Reflection for learning

I continue to share brief lessons from the modules in Contemporary Approaches to University Teaching, a free massive open online course (MOOC) designed for new teachers, those who wish to enhance student learning or teaching practice and emerging leaders in higher education.

You can enrol now.

Reflection for learning is Module 8. It is the final module in the ‘New to teaching’ pathway through the course.

Developed by the Reflection for Learning Circle — Marina Harvey, Kate Lloyd, Anne-Louise Semple, Greg Walkerden, Kath McLachlan and Agnes Bosanquet (Macquarie University) — the module offers opportunities to explore different reflective activities and consider how you can apply them to your own learning and teaching context.

Reflective practice is valuable for both students and teachers

The practice of reflection offers a way for you to make the most of your teaching and learning activities. Reflecting on the many new experiences, challenges, and opportunities of teaching will improve your ability to respond effectively to situations and incidents, and for students to meet the intended academic learning outcomes, and develop graduate attributes that will serve them throughout life. Reflection is useful for making sense of the sometimes competing expectations of the lecturer or tutor, the university, peers, and others involved in your teaching activity. Reflection may provide a quiet time to step back from the pressures of study, work, and life to sort and process and learn from the experience or activity and your thoughts and feelings.

Reflective practice supports outcomes for academic learning, lifelong learning and skills development (Harvey et al., 2010).

Take the time to practise two of the many reflection activities from the module:

Need help developing your knowledge, skills and capabilities to follow this advice?

Enrol in Contemporary Approaches to University Teaching! The MOOC is free, self-paced and open to all. You can choose to complete just one module, a whole pathway (eg New to Teaching which is 8 modules) or more. Each module takes approximately 2 hours.

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Resources

• Over a cuppa: Prompts to reflect on learning and teaching (series of posts on TECHE)
• Reflection for learning – The basics
• A new way to hand-le reflection
• Resources for Reflection and feedback on practice (from the Teaching Development Resources site)

Previous posts in this MOOC series:

1. Teaching your first class
2. Planning for learning
3. Teaching today’s diverse learners
4. Technology enhanced learning (TEL) and online learning
5. Feedback for learning
6. Learning Theories
7. Sessional staff and their professional development

Banner image: : Stop and Think by mikmikko is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Reflective practice graphic – from Reflection for Learning Circle (Harvey, et al. 2010, p. 144).