end of course reflection essay example

Student Learning Outcomes: Course Reflection Essay Example

Course reflection: essay introduction.

The chosen course proved a positive experience for students due to the achievement of an appropriate study atmosphere and the establishment of beneficial student-teacher relationships. Attaining the study group’s confidence permitted instituting a functional feedback mechanism, which allowed those in attendance to demonstrate their grasp of the learned material and give recommendations on bettering the course based on personal experience. Consequently, Student Learning Outcomes were sufficiently achieved, leaving both learners and their lector satisfied with the pupils’ level of attained knowledge and competencies.

Despite the overall success of the course, there remain choice aspects of it that require additional work and improvement to receive even better results. Unpredictable external circumstances, such as weather conditions, resulted in the loss of class time and, therefore, leaving the last chapter uncovered. The acquirement procedure for the e-book access code was not perfected, with numerous pupils opting not to attain it, which made the use of the Marketing Lab troublesome. Additionally, revisiting the length of Exam 1 is necessary due to the difficulty that the majority of students experienced with its timely completion.

Resolving these issues, as well as other minor problems noted over the length of the course, requires addressing their origins. To make the Marketing Lab a more significant part of the learning process, more homework could be assigned from it, integrating questions from the textbook that were not covered in class. Additionally, this would effectively compel students to procure and use the e-book access code. The inclusion of more case studies in the course would also be a useful strategy, which may permit learners to achieve a more profound and hands-on understanding of course material.

Paying increased attention to the ongoing pupils’ assessment becomes crucial under these conditions, making journal entries a viable tactic when checking their comprehension of material after each chapter. Permitting students to include their possible questions in these entries would make working with learners easier through creating facilitated lines of communication. Therefore, considering all of these changes, revising the length of Exam 1 and re-assessing its weight in the overall course evaluation process becomes a necessary step. This change would contribute to the achievement of a balanced grading system that would adequately reflect the work done by students throughout their learning process.

The Effect of Professional Development on Education

The success of the course may be linked to the effort put into professional development, which permits perfecting the teaching process to achieve better learning outcomes. Attending Blackboard and Digital Measures training made gaining a mastery of teachers’ resources and integrating them to the best of their use possible within the classroom setting. Additionally, the ITCL Symposium helped achieve a better understanding of course material and how it could be taught, the presentation on product development having become part of the classroom lectures. The participation in coaching and symposiums, therefore, not only presented a chance for sufficient professional growth but also permitted apperceiving additional educational materials.

Implementing modern educational methods, which integrate the benefits of new technologies inside a traditional classroom setting, makes possible the attainment of previously unreachable goals through a combined teaching approach. In this aspect, Blackboard training may claim the most significant impact on the quality of provided schooling since it helped improve the continuity of the educational process through the demonstration of useful virtual teaching techniques.

The benefit of learning through Blackboard is evident due to the possibility of pacing the internet-based learning process, making the received training self-controlled, even if based around deadlines. During training, these aspects proved decisive as there was no need for extensive traveling, providing all the necessary information in one easily accessible place.

This advantage may be carried over successfully into the learning process, either providing the educator with an additional platform for student-teacher communication or presenting a chance for a changeover into entirely internet-based learning. For pupils, this transition could mean heightened educational autonomy when planning their time, which may be a crucial additional professional skill.

Evaluating Results and Setting Future Goals

Despite the positive impact of these provided chances for training, the brevity of the Faculty Annual Evaluation, which lasted one semester, poses significant issues to creating a continuous process of staff education. Additionally, the narrowness of the chosen courses’ topics, as well as their limitation to an in-house setting, poses a significant hindrance in achieving better professional results.

While a modernized approach to education, which focuses on the integration of technological advancements inside the classroom, may be beneficial to modern students’ understanding of the material, this attitude could be detrimental to traditional conceptions. However, as exercises and symposiums retain certain limitations, disputing the significant benefits that they provide to educators is not possible.

These current developments are a positive step towards achieving a better level of faculty performance, creating competent teachers that in turn can produce exceptional students. Advancing the already obtained results may be possible through continuing to provide employees with not only the possibility of professional growth but also presenting them with a broader variety of educational options and topics.

However, setting future goals for development based on the already achieved results becomes viable when considering the significant impact already imparted on the teaching staff. Therefore, setting goals for the coming year that pertain to expanding virtual education and developing online collaboration becomes appropriate and necessary for the continuation of staff growth. Taking additional steps to increase the provided variety of subjects, as well as the types of training offered, such as conferences and workshops, could present a chance to secure a steady reinforcement of teachers’ competencies. Since the already achieved results in educators’ training may be considered an accomplishment, this success should be supported and augmented.

Setting SMART Goals

It may be crucial to keep in mind that the process of education should equally benefit both students and teachers. To continue achieving excellent results and presenting pupils with the chance to learn from the best version of their educator it is necessary to keep giving adequate attention to self-improvement. Therefore, it becomes essential to outline specific SMART goals that are quantifiable and rely on accurate and measurable pre-determined goals that can be attained in a set time and may, therefore, be called realistic.

Predominantly, these SMART goals should be oriented towards developing professional competencies that may help teach management and marketing courses, as these subjects remain primarily taught courses. Attending two new specialized development courses, specifically tailored for those who teach marketing or management before the end of the next year could be a viable betterment option.

Another goal would be carrying out extra research on marketing tactics and management techniques before the start of the next semester and compiling the findings into ten cases for each course for students to solve. Personally forming these cases would permit creating not only a prerequisite for professional development through a study of modern practices but also provide learners with a unique and challenging educational experience.

