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Open Drive DocumentLike metacognition, reflection is a thinking skill that plays a particularly essential role in learning. The value of structured reflection activities in education is widely recognized, and elements are commonly incorporated into learning programmes in various forms. These activities may be written (for example, reflective essays, reading logs, case studies), oral (for example, presentations, video diaries, discussion) or artistic/creative (for example, photos or other images capturing scenes that can then be used to promote discussion). They may also encompass elements of more than one form (for example, student portfolios). Online tools such as blogs (reflective journals), wikis (collaborative web pages), digital stories and podcasts, interactive micro-blogging and social networking also offer great opportunities for reflective activities.
It is crucial that reflective activities are meaningful for students, and do not become mechanistic and formulaic. Effective reflective activities should challenge students to think more deeply, and students need to be explicitly aware of the role of the activities. This does not necessarily mean introducing students to specific theories/models of reflection, although this can be helpful, but it does mean ensuring that sufficient time is allocated to appropriately designed reflective activities at all stages of learning—before, during and after. Another helpful approach can be to distinguish between different types of reflection. For example, the three elements of the DP core all have a slightly different emphasis in relation to reflection: in TOK, the prime emphasis is on cognitive reflection; in the extended essay, the emphasis is on reflection on process; and in creativity, activity, service (CAS), there is a more affective emphasis to the reflection.
From Approaches to teaching and learning in the Diploma Programme
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