Assessing Reflection

Barbara Glesner Fines

2014

Reflective practice is a habit of master learners. Those who do not critique their own
performances regularly, evaluating and re-evaluating how their daily actions are shaped by their
values, preferences, and perspectives will never be aware of their own strengths (so as to
capitalize on these), weaknesses (so as to improve), or passions (so as to sustain themselves).
Reflection gives meaning to experience; it turns experience into practice, links past and present
experiences, and prepares the individual for future practice. It is the “hallmark of professional
behavior.” 1 Teachers, then, should strive to inculcate in their students the habits of reflective
practice. Reflective practice is especially important in helping students to learn from experience
and so can be found regularly in courses with service learning or clinical components. Reflective
practice is an essential feature of the formation of professional identity.

Reflection as a tool for self-assessment is an integral part of the learning process. It is the
process of critically reviewing the quality of one’s performance in an activity. Reflection can
also serve as a tool for learning from observation, when a student places themselves in the shoes
of the person he or she is observing and asks, “Why did he do that?” or “How would I do this the
same or differently?”

How can educators assess and improve their students’ skills of reflection and self-assessment?

First, we can provide significant learning experiences: readings, observations, and experiences
that are engaging, relevant, and challenge the students. As our clinical colleagues have taught
us, personal written reflection can be very effective if the students are reflecting on genuine
experience and observations, rather than reflection that is merely an academic exercise. (I know
my reflection assignment is not very effective when students as “Do you want us to use
footnotes?”). Expecting students to learn from reflection if the underlying experience is rote or
routine or thin is like adding yeast to sand and expecting that one can make bread. It will simply
fall flat.

Second, we can lead students to their reflection. Many students may be unfamiliar with
reflection, confusing “reflection” with “reporting” and missing the critical step of self assessment
that is at the core of reflection. Where students are asked to reflect in writing, their focus may be
simply on the writing, rather than the content. For students to improve their reflective abilities,

1
Margaret M. Plack, Maryanne Driscoll, et. al., A Method for Assessing Reflective Journal Writing, 34:4 J. ALLIED
HEALTH 199, 200 (2005)(quoting Shepard KF, Jensen GM (eds): Handbook of Teaching for Physical
Therapists. Boston, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1997).
they must know what this skills requires and the reasons for engaging in the practice. Prompts
can be very important tools to use in guiding student reflection. Prompts can:

• ask students to describe their experience/action;

• evaluate their actions (or the actions of others) against agreed-upon standards
• compare their choices (or the choices of those they are observing) to alternatives
approaches
• identify the motivations, values, or assumptions that drove their own action or the action
of others;
• place their choices in context of some larger theory or pattern;
• conceive how their judgment in the future might be affected by this experience and
reflection.

Third, we can engage students in the product of their reflection. That engagement can be
through oral discussion and dialogue, but there are many reasons to consider asking students to
reflect in writing. The formality of written reflections can encourage students to spend more
time and be more precise in articulating their reflections. Written reflections produce artifacts of
the student’s learning that both student and teacher can revisit at a later time to look for signs of
growth. If we wanted to see patterns in students’ abilities to get some depth on certain topics or
develop greater facility in particular reflection skills, we will need to provide numerous
opportunities for reflection on similar experiences or in similar formats.

Faculty assessment of the products of student reflection presents a number of challenges. In

order to use written reflections as tools for measurable assessment, faculty must decide what the
criteria are by which they will assess reflection and the levels of mastery of that skill.
Developing a rubric to assess reflection can help crystalize these agreements.

One of the most common concerns in assessment of reflection is the fact that the product of the
reflection is not something one can predict or which might be measured against some objective
standard. However, if it is the skill of reflection that is the outcome being targeted, the
assessment should focus on that skill, rather than the conclusions drawn from its application.
With explicit criteria for evidence of a reflective process, reflections from very different
experiences with very different conclusions can be compared and evaluated.

A second concern is whether assessment will be used as a basis for the course grade. Some
research indicates that students will be cautious and guarded when they know they will be judged
on their reflections; while other research indicates that graded reflections can provide important
incentives for attention to the task. 2 Providing students opportunities for formative assessment in
reflection can help to alleviate some of these tensions.

