Assessing the different kinds of learning

4. Reflection and journaling

Experiential learning is a powerful approach that leads to transformation. But what and how do you assess the learning that comes from experience?

The role of the instructor in experiential learning is to set-up the disciplinary encounter/experience, facilitate reflection, and then get students to construct new learning. Instructors also need to track this process by getting students to articulate the transformation. Journaling or writing learning logs are a great way to do this.  

But what exactly do you evaluate? Possibilities include:

• Quality of description of experience - this keeps students accountable to participate. It also develops the 'art of noticing'.
• Quality of reflection on the experience - what connections are made between experience and course concepts (are they accurate, insightful, and nuanced)?
• Amount of learning that has taken place - articulation of new thinking and growth; identification of learning gaps; application of this learning into life.
• Skills of Journal Writing - writing, drawing, communicating, representing
• Completion - done or not done

When designing a journal assignment, you'll need to give students plenty of support or scaffolds. These are not "Dear Diary" free writes! The following things are useful to provide in your instructions to students:

• Why are you having them write a journal? How will it help them?
• How often students should use them. Don't assume that everyone is naturally inclined and motivated to jot down their thinking after an experience. 
• Question prompts.
• Approximate word counts
• How they should be formatted and presented
• How a student can access feedback
• Scoring guide 

Many articles that have been written about assessing reflection and I curated a few here: Articles