Considering the assistance provided by technology, it may be necessary, as an educator, to continue integrating online resources into the education process. This aspiration makes mastering a new educational platform before the end of this semester essential objective, the success of which may be measured by the transfer of learning materials to the more modern program. Conducting at least two online examinations or assessments of pupils in the next semester is, therefore, an interdependent and reasonably achievable goal.

Additionally, it is necessary to integrate a virtual system of journal entries that would allow analyzing learners’ competencies as well as their acquired knowledge. Therefore, making journal entries a part of the next marketing and management courses could be an important SMART goal that may prove essential to stimulate students’ reflection regarding the courses’ goals. Incorporating modern technologies into the learning process should prove beneficial for learners who will seek employment in future job markets, which may have heightened expectations regarding the interdisciplinary skills of their staff.

These outlined short-term SMART goals are aimed at developing both professional and personal qualities in pupils and their educator alike. Consequently, the final goal should be related to receiving feedback from learners in both courses, which requires devising a communication from before the end of the current semester and making it accessible online. An omnipresent educational objective, therefore, is making sure that pupils feel confident and secure enough to communicate their possible grievances and suggestions.

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Final Reflective Essay

At the beginning of the course, I was new to college writing. My writing skills were not bad, but they needed some fine tuning. A lot of the skills I have translated over easily from high school, but some did not. I was always good at getting information and laying down a foundation. Alongside that, I’ve always found writing easy once I have that base. Filling out the main ideas were simple. However, once I arrived in college it was apparent to myself that I needed more detail, and that it was something I lacked. It needed improving, but it was not a hard fix. Sometimes it is hard for me to understand why some writing needs more detail but others do not. This class has helped me fix that issue a bit, while also strengthening my proficiency in other areas. Throughout the semester, I have completed assignments that have increased my skills, and broadened my sense as a writer in different areas. By taking this class, I have been able to develop rhetorical knowledge, develop critical thinking, reading, and information literacy, develop effective strategies for drafting texts, and develop knowledge of conventions.

This class has helped me develop rhetorical knowledge by analyzing and composing multiple forms of writing to understand how genre conventions shape readers’ and writers’ practices and purposes. This means that I have been able to analyze different types of writing in order to understand how a genre affects how an author writes, and how the reader reads. One assignment that comes to mind that helped me achieve this outcome was our advertisement analysis assignments. In class, we spent time looking at different advertisements, and how they appealed to certain audiences. We all had to bring an advertisement to class, and analyze it ourselves, pointing out what techniques the ads were using, if they were effective or not, and who were they targeting. This assignment helps develop rhetoric as it allowed me to understand how the category of advertisement writing can differ from not only other genres, but other ads as well.

Rhetoric knowledge was also developed by practicing purposeful shifts in structure, content, diction, tone, formality, design, and/or medium in accordance with the rhetorical situation, which means to be able to change your writing to reflect the rhetorical situation at hand. This was not the result of one assignment, but many. During the course we were asked to write different essays that reflected different styles of writing. From storytelling and analyzation, to infographics and research assignments, I have been able to change how I write in order to meet the requirements. For example, in the literacy narrative, I had to write to convey a story. This means using traditional elements of a story, such as a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution, along with elements such as foreshadowing. This style of writing is different from an image analysis essay, where the purpose is mostly informative rather than anecdotal. In this case, elements such as facts, context, and comparison are common, and story like elements would not be appropriate here. I display that I have met this outcome by understanding how to write in those genres and how to keep it appropriate.

Another outcome this class has helped me meet is developing critical thinking, reading, and information literacy by composing and reading for inquiry, learning, critical thinking, and communicating. One such way I have met this outcome is by writing journals almost every class about different things. Every so often we had to write a journal about our thoughts about either our writing skills, how we defined different terms, and our reflections on our assignments. By completing these journals, I was able to look back on certain assignments, and learn how I was able to accomplish what I did. This style of writing is helpful because of its creative nature, and allows myself to become better as a writer.

Two more ways I was able to develop my critical thinking, reading, and information literacy skills was by using outside materials in their own writing through techniques such as interpretation, synthesis, response, critique, and design/redesign, and incorporating outside materials through quotations, paraphrase, and summary. By completing the image analysis essay, I was able to meet the outcome about using outside materials in your own writing. I used two advertisements in the essay, and analyzed how they were done, and who they targeted, in order to compare and contrast them at the end. I appropriately commented on their effectiveness, and how they could have improved. Speaking of using outside materials, my research essay demonstrated the outcome related to using paraphrase due to the nature of the assignment. By using outside sources, I was able to make my argument stronger, and I was able to improve as a writer because my skill to read and take information away improved.

The third outcome this class helped me to achieve was to develop effective strategies for drafting texts by working through multiple drafts of a project and recognizing the role of reflecting, revising, and editing in the process, engaging in the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes, such as learning to give and to act on productive feedback to works in progress, both by and with peers and in one-on-one instructor conferences, and critically reflecting on how they may further develop and apply writing skills in the future. The first outcome was reached simply through the rough drafts of each project. I usually had to brainstorm first, but afterwards, I was able to just write in order to get the information down. It had quite a few flaws to begin with, but during editing, most of them were ironed out easily. The second outcome was achieved through peer review. This was something I had always struggled with because I did not know how to do it. After learning, I saw how important it was. It allowed me to see mistakes my brain would have never saw, and let me see what my most common mistake were, which then allowed me to know what to avoid when writing. By reviewing other’s works, I was able to see common writing errors in general, and thus gave me information about what to avoid. The last outcome was achieved through peer review reflection. This is self-explanatory, but being able to reflect on the advice given is helpful. Mostly because it allows you to take a step back, and go over everything. You can see what you did well, and what you need to avoid in the future. This way, in future endeavors, the same mistakes will hopefully not be made.

