Think About It

One of the most powerful moments of learning is when students stop and reflect. This simple action forces us to stop thinking and start thinking about thinking. It is this meta-cognition that students use to monitor how they are doing. Meta-cognition provides the guidance about whether to study more or differently.

Teachers can assume that students have adequate meta-cognitive habits but it may be far more valuable if they introduce these habits by creating reflective moments throughout the course. Use these moments to help students assess how they are doing and decide where they are going. Especially at this point in the semester, a moment to step back and see where they stand may provide a needed focus for the remaining weeks of the semester. Here are some tips on how this can be done.

Some Quick and Clean Ideas

Taking a few minutes out of class time to prompt a reflection about the material or the processes students are using can enhance the learning curve.

What's Working? Stop students in the middle of an activity. Ask them to list two or three strategies or activities that are helping them and something that is hindering them. Share responses, making a list of good strategies. Discuss ways to address hindrances. Have students keep these in mind as they return to the task.

In Touch. Stop in the middle of a lecture, discussion, or activity. Ask students to write down how they are feeling. Depending on the class, you may ask students to then write about how their feelings are affecting their work. You could ask for volunteers to share and spend a few minutes discussing them, legitimating feelings and discussing ways to address those that interfere.

Think Again. Ask students to compare how they think about a topic now with how they thought about it at the beginning of the semester. Use this moment after analyzing a story, writing an essay, conducting an experiment, performing a procedure. Discuss differences that show the academic gains. (If you plan in advance, you can repeat an activity done earlier in the semester and ask students to compare the differences.)

Questions? Have students write down questions they have about the course material on index cards. They should write about a term, concept, formula, or topic they don't understand. Collect the cards and read them aloud. Instead of answering them, pose the question, "How could you learn about this?" Let the class share ideas. Prompt easy answers (if students could read it in the text but haven't a suggestion to do so is too obvious. How do reluctant readers approach the text?) Hopefully, you are generating a list of ideas about procedures students can try.

Some Deeper Responses

Peter Frederick uses the Lakota Medicine Wheel to remind us that cognitive reflections are not the only important source of insight. We can send you a copy of his article. The following tips connect students to the course as well.

Stories. Narratives can have a powerful synthesizing effect. Ask students to tell a story about their academic life. Listen. Have students help describe patterns or principles that emerge. Discuss connections to the course. Consider stories that are connected with current course material or with academic life overall. The key is in finding personal connections.

Images. Choose a drawing or picture and present it to students. Ask them to share their reactions. Start with the obvious: what is going on here? Move to the deeper levels: What does this picture mean to you?

Role Plays. Even the simplest dramas can carry messages at many levels. Create a small skit or present a short video that relate to course ideas. Beforehand ask students to look for words, phrases, images that are triggered. Afterward, invite students to write these words on the board (have plenty of chalk). Sit quietly, maybe play music, and allow the reflective process to unfold. After about 5 minutes, ask "what themes or issues do we see?"

Games. There are many types of games -- from jeopardy type reviews to social experiences. Games have a way of engaging learners at multiple levels. The debriefing of the insights and feeling generated may form a solid foundations for more abstract course terms.

Some Longer Responses

Some reflections need to develop over time. The difference between the beginning and end of a semester is worth reflection.

Learning Logs. Have students keep a log of their reactions to the material. Later, have them analyze the themes, habits, and ah-hah moments. Collect this final reflection rather than the journal. We can send you some good questions to use in this process.

Portfolios. There are a variety of ways to use portfolios reflectively (rather than as collections of materials). Call us and ask for Peter Seldin's model for making them academically rigorous.

Reflection provides those moments when learners step back and gauge their involvement and success with course material. Finding ways to build it into your course should help student find more meaning in their work.

This Teaching Tip was first published by Indiana State University’s, Center for Teaching and Learning on March 31, 1997.