Course Handbook

The value of reflection in teaching and learning is well-documented; reflective practice in higher education can take place during teaching activities or afterwards (what Donald Schon, author of The Reflective Practitioner called "reflection-on-action").

We ask that you take time each week to gather your thoughts, think about what you are trying to achieve, recall what you observed and experienced, and record these thoughts in some concrete way in a personal learning journal.

Your personal learning journals can be in any format that works (e.g., paper-based, handwritten, types or drawn - or digitally recorded, typed, drawn, recorded). Just try to record regularly so you don't lose details as the weeks fly by.

Sharing parts of your journal, significant learning moments or new ideas or questions generated by your thinking about your learning, with others, can broaden the scope of your reflective practice. We ask that you contribute some reflections each week to the Weekly Reflections forum.

Reflective prompts

We have found that many participants enjoyed reflecting with some form of guidance or inspiring questions. So, near the beginning of each week, we'll pose a "thinking" question to ponder during the week. At the end of the week we'll prompt you to share your response to that question and to add any other "nuggets" of learning you think others might enjoy.

References:

Smith, M.K. (2011). Donald Schon: learning, reflection and change, The encyclopedia of informal education, retrieved Dec. 10, 2016 from http://infed.org/mobi/donald-schon-learning-reflection-change/