The last outcome this class helped me to achieve was to develop knowledge of conventions by demonstrating competence in grammar, punctuation, and spelling, practicing genre conventions for structure, paragraphing, tone and mechanics, and understanding the concepts of intellectual property that motivate documentation conventions through application of recognized citation styles. The first two outcomes are rather similar, in the regard that most of the assignments help reach this outcome. Grammar will never change in writing, so it is important to get it write initially. The only assignment that really tested this was peer review. Being able to recognize sentences that do not make sense is helpful, and will help a writer catch confusing or contradicting statements. As for practicing genre conventions, almost every project helped display that. Writing paragraphs and formatting them correctly is easy, so there is not reason to drag on about this point. Lastly, the assignment that helped reach the outcome about citing intellectual property was the research assignment. It is important to cite your sources so that you do not plagiarize someone’s work, and jeopardize your own academic career. The research assignment helped because you had to find sources for you argument, and as a result, citations would follow.

During the course, I was faced with a few assignments where I had to write day by day, and not just in one day. Writing is not something to do, but rather a process that you have to follow in order to succeed. Many of the different assignments helped improve my skills in rhetoric, critical thinking, drafting, and conventions. While some did not improve much, others did exponentially. The work is not perfect, but for a beginner in college, it shows that I am willing to put in the time and effort to become more than just a beginner. As I progress through school, I hope to not only maintain these skills, but improve them also. Writing is not something that you leave behind after leaving school, so it is important that I take these skills not only with me for the next four years, but for the rest of my life. If I succeed in doing that, then I will always be prepared for any assignment that my field of interest throws at me.

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Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

A reflection paper is a very common type of paper among college students. Almost any subject you enroll in requires you to express your opinion on certain matters. In this article, we will explain how to write a reflection paper and provide examples and useful tips to make the essay writing process easier.

Reflection papers should have an academic tone yet be personal and subjective. In this paper, you should analyze and reflect upon how an experience, academic task, article, or lecture shaped your perception and thoughts on a subject.

Here is what you need to know about writing an effective critical reflection paper. Stick around until the end of our guide to get some useful writing tips from the writing team at EssayPro — a research paper writing service

What Is a Reflection Paper

A reflection paper is a type of paper that requires you to write your opinion on a topic, supporting it with your observations and personal experiences. As opposed to presenting your reader with the views of other academics and writers, in this essay, you get an opportunity to write your point of view—and the best part is that there is no wrong answer. It is YOUR opinion, and it is your job to express your thoughts in a manner that will be understandable and clear for all readers that will read your paper. The topic range is endless. Here are some examples: whether or not you think aliens exist, your favorite TV show, or your opinion on the outcome of WWII. You can write about pretty much anything.

There are three types of reflection paper; depending on which one you end up with, the tone you write with can be slightly different. The first type is the educational reflective paper. Here your job is to write feedback about a book, movie, or seminar you attended—in a manner that teaches the reader about it. The second is the professional paper. Usually, it is written by people who study or work in education or psychology. For example, it can be a reflection of someone’s behavior. And the last is the personal type, which explores your thoughts and feelings about an individual subject.

However, reflection paper writing will stop eventually with one very important final paper to write - your resume. This is where you will need to reflect on your entire life leading up to that moment. To learn how to list education on resume perfectly, follow the link on our dissertation writing services .

Unlock the potential of your thoughts with EssayPro . Order a reflection paper and explore a range of other academic services tailored to your needs. Dive deep into your experiences, analyze them with expert guidance, and turn your insights into an impactful reflection paper.

Free Reflection Paper Example

Now that we went over all of the essentials about a reflection paper and how to approach it, we would like to show you some examples that will definitely help you with getting started on your paper.

Reflection Paper Format

Reflection papers typically do not follow any specific format. Since it is your opinion, professors usually let you handle them in any comfortable way. It is best to write your thoughts freely, without guideline constraints. If a personal reflection paper was assigned to you, the format of your paper might depend on the criteria set by your professor. College reflection papers (also known as reflection essays) can typically range from about 400-800 words in length.

Here’s how we can suggest you format your reflection paper:

How to Start a Reflection Paper

The first thing to do when beginning to work on a reflection essay is to read your article thoroughly while taking notes. Whether you are reflecting on, for example, an activity, book/newspaper, or academic essay, you want to highlight key ideas and concepts.

You can start writing your reflection paper by summarizing the main concept of your notes to see if your essay includes all the information needed for your readers. It is helpful to add charts, diagrams, and lists to deliver your ideas to the audience in a better fashion.

After you have finished reading your article, it’s time to brainstorm. We’ve got a simple brainstorming technique for writing reflection papers. Just answer some of the basic questions below:

How did the article affect you?
How does this article catch the reader’s attention (or does it all)?
Has the article changed your mind about something? If so, explain how.
Has the article left you with any questions?
Were there any unaddressed critical issues that didn’t appear in the article?
Does the article relate to anything from your past reading experiences?
Does the article agree with any of your past reading experiences?

Here are some reflection paper topic examples for you to keep in mind before preparing to write your own:

How my views on rap music have changed over time
My reflection and interpretation of Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Why my theory about the size of the universe has changed over time
How my observations for clinical psychological studies have developed in the last year

The result of your brainstorming should be a written outline of the contents of your future paper. Do not skip this step, as it will ensure that your essay will have a proper flow and appropriate organization.

Another good way to organize your ideas is to write them down in a 3-column chart or table.

