Share this
The Value of Self-Reflection Practices in Experiential Learning
by CAEL on Dec 16, 2016
In volume two of CAEL's 2015 Forum and News publication, Antioch University Los Angeles' (AULA) Rosa Garza-Mourino, Director of External Partnerships; MeHee Hyun, Co-Chair of Undergraduate Studies; and Andrea Richards, Dean of Assessment and Student Learning, provided insight into how the adult-focused liberal art institution's experiential learning program follows an advisement model that 'anticipate[s] students' needs, monitor[s] their progress, and intervene[s] at critical moments.' This model 'leads to faculty-intensive interactions with students' which orients students, identifies past and current interests, builds an academic experiential learning proposal, creates reflecting learning products and encourages students to look back at self.
The article, Enhancing Reflective Practice through Experiential Learning Advisement, noted the particular value this model has for experiential learning in the realm of liberal arts, a focus of study that is often questioned in terms of its ability to properly prepare students for future careers. A longtime practitioner of experiential learning, AULA faculty have implemented advising strategies aimed at helping students translate their experiences out of the classroom into course credits. 'In fact,' the authors noted, 'AULA considers particularly the non-classroom learning activities not only a practical way for adults to apply work experience and shorten their time to degree completion but also an important way to be in the world, helping create deeper understanding and promoting critical thinking.'
Each facet of the model has a focus on students' reflection. These opportunities for reflection encourage students to consider both past learning experiences and to think about career objectives to come. 'Through careful orientation, consistent interaction, and written prompts for student reflective assignments, faculty help students translate their real world experiences into current and prior learning credits, while creating deeper understanding and promoting critical thinking,' the authors noted.
Beyond the students' benefits to the implementation of reflection practices in experiential learning programs, advisors also benefit from the policies. '[S]tudent reflections [] directly inform advising when they highlight what students identify as the missing resources, training, and feedback they need to be successful,' noted the authors. '[']By looking at student reflections, faculty can see what specific types of guidance students need at various stages of the learning process-perhaps more orientation to the task, deeper analysis of past experiences, better understanding of future goals, or more guidance on how to become reflective practitioners.'
'[Students] may not be aware of the skills, knowledge, and types of engagement that will be the most beneficial in preparing them to be successful in their chosen area,' the authors concluded. 'Faculty advisement involves working with students to mine the value of their past and current professional interests and guiding them toward greater self-reflection through a variety of advising strategies.'
Share this
- Adult Learner Success (107)
- Success Stories (71)
- CAEL Members (70)
- Workforce Development (57)
- Credit for Prior Learning (53)
- Best Practices (47)
- Career Pathways Support (30)
- Work-based Learning (29)
- Strategic Partnerships (27)
- Impact (26)
- Trends in Higher Education (25)
- Upskilling and Reskilling (20)
- DEI (19)
- Retention and Completion (18)
- Curation (17)
- Talent Management (17)
- Q&A (16)
- Adult Learner 360 (15)
- Policy (12)
- Short-term Credentials (11)
- Competency Based Education (CBE) (10)
- Adult Learner Academy (9)
- Student support (9)
- Enrollment (8)
- Research (7)
- Student Stories (7)
- Transfer Students (7)
- Experiential Learning (6)
- Featured (6)
- HSIs (6)
- In the news (6)
- Military-connected Learners (6)
- NACTEL (6)
- Online Learning (6)
- Case Studies (5)
- Community colleges (5)
- EPCE (5)
- Education Benefits (5)
- Wraparound Support (4)
- Apprenticeships (3)
- COVID-19 (3)
- Future of work (3)
- Guest blog (3)
- Structural Approaches to Learning (3)
- Accelerated Program (2)
- Credit Predictor Pro (2)
- HBCUs (2)
- Tuition (2)
- Skills-based hiring (1)
- Student parents (1)
- September 2024 (6)
- August 2024 (10)
- July 2024 (9)
- June 2024 (8)
- May 2024 (11)
- April 2024 (5)
- March 2024 (7)
- February 2024 (5)
- January 2024 (7)
- December 2023 (9)
- November 2023 (7)
- October 2023 (3)
- September 2023 (4)
- August 2023 (3)
- July 2023 (5)
- June 2023 (8)
- May 2023 (9)
- April 2023 (5)
- March 2023 (6)
- February 2023 (5)
- January 2023 (3)
- December 2022 (4)
- November 2022 (7)
- October 2022 (7)
- September 2022 (6)
- August 2022 (6)
- July 2022 (4)
- June 2022 (6)
- May 2022 (4)
- April 2022 (4)
- March 2022 (3)
- February 2022 (5)
- January 2022 (5)
- December 2021 (4)
- November 2021 (2)
- October 2021 (8)
- September 2021 (4)
- August 2021 (4)
- July 2021 (2)
- June 2021 (6)
- May 2021 (5)
- April 2021 (9)
- March 2021 (8)
- February 2021 (5)
- January 2021 (4)
- December 2020 (4)
- November 2020 (3)
- October 2020 (6)
- September 2020 (2)
- August 2020 (1)
- July 2020 (4)
- May 2020 (2)
- April 2020 (1)
- March 2020 (2)
- February 2020 (3)
- January 2020 (3)
- December 2019 (2)
- July 2019 (1)
- May 2019 (1)
- February 2019 (1)
- January 2019 (1)
- October 2018 (4)
- September 2018 (1)
- August 2018 (1)
- July 2018 (1)
- May 2018 (1)
- April 2018 (2)
- March 2018 (1)
- February 2018 (2)
- September 2017 (1)
- August 2017 (2)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (4)
- May 2017 (3)
- March 2017 (1)
- February 2017 (4)
- December 2016 (3)
- November 2016 (1)
- October 2016 (3)
- August 2016 (8)
- July 2016 (2)
- June 2016 (2)
- May 2016 (5)
- April 2016 (2)
- March 2016 (6)
- February 2016 (9)
- January 2016 (4)
- January 2015 (2)