Methods+of+reflection+about+service+learning+experiences

**Methods of reflection about service learning experiences:** **Guided vs. free, public vs. private, and dialogic vs. expressive** Amanda Sturgill, Associate Professor, Elon University [asturgill@elon.edu] Phillip Motley, Assistant Professor, Elon University [pmotley@elon.edu]

** Keywords ** : Reflection, service-learning, comparative analysis, student learning

** Track ** : Program evaluation and assessment

** Format ** : Research paper


 * Date & Time: **Thursday 9:30-10:40
 * Location: **Wilson

** Summary ** : There are many different models for reflection, including verbal, written (Maher, 2003), reflection with or without community partners and others. This paper considers some of the effects of mode of reflection on student learning. Using comparative analysis, authors identified differences in student outcomes between reflection modes used in four sections of a graduate international service-learning course in interactive media. The paper investigates modes reflection across three axes: Is public reflection different from private? Is guided reflection different from free? Is dialogic reflection different from expressive?

With regard to guided reflection versus free reflection, students are led to think about specific desired outcomes for their learning through pre-constructed prompts. In a free response, the instructor does not guide the choice of topics, and students make their own meaning from the experience. The study found that within free response reflection, some students and instructors took advantage of unforeseen learning opportunities.

To explore public vs. private reflection, the study examined a blog accessible to the Internet versus a journal kept private between student and instructor. Topic choice and level of positivity was higher in the public reflection.

The final mode explored was dialogic versus expressive reflection. The reflections varied in the level of interaction between instructors and students from none to daily. In an expressive exercise, students made their own meanings, which was profound because these meanings were made in the context of the students’ understandings of their world. In a dialogic model, instructors dealt with issues as they occurred and suggested interpretations from the perspective of a person with more experience.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">** References ** : <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Connors, K., and S.D. Seifer. (2005). //Reflection in Higher Education Service Learning//. Scotts Valley CA: National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, 2005.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Maher, M. (2003). Individual Beliefs and Cultural Immersion in Service-Learning: Examination of a Reflection Process. //Journal of Experiential Education//, 26(2), 88-96.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Moon, J. (1999) //Reflection in Learning and Professional Development//. London: Stylus Publishing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">Soukup, P. (2006). Service-Learning in Communication: Why? In Droge, D., & Murphy, B. O. (Eds.). (2006). //Voices of strong democracy: Concepts and models for service-learning in communication studies//. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

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