Do you want your task look awesome?

If you would like your reflection paper to look professional, feel free to check out one of our articles on how to format MLA, APA or Chicago style

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Reflection paper should contain few key elements:

Introduction

Your introduction should specify what you’re reflecting upon. Make sure that your thesis informs your reader about your general position, or opinion, toward your subject.

State what you are analyzing: a passage, a lecture, an academic article, an experience, etc...)
Briefly summarize the work.
Write a thesis statement stating how your subject has affected you.

One way you can start your thesis is to write:

Example: “After reading/experiencing (your chosen topic), I gained the knowledge of…”

Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should examine your ideas and experiences in context to your topic. Make sure each new body paragraph starts with a topic sentence.

Your reflection may include quotes and passages if you are writing about a book or an academic paper. They give your reader a point of reference to fully understand your feedback. Feel free to describe what you saw, what you heard, and how you felt.

Example: “I saw many people participating in our weight experiment. The atmosphere felt nervous yet inspiring. I was amazed by the excitement of the event.”

As with any conclusion, you should summarize what you’ve learned from the experience. Next, tell the reader how your newfound knowledge has affected your understanding of the subject in general. Finally, describe the feeling and overall lesson you had from the reading or experience.

There are a few good ways to conclude a reflection paper:

Tie all the ideas from your body paragraphs together, and generalize the major insights you’ve experienced.
Restate your thesis and summarize the content of your paper.

We have a separate blog post dedicated to writing a great conclusion. Be sure to check it out for an in-depth look at how to make a good final impression on your reader.

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How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: create a main theme.

After you choose your topic, write a short summary about what you have learned about your experience with that topic. Then, let readers know how you feel about your case — and be honest. Chances are that your readers will likely be able to relate to your opinion or at least the way you form your perspective, which will help them better understand your reflection.

For example: After watching a TEDx episode on Wim Hof, I was able to reevaluate my preconceived notions about the negative effects of cold exposure.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

You can write down specific quotes, predispositions you have, things that influenced you, or anything memorable. Be personal and explain, in simple words, how you felt.

For example: • A lot of people think that even a small amount of carbohydrates will make people gain weight • A specific moment when I struggled with an excess weight where I avoided carbohydrates entirely • The consequences of my actions that gave rise to my research • The evidence and studies of nutritional science that claim carbohydrates alone are to blame for making people obese • My new experience with having a healthy diet with a well-balanced intake of nutrients • The influence of other people’s perceptions on the harm of carbohydrates, and the role their influence has had on me • New ideas I’ve created as a result of my shift in perspective

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Pick an idea or experience you had from the last step, and analyze it further. Then, write your reasoning for agreeing or disagreeing with it.

For example, Idea: I was raised to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight.

Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of research to overcome my beliefs finally. Afterward, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key to a healthy lifestyle.

For example: Idea: I was brought up to think that carbohydrates make people gain weight. Analysis: Most people think that if they eat any carbohydrates, such as bread, cereal, and sugar, they will gain weight. I believe in this misconception to such a great extent that I avoided carbohydrates entirely. As a result, my blood glucose levels were very low. I needed to do a lot of my own research to finally overcome my beliefs. After, I adopted the philosophy of “everything in moderation” as a key for having a healthy lifestyle.

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Try to connect your ideas and insights to form a cohesive picture for your theme. You can also try to recognize and break down your assumptions, which you may challenge in the future.

There are some subjects for reflection papers that are most commonly written about. They include:

Book – Start by writing some information about the author’s biography and summarize the plot—without revealing the ending to keep your readers interested. Make sure to include the names of the characters, the main themes, and any issues mentioned in the book. Finally, express your thoughts and reflect on the book itself.
Course – Including the course name and description is a good place to start. Then, you can write about the course flow, explain why you took this course, and tell readers what you learned from it. Since it is a reflection paper, express your opinion, supporting it with examples from the course.
Project – The structure for a reflection paper about a project has identical guidelines to that of a course. One of the things you might want to add would be the pros and cons of the course. Also, mention some changes you might want to see, and evaluate how relevant the skills you acquired are to real life.
Interview – First, introduce the person and briefly mention the discussion. Touch on the main points, controversies, and your opinion of that person.

Writing Tips

Everyone has their style of writing a reflective essay – and that's the beauty of it; you have plenty of leeway with this type of paper – but there are still a few tips everyone should incorporate.

Before you start your piece, read some examples of other papers; they will likely help you better understand what they are and how to approach yours. When picking your subject, try to write about something unusual and memorable — it is more likely to capture your readers' attention. Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections.

Short and Sweet – Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents. Only include relevant information.
Clear and Concise – Make your paper as clear and concise as possible. Use a strong thesis statement so your essay can follow it with the same strength.
Maintain the Right Tone – Use a professional and academic tone—even though the writing is personal.
Cite Your Sources – Try to cite authoritative sources and experts to back up your personal opinions.
Proofreading – Not only should you proofread for spelling and grammatical errors, but you should proofread to focus on your organization as well. Answer the question presented in the introduction.

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End of the Semester Reflection Essay: Reviewing all of the Knowledge I Acquired In This Course

Reviewing all of the knowledge I acquired in this course

This class was something I completely didn’t expect, in my mind I thought that this class would be another stressful class that I wouldn’t even enjoy. However, the professor, Adam Dubrow, changed all of that. His way of teaching was very unique and interesting, he made sure everyone understood what he was teaching and always asked if any one had any questions. He really simplified everything for us which made it easy for me to get my work done. He specifically told us what he wanted on all of his assignments and all we had to do was follow directions. Overall, I believe I learned a lot more in this class than in any other writing class I took before because he always had a way of keeping everyone’s attention in class, something some professors can’t accomplish.

One important tool that our professor taught us was learning how use CCNY’s Online Library, through this library we were able to access many different databases that would help us write our papers. This tool was very useful because we had to find many scholarly resources through these data bases and we knew that they were reliable and had been peer reviewed by others. With this in had we only had to do research in one specific place and with the search bar we were able to narrow down the articles that we needed to use for our projects. I was able to find good sources for all my assignments and it made it very easy because they had exactly what I was looking for. After using it this whole semester I know that I will be using it for my future assignments since I know that information provided will be scholarly and very valuable.

Collaborating with my classmates was a vital part for one of our projects which was the group proposal project. I had to make sure that my whole group was responsible and held accountable for their own specific part. We all had to help one another and make sure that our project got done on time. Unfortunately, I did experience a team member who didn’t show up to class and didn’t bother to help either. Therefore, we had to continue without him and proceed in finishing up. The good thing is that my other team members were very supportive and we all revised each other’s work. We all made sure the graphs were correct, we had a very strong writer in our group so he helped us make sure that our punctuation and grammar was correct. I helped others make sure that the information we gathered was correct and that we weren’t missing anything. As well as being accountable for the appendix and the wrapping up our presentation, everyone did their part and it all worked out fine in the end.

Surprisingly enough, the textbook that was required for class did helped a lot especially when I had any questions or ways to format my assignment. The textbook provided a lot of examples and information that helped me come up with many ideas whenever I got stuck on a assignment. Even when I wasn’t puzzled, I still saw myself going back and reading the book because it was still a good tool. For example, it gave many different ways of writing a resume which I found helpful because it helped me improve my own personal essay that I use to apply for jobs. It gave many different formatting options which provided the correct way of writing a resume. I also saw myself learning about the APA style we had to use when writing all of our papers, it provided great examples of how to cite your sources in many different scenarios. Now i’m familiar with MLA, APA, and Chicago style, when before I only knew one.

For our lab report and Technical description we had to combine and use many scholarly resources form the CCNY’s Online library. This was another time we had to use this site to look for information and research. For my technical description I was able to find two great sources that detailed every component inside a computer which made it so much easier with writing my paper. I got all the information that I needed from two sources which worked hand in hand with one another, it was just perfect. For the lab report, I found an article that provided an interesting concept which helped me come up with my thesis. The information that they provided was very sophisticated and it made it easy for the reader to understand. It just took a bit of research to find these articles but once you find really good ones it’s makes it easy to structure the paper.

Some important concepts that our professor taught us was A and P, audience and purpose. This was the foundation for every assignment that we wrote because we had to clearly know who our audience was and state our purpose. Knowing the A and P helped us know what information was important to include and which one wasn’t. RFP, request for proposal was another concept we learned during our group project. One thing I did enjoy learning was how to use commas, colons, and semicolons because the way he though use these punctuation marks was very interesting. He always made it easier for us to remember when these punctuation marks had to be used. The professor posted everything on blackboard so we always knew what was coming next and what to expect, which was a big part of the course. He even provided a study guide for the quest which was really helpful since it gave me a better idea of how the test was going to be structured. All the information and assignments was available on blackboard.

I have to say that Adam Bubrow was one of the best teacher I had so far, the way he entertained the class, the way he showed interest in teaching the class was great. He’s definitely one of those teachers that I learned a lot from. Therefore, I’ll remember and use all the tools that he provided us to use in the real world. I appreciated the way he kept everything serious with us and showed us what to expect once we graduate. I’m sure everyone who took this class really enjoyed learning from the professor because he always found a way to engage the audience. I just hope that there are more great teacher in my upcoming years of college.

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Course Reflection - Logan Williams

Course Reflection

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Powerful Endings and Reflection

by Jason | May 21, 2020 | Synchronous Teaching , Teaching remotely general tips , Technology tools , Uncategorized | 0 comments

By Jason Schreiner and Julie Mueller

A powerful way to end a course is to provide students an opportunity to reflect on the knowledge they’ve gained, the skills they’ve developed, and the learning processes they have experienced, including a possible transformation in how they understand the world or perceive themselves as learners or agents of change.

An ending moment of reflection also can help students see the silver lining of learning in a remote context that is often exhausting and stressful. That is, such a moment can help students recognize a variety of additional useful skills–and resiliency–they’ve developed while managing their remote learning, including skills that translate to their work lives and careers beyond the university. There are a variety of ways to build a powerful ending through reflection in your course: some that bring together threads woven through your entire course plan, some that you can try as additions to your existing plans.

There are many ways to cultivate powerful endings:

Ideas from TEP
Ideas from Faculty
Insights from the UO Career Center

Watch a recording of our Powerful Endings workshop , and download workshop slides .

Reflection and Metacognition

A key purpose for designing moments of reflection in a course is to help students develop their metacognition and capacity for self-directed learning. Metacognition refers to the ability to “understand and monitor one’s own thoughts and the assumptions and implication of one’s activities” (Lin 2001, 23). Research summarized by Nilson (2013) indicates that students who engage in metacognition improve their performance on exams, written and designed products, and problem-solving ability. Moreover, metacognition helps students improve their sense of self-efficacy, independent agency, and motivation, which in turn allows them to become more self-directed and resilient in their learning. According to Ambrose and colleagues (2010, 191) self-directed learners have more capacity to:

asses the demands of a task,
evaluate their own knowledge and skills,
plan their approach,
monitor their progress, and
adjust their strategies as needed.

Such processes provide a variety of avenues for instructors to include moments of reflection for students–not just at the end of a class but throughout the term. A bevy of possible strategies for including metacognition at various moments in your course is outlined on this TEP handout on metacognitive techniques , and in this article on promoting metacognition by Kimberly D. Tanner .

Powerful Endings: Ideas from TEP

Reflection at the end of a class can take a variety of forms that promote student metacognition and bring students’ learning experiences to a powerful conclusion. Here we indicate a few ideas, including summaries of approaches shared by faculty at our Powerful Endings workshop.

A focus on experience and future applications

This approach engages students in reflecting on the depth of their learning experience and taking a long view, including how they will use what they learned in the future. Too often students get caught up in a big push to complete course requirements and do not pause to consider what stood out most for them in their learning or how they might use it moving forward. Yet taking a moment for such reflection can help students clarify the value of the class and affirm their growth as learners. Possible activities include:

What was the most significant idea you learned in this class, or what was the most significant moment of your learning? Why?
How has your perspective or understanding of [class subject] been changed, challenged, reinforced or deepened as a result of this idea or moment?
What is one way you intend to use or apply your learning in your future endeavors?
What have you learned about yourself as a result of having to learn remotely this term?
What was the overall movement or journey of ideas in this class?
What was the most significant idea or moment of learning for you along the way? Why?
How do you intend to continue this movement or journey moving forward? That is, what is something you intend to use or apply in the future?
How did you experience the process of learning during this class? Include one high point and one challenging moment (which might be the same).

A focus on content and skills

In this strategy, students take a more close-up view, summing up the content and skills they have learned over the course of the term and identifying themes running through multiple topics. This kind of stock-taking, especially recognizing the skills they are developing, is challenging for students to do when they are caught in the weeds of learning the details of the course. It can also help students identify weak areas that might need more attention before a final exam. Some possible exercises include:

Before class, have each student write down “the five big ideas of this course”.
Have small groups work together to come up with a consensus version of the five ideas. Use breakout rooms in Zoom for a synchronous class or the groups function in Canvas for an asynchronous one. Each group should post their list of ideas to a Canvas discussion board.
Have the class read the discussion posts and have a brief discussion of things that they find particularly interesting or surprising. This could be done in Zoom or as comments to the Canvas discussion.
Have an add-on discussion about skills they have developed, including ones not directly related to course content.
Create concept maps. Ask students to construct concept maps that represent the full range of the course material. In doing this, they will have to make choices about what is important enough to include and think about how to organize the material to facilitate making connections between different topics. You might ask students to make separate maps for factual knowledge and skills developed in the course. Students could draw concept maps by hand, then scan or photograph them for submission or sharing in class, or they could make use of the many online concept map construction tools .

Powerful Endings: Ideas from Faculty

Four faculty panelists joined us to share how they are engaging students in reflection about their learning, especially during the challenges of remote learning amidst a pandemic. Below is a summary of key ideas they shared; you can get their full accounts in the video of the session .

Alison Gash, Political Science

Self-reflection helps address how abnormal and uncertain remote learning is in the context of a pandemic. At the start of the term, my students identified three things we have discovered about themselves in the current situation that they didn’t know previously; three things they wish they could change about themselves; and three things they are doing for comfort and coping. They will do this same exercise at the end of the term and also note what they learned, where they are now, and what has been helpful for their learning in the remote environment.
One coping mechanism many students are using is baking and cooking. This has helped them make connections with others, including sharing their creations with those in need in the community. We are compiling a recipe book with our favorite recipes and including short stories and self-reflections, along with art work, and all students will have a copy to commemorate this strange time, to remember how they adjusted, and to serve as source of strength as they move forward.
I have also been hosting weekly check in meetings for students and former students, allowing them to connect and share, with occasional guests I bring to offer insights. I will continue to offer these weekly connection times beyond this term, providing a forum for ongoing reflection and connection.

Tom Hahn, Architecture

My students are completing their degree and will be entering the professional world after this term; they have much uncertainty about their prospects. We therefore have engaged often on how the current context is informing how design happens and gets communicated. At the beginning, students reflected on who they think they are, what they have learned thus far about professional design work, and what they are looking to learn during the last term. I will have them answer these same questions at the end of the term, including reflection on how they have changed and are different as a result of adapting their learning and professional preparation to a remote environment.
Another strategy I’ve used is to note previous economic downturns I have experienced and to model how I adapted and shifted my practice. We have then reflected on how development of remote work skills contributes positively to professional development, given that our field is increasingly global and involves remote connections. Students have reflected on the technology tools they are learning, their approaches to telling their stories and making their work convincing, and the ways they are learning to work with grace and competence while under fire.
In addition to weekly check in times during the term, we will end with a round table reflection session and use a white board to capture our learning experience and have some fun, too. I also began the term with a scavenger hunt – retrieving various architectural work virtually – and we’ll include a similar exercise in which students retrieve key moments of their learning this term and during their entire time at UO.

Nicola Barber, Biology

The last time I taught my Science, Policy, and Biology class, I started incorporating more self-evaluation and metacognition as a means to increase self-efficacy for my students and to really empower their own agency in the course. I started asking them to reflect and use the rubrics that I provide and that we grade with to incorporate their own grading of everything they submit. I also incorporated a weekly reflection. At the end of every week, once all the weekly assignments are due, I ask them to reflect on their performance on all the pieces, including the learning objectives, which include both skills and content. I also ask them to reflect on what things have gone well this week, what they were proud of learning this week, and what challenges they were facing and how they are planning to overcome them.
The weekly reflections build up to self-evaluative and self-reflective pieces on the final exam. Some of the prompts in the reflective pieces include: What are the things you learned? What did you learn about how you learn this quarter? What are you going to take from the course going forward? These parts of the exam are graded using rubrics that emphasize elements of writing, such as inclusion of a thesis statement, introduction and conclusion rather than the content, which allows students to write honestly.
One of the things I’m bringing in this quarter is a prompt asking students to reflect on how they met the challenges of learning remotely, but also in a pandemic. What will they take forward with them as students or in their careers and what have they gained from this crazy quarter?

