Formats for Reflection
Journals
See also Types of Reflective Journals
Journals should not merely be simple inventories of events. They should address situations objectively, subjectively, and analytically. Instructors may provide questions to guide students in addressing issues and should review the journals periodically. It is helpful to offer written comments, questions, and feedback that will encourage, challenge, and essentially provide a dialogue that deepens the students’ thought process.
Directed writings
(which can be part of journals) These demand specific content, focusing on a topic.
Different strategies accomplish different learning objectives. Faculty must identify the learning objective first and then match the most salient reflective strategy to the desired outcome.
Analytic papers
See examples in Assignments
These provide students with an opportunity to describe their service experience; to evaluate the experience and what they learned from it; and to integrate their experiences with course topics. If the papers are assigned at the end of the course students can make use of ideas derived from class discussion, journals, and other reflective activities provided during the course.
Portfolios
Students may be asked to compile materials relevant to the service-learning experience and the course of which it is a part. These materials may include: journals, analytic papers, scripts/notes for class presentations, items created as part of the service, pictures, agency brochures, handbooks, timesheets, service agreement, and training materials. Portfolios provide a focus for reflection on the service experience and its documentation.
Presentations
Students may be asked to make presentations to their classmates (and/or to broader audiences) describing their service-learning experiences, evaluating them and integrating them with the course topics. Artistic expression allows for creativity and individual expression.
Reading responses
See examples in Assignments
Students may be asked to write responses to course readings. Students can be allowed greater or less freedom in how they respond, by posing either general or more focused questions.
Reading selected articles related to the service challenges students to think more deeply about the issues and helps students see their experiences in the broader context of life.
Electronic forum
Students may be asked to contribute to electronic discussion on the service-learning and course topics using email or a listserv. The may respond to either questions posed by the instructor or to points raised by other students.