Assessing Reflection
Some student reflections might be ungraded, formative assessment. If used for summative purposes, reflections should be assessed.
DEAL Model
Ash and Clayton (2009) developed the DEAL model for assessing student reflection.
- D is for “description of experiences in an objective and detailed manner.”
- E is for “examination of those experiences in light of specific learning goals or objectives.”
- A is for Articulation of L, learning, “including goals for future action that can then be taken forward into the next experience for improved practice and further refinement of learning.”
Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1(1), 25-48.
Bradley’s Criteria for Assessing Level of Reflection
Another framework for evaluating student reflections comes from Bradley (1995). Click the buttons to view more details on each level.
Reflect
Before you begin creating your own reflection activity, take a moment to reflect on your own learning. Respond to the prompts in your journal or online notebook.
The most important thing I learned was…
It matters because…
I’ll apply this in my course by…
Module Review
In this module, we explored student reflection as an integral part of the learning process. We learned about various strategies, including regular short reflection and journaling, reflective self-assessments, reflection as a summative assessment, scaffolded reflection, group dialogue/reflection circles, portfolios & ePortfolios, reflection on problem/project-based learning, and mind-mapping. We also learned how to design effective student reflection assignments and assess them, and will be able to create a reflective assignment that can be used in future courses. We are now able to:
- State the reasons for using reflection
- Design and facilitate effective student reflections
- Assess students’ reflective work