Damian Radcliffe, Journalism and Communications

I am teaching three classes this term. In the Audio Storytelling and Podcasting course, students do weekly reflections and will finish the term by producing a three to four minute audio diary telling me about what they have learned during the course.
The second class is Journalism in New York/New York Experience, which normally culminates in a trip to New York to visit and talk with journalism professionals. This term New York has been coming to us via Zoom, and students will sum up the experience by putting together a tip sheet based around either a speaker or a particular organization or a thematic area we have explored. The idea is to bring together all of the threads from class in terms of online reading, learning, guest speakers and so forth, with the goal being a publishable piece of work. We’re trying to get them placed in the trade press to show that these students have been thinking really deeply about their craft during the course of this term.
Here is a link to Damian’s blog on Lessons learned: 9 takeaways from teaching online during COVID-19

View even more ideas from faculty at this Spotlight on Creative Instruction: Preparing Powerful Endings to Remote Courses

Powerful Endings: Insights from the UO Career Center Paul Timmins , Executive Director The National Association of Colleges and Employers has developed a list of eight competencies that employers are seeking – and the UO education helps students develop each of them. Obviously, courses each help students build certain competencies, but it seems to me that this Spring term, by virtue of being remote, helped students develop some of them in very powerful ways; I’m going to focus on three competencies in particular. As I work with students preparing for interviews or who are working on graduate school applications, I coach them to reflect on examples that will illustrate for prospective employers or graduate schools how they adapted and utilized the competencies they will need in the future. Three key competency areas include: Digital Technology – Used Zoom, Microsoft Teams. What other tools did your students use? They will be using these tools on the job. Some reflective questions that might help students think of examples: How did you use technology to improve the work that you did? What new etiquette or skills did you develop during the spring term? What barriers did the technology present, and how did you overcome them? Teamwork/collaboration – All work was done remote, and much communication was asynchronous Reflective questions: How did you build strong working relationships with students and faculty remotely? What conflicts arose and how did you deal with them? What successes did you achieve? Professionalism/Work Ethic – This was an unprecedented event for all of us and required new habits in order to work productively with others. Reflective questions: How did you need to adjust your time management skills to succeed this term? How did you demonstrate accountability to your classmates and professor in ways that were different than a normal “in-person” course? In what ways did you adjust your work this term with the interests of the larger community in mind? Students are going to be asked interview questions about the spring term, and about the summer for a long time. I want students to have an answer: How did they use the time? What did they learn?

Ambrose, S.A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovette, M.C., and Norman, M.K. (2011). How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching . (San Francisco: Jossey Bass).

O’Hare, M. (2018, January 2). What To Do On the Last Day of Class. Retrieved from https://teaching.berkeley.edu/news/what-do-last-day-class .

Lin, X. (2001). “Designing metacognitive activities.” Educational Technology Research and Development , 49(2): 23-39.

Nilson, L. B. (2013). Creating Self-Regulated Learners: Strategies to Strengthen Self-Awareness and Learning Skills . (Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing).

Tanner, K. B. (2012). Promoting Student Metacognition. CBE Life Sciences Education 11: 113-120.

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The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

How to Write a Student Course Reflection Paper

Steps in Writing a Reflection Paper

A reflective essay on a course is a personal reflection on how the course affected the student. Reflective essays analyze the course material theories, core concepts and ideas presented by the instructor and then summarizes the writer's feelings about the material. A reflective essay, like all essays, should include an introduction, a body and the conclusion.

Introduce the reader to the course with a summary of the material covered by the course. Describe the method of instruction and the major topics covered. Tell the reader why you took the course and what educational benefits you expected from the course.

Identify the theories and core concepts that were presented during the course. Explain each theory or concept in your own words to demonstrate your understanding of the material.

Describe your feelings about the theories and concepts presented in the course and then analyze them by applying the concepts and theories to real life experiences, if possible. Tell the reader about your feelings on the subject of the course, and describe how and why (or why not) your feelings about the subject, theories and core concepts changed or developed during the course.

Conclude the reflective paper with a summary of your feelings about the course material in the beginning of the course. Summarize your feelings after the course was completed. State how the course helped or did not help you.

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Examples of Reflective Writing

Types of reflective writing assignments.

A journal requires you to write weekly entries throughout a semester. May require you to base your reflection on course content.

A learning diary is similar to a journal, but may require group participation. The diary then becomes a place for you to communicate in writing with other group members.

A logbook is often used in disciplines based on experimental work, such as science. You note down or 'log' what you have done. A log gives you an accurate record of a process and helps you reflect on past actions and make better decisions for future actions.

A reflective note is often used in law. A reflective note encourages you to think about your personal reaction to a legal issue raised in a course.

An essay diary can take the form of an annotated bibliography (where you examine sources of evidence you might include in your essay) and a critique (where you reflect on your own writing and research processes).

a peer review usually involves students showing their work to their peers for feedback.

A self-assessment task requires you to comment on your own work.

Some examples of reflective writing

Social science fieldwork report (methods section), engineering design report, learning journal (weekly reflection).

