Reflection
Reflection is a process of conscious, critical, and deep thinking about experiences, feelings, actions, and thoughts. The combination of observation and reflection in the learning process helps students understand in depth what they have learned, build new knowledge, and develop critical thinking.
Reflection can be held individually as well as in a group:
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In the personal sphere – the student thinks, writes or records for themselves, at their own pace and privately.
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In a collaborative space – students are exposed to different ideas and perspectives, and learn from the challenges and successes of others.
Moodle has a variety of tools that can support both individual and group thinking and reflection – writing, recording audio, or taking videos.
The lecturer can be involved in the process by evaluating and promoting the building of the student's knowledge individually, and as a group, in the course.
Choosing the appropriate tool for reflection depends on the pedagogical goals, the degree of exposure of the reflection content (personal or collaborative), and the nature of the course and the learners.
Some questions to consider when choosing the right reflection tool:
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Is the reflection private to the student or open to discussion?
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Should I add feedback to the reflection?
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If yes - personal feedback from the lecturer, or a dialogue between colleagues?
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What is the nature of the content – textual, visual or video?
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How often do you use the tool – one-time, weekly or continuous?
The following table shows the possible functions of various tools, which can be used choose the most suitable tool for the activity:
The following are examples of reflection activities, including online tutorials for adding each component to the Moodle course site.
Click on each example to enlarge the image and see the link to the tutorial:
