning portfolio for a STEM laboratory
• Other
  • • Using non-linguistic representations to foster reflections
    • Disrupt the one-way street of feedback to encourage reflective practice

Watch the video below to learn about how Assistant Professor and Dziuban Award Winner Matt Dombrowski integrates reflection into his online courses.

Tips for Faculty, from Faculty (Time 1:06 mins) by UCF Digital Learning

Note: Most of the strategies and resources provided on this page can be found in Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository (TOPR) an open resource for faculty and instructional designers that houses a collection of strategies drawn from the pedagogical practice of online teaching faculty that is aligned with findings from research or professional practice literature.