Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning

Our service learning research includes assessment of reflective assignments done by students who apply theoretical knowledge in practical, real-life contexts by working with actual clients. For many of these students our classes are a departure from traditional forms of learning, and a challenge to...

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Main Authors: Gail Frost, Maureen Connolly, Elyse Lapanno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Windsor 2014-05-01
Series:Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching
Online Access:https://celt.uwindsor.ca/index.php/CELT/article/view/3958
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author Gail Frost
Maureen Connolly
Elyse Lapanno
author_facet Gail Frost
Maureen Connolly
Elyse Lapanno
author_sort Gail Frost
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description Our service learning research includes assessment of reflective assignments done by students who apply theoretical knowledge in practical, real-life contexts by working with actual clients. For many of these students our classes are a departure from traditional forms of learning, and a challenge to their ability to apply what they know in often very unpredictable situations. The reflective assignments, which include field notes and journal entries, are designed to 1) train the professional competencies of client case management, writing and recording and 2) foster a sustained commitment to learning and professional development. This paper will describe several teaching and learning issues related to reflective writing which we have encountered in our students’ work, and outline our plans to address them as we continue to promote critical thinking and reflection as important skills for our students to master.
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spelling doaj.art-d8dd2a5b60104382b746f82180ce33552022-12-22T01:08:48ZengUniversity of WindsorCollected Essays on Learning and Teaching2368-45262014-05-017110.22329/celt.v7i1.3958Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to LearningGail Frost0Maureen Connolly1Elyse Lapanno2Brock UniversityBrock UniversityBrock UniversityOur service learning research includes assessment of reflective assignments done by students who apply theoretical knowledge in practical, real-life contexts by working with actual clients. For many of these students our classes are a departure from traditional forms of learning, and a challenge to their ability to apply what they know in often very unpredictable situations. The reflective assignments, which include field notes and journal entries, are designed to 1) train the professional competencies of client case management, writing and recording and 2) foster a sustained commitment to learning and professional development. This paper will describe several teaching and learning issues related to reflective writing which we have encountered in our students’ work, and outline our plans to address them as we continue to promote critical thinking and reflection as important skills for our students to master.https://celt.uwindsor.ca/index.php/CELT/article/view/3958
spellingShingle Gail Frost
Maureen Connolly
Elyse Lapanno
Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching
title Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
title_full Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
title_fullStr Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
title_full_unstemmed Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
title_short Why is it so Hard to do a Good Thing? The Challenges of Using Reflection to Help Sustain a Commitment to Learning
title_sort why is it so hard to do a good thing the challenges of using reflection to help sustain a commitment to learning
url https://celt.uwindsor.ca/index.php/CELT/article/view/3958
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