Developing reflection
Moving on from the “What …?” questions outlined earlier, experiential learners might consider, where appropriate, for themselves and others, and for each stage of an activity (before, during and after):
ü how they felt
ü what they perceived
ü what they thought about the activity
ü what the activity meant to them
ü what the value of the activity was
ü what they learned from the activity and how this learning (for example, a change of perspective) might apply more widely.
For some students and some kinds of reflection (such as private, individual, subjective), writing is the best tool for reflection. However, for many, reflective writing does not come naturally. It can, to some extent, be “modelled” in oral discussion of more public, less sensitive matters, either as an end in itself or as a prelude to writing.
But writing is by no means the only possible outcome of reflection. Students can present their activities orally to peers, parents or outsiders. They can make scrapbooks, photo essays, videos/DVDs or weblogs. They can use journals or make up varied portfolios. Or they may sometimes simply reflect privately: some of the most important lessons may be very personal ones that students should be allowed to keep to themselves.