The following rubric 3 provides examples of some of the criteria one might use in assessing
reflective writing, depending on the conditions one sets for the reflection:

UNDEVELOPED DEVELOPING SKILLED

DESCRIBING Unclear and vague Clear but general Clear and focused
EXPERIENCE on the specific
Student provides a aspects that
description of the challenge the
experience, observation, student
activity, reading, etc.
upon which he or she is
reflecting
DESCRIBING Unclear and vague Some response but Clear and focused
RESPONSE limited to one description of the
Student provides a domain (e.g., only feelings, thoughts,
description of their emotional, and questions raised
intellectual and intellectual) or to by the student at the
emotional response to reflection only, time of the
the experience without indication of experience and
conscious upon reflection.
contemporaneous
reflection.
GENERAL Minimal reflection – Reflection – Critical reflection –
REFLECTION No personal Making connection Critical evaluation
Evidence that the reflection or limited between student’s (questioning,
student has questioned to description of personal examining more
or evaluated their prior general opinions and assumptions, habits, closely) student’s
perceptions, actions, or behaviors without or values and the personal
beliefs reflection on opinions or assumptions, habits,
underlying behaviors upon or values and their
assumptions, habits, which the student is connection to the
or values driving reflecting. opinions or
those opinions or behaviors upon
behaviors. which the student is
reflecting in light of
other perspectives.
DIRECTED TOPIC Minimal reflection – Reflection – Critical reflection –
REFLECTION No personal Making connection Critical evaluation
reflection or limited between student’s (questioning,
2
Sue Schutz, Assessing and Evaluating Reflection, REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN NURSING 59-60 (Chris Bulman
and Sue Schutz, ed. 4th ed. 2008).
3
Thanks to Margaret Reuter, Visiting Professor, Indiana University- Maurer School of Law for her collaboration in
building this rubric.
Evidence that the to description of personal examining more
student has questioned general opinions and assumptions, habits, closely) student’s
or evaluated their prior behaviors without or values and the personal
perceptions, actions, or reflection on opinions or assumptions, habits,
beliefs about underlying behaviors upon or values and their
(Collaboration, assumptions, habits, which the student is connection to the
Professionalism, or values driving reflecting. opinions or
Autonomy, etc.) those opinions or behaviors upon
behaviors. which the student is
reflecting in light of
other perspectives.
USING INSIGHTS Students reflection is Student has Student provides
Student’s reflection entirely backward generalized concrete plans for
leads to plans for future looking, with no statements regarding further action or
action indication of how the how the reflection reflection for a
student will use the will direct future specific purpose
insights and skills actions or beliefs such as developing
gained. skills, improving
self-understanding,
or refining belief
systems
CONNECTIONS TO Does not include any Reflection refers to Connects reflection
READING/RESEARCH reference to outside past readings or to past readings and
Student uses reading or research research in a research and
coursework, reading, or to inform reflection descriptive or indicates efforts to
independent research to citation fashion with re-read or conduct
advance reflection as little indication of additional research
appropriate. motivation to use to learn more about
reading or research aspects of the
to inform reflection experience upon
which reflection
occurs. Describes
specific insights or
extensions of
reflection gained
from that reading
and research.
CONNECTIONS TO Demonstrates no Describes some Demonstrates
PEOPLE effort to engage conversations or meaningful
Student engages others in reflecting interviews regarding conversations with
instructors, mentors, on the experience or the experience or others to test ideas
colleagues, and others in insights. reflection but only in and gain insights on
conversations about an incidental the experience and
reflection as appropriate. fashion, rather than reflection.
as an effort to test
ideas or gain insights
 WRITING QUALITY Unfocused, Some focus and Topic(s) are clear
Quality of writing unorganized, vague, organization. and specific,
indicates careful and sloppy Language has some descriptions use
attention to reflective precision. concrete and precise
practice by providing Essay was proofread language and
clear topic, using insights are precise
concrete and precise and clear,
language, organizing Organization is
thoughts for the reader, apparent and
and proofreading essay effective. Essay has
for grammar, been proofread for
punctuation, and grammar,
spelling punctuation, and
spelling errors.
Format and timing Fails to meet Barely meets the 15 Total page count
minimum page page minimum over 20.
requirements requirement.
Submitted late

In addition to providing students with the rubric and my assessment of their effort, I also
try to provide individual feedback on each assignment, even if it is simply “Thank you for your
reflection “with some acknowledgement of the content, such as “you were not alone in
concluding that __________” or “I agree that ____________” If questions or reflection appear
shallow or insincere, I primarily ask additional questions to prompt more thoughtful responses in
future reflection.