THE ROLE OF REFLECTION IN LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The research reported here covers the following items: 1. The development of the Reflective Learning Framework (RLF). This framework was developed based on a grounded theoretical approach combined with an exploration of existing student reflections; then-current literature; and years of multiple iterations through real-world trials. This framework has now successfully been used by many educators in courses at McMaster and other institutions of higher education. 2. An investigation of students’ responses to the RLF. Following the development of the RLF, third-year students who had used the RLF to guide, assess, and evaluate their course reflections were surveyed and interviewed about their perceptions of using the RLF. Results of this study demonstrate that students see reflection as a tool to develop and use cognitive and metacognitive skills, and also as a tool to support knowledge retention and transfer. Furthermore, findings suggest how reflection, as studied, contributes to the acquisition of higher-order thinking skills required to address the complex challenges of improving sustainability. 3. Determining the effectiveness of the RLF. Finally, to determine the effectiveness of the RLF to support students in applying and demonstrating their higher-order thinking skills, a comparison of two sets of reflections was performed – one that used the RLF and one that did not. The comparison was based on tests of interrater reliability and a comparison of means was conducted. The results of this study demonstrate the reliability of the Framework to be used by multiple raters and that significantly different reflection outputs were obtained from students who used the RLF compared to those who did not. The results of these studies demonstrate the overall effectiveness of the RLF as a tool to guide, assess, and evaluate reflection through experiential education in university courses.