Brookfield, S 1987, Developing critical thinkers: challenging adults to explore alternative ways of thinking and acting , Open University Press, Milton Keynes.

Mezirow, J 1990, Fostering critical reflection in adulthood: a guide to transformative and emancipatory learning , Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

Schön, DA 1987, Educating the reflective practitioner , Jossey-Bass. San Francisco.

We thank the students who permitted us to feature examples of their writing.

Prepared by Academic Skills, UNSW. This guide may be distributed or adapted for educational purposes. Full and proper acknowledgement is required.

Essay and assignment writing guide

Essay writing basics
Essay and assignment planning
Answering assignment questions
Editing checklist
Writing a critical review
Annotated bibliography
How do I write reflectively?
Examples of reflective writing
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Course Reflection Essay Examples

Reflecting on my english course journey, introduction, strengthening language proficiency, critical thinking and analysis, effective communication, cultural awareness and empathy, personal growth and self-expression, looking at literature as a mirror to society, the art of writing, reflecting on my entrepreneurship course journey, embracing risk and uncertainty, the lean startup methodology, creativity and innovation, networking and collaboration, market research and target market, resilience and perseverance.

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Class Reflection Essay Examples

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DartWrite Digital Portfolio Project

Dartmouth's home for digital writing portfolios

Course Portfolio & Reflection (Assignment Example)

Nick Van Kley asks his writing 2/3 and 5 students to complete a holistic reflection on the term as their last meaningful engagement with the course. This reflections draw on and cite the material that students curate in their digital portfolio throughout the term. Here, the portfolio is an inward-looking space for reflection on learning.

Nick shares his portfolio assignment:

In this course, you will develop new strategies, explored new contexts, and created new knowledge. You will also re-used and adapt old knowledge and familiar strategies. All of this work will take place within multiple collaborative environments. You will work with your peers, with librarians, with RWIT tutors, and with me. And you will be encouraged to write about those experiences in informal reflective assignments throughout the term.

The end of the term affords you the chance to synthesize work and to gain a clearer perspective on your learning and your development as a writer. To this end, you'll assemble a course portfolio and reflect on that portfolio in writing.

You'll create a portfolio website early in the term, add to it it periodically during the term, and finalize it during finals period.

Creating Your Portfolio

You will build your portfolio using WordPress, an open-source Content Management System (in other words, a system you can use to build your own website). In fact, you already have a site; Dartmouth's DartWrite project created one for you before you arrived on campus. To access it and explore, visit journeys.dartmouth.edu and login.

You can also find information about the DartWrite project, as well as guidance on using WordPress: https://writing-speech.dartmouth.edu/dartwrite.

Organizing Your Portfolio

Your portfolio will come pre-loaded with several sections; I'll ask you to interact with four of them.

Homepage: About Me. Your homepage should be a short, informational page that explains who you are as a student/writer. It should also explain the purpose of your site. Include images or media if you choose, and ensure your homepage includes working menus that direct visitors to the rest of your site.

Pre-College: If you haven't already, please upload a piece of writing you created before you came to Dartmouth. I'd love to read it and have a brief conversation about it with you at the start of term. My colleagues and I believe that it's crucial you build on the skills and knowledge you developed before you arrived. And recording evidence of that is an important step in that process.

First Course . This section will include your Portfolio Reflection. Note: You should write this piece last. Find directions for writing it below. Under this menu item, you should also link to Projects 1, 2, and 3.

Second Course : You can leave this section alone this term. You'll have a chance to take it up in your First-Year Seminar.

Reflection: You will use this page frequently this term during in-class reflection activities.

Drafting the Reflection - Writing Knowledge and Strategies

Review the feedback you received in this course; read what your peers said about your work and the feedback you received from me on Projects 1 and 2 and on the early draft of Project 3. Take a moment to think about what they say about your learning this term. Then, make a list of the writing knowledge and strategies your work in the term helped you create, revise, or formalize . This list might cover drafting processes that you plan to use in the future, definitions of written genres, theories of communication, or a host of other topics.

Then, choose a piece of writing knowledge or a strategy from that list, and examine the projects in your portfolio and the reflective posts you’ve completed during the term for evidence that you made use of it.

In a single area of the Portfolio website, record your list and, below that, write a ~900 word essay making the case that your chosen idea or strategy productively informed at least one piece of work in the course, citing evidence from the projects, feedback, or reflective posts. Think of these as your archive, the place you would find evidence to support claims about your learning process.

Sharing the Portfolio

I'll ask you to upload your portfolio URL to this assignment page at any time before the end of the class. If you adopt password protection to make some parts of your site more private, please submit that password as a comment to this assignment once you've submitted your URL. [note that you have to be viewing your site rather than editing it to get a clean URL.]

Reflective Essay: Introduction, Structure, Topics, Examples For University

Table of Contents

If you’re not quite sure how to go about writing reflective essays, they can be a real stumbling block. Reflective essays are essentially a critical examination of a life experience, and with the right guidance, they don’t have to be too difficult to write. As with other essays, a reflective essay needs to be well structured and easily understood, but its content is more like a diary entry.

This guide discusses how to write a successful reflective essay, including what makes a great structure and some tips on the writing process. To make this guide the ultimate guide for anyone who needs help with reflective essays, we’ve included an example reflective essay as well.

Reflective Essay

Reflective essays require students to examine their life experiences, especially those which left an impact.

The purpose of writing a reflective essay is to challenge students to think deeply and to learn from their experiences. This is done by describing their thoughts and feelings regarding a certain experience and analyzing its impact.

Reflective essays are a unique form of academic writing that encourages introspection and self-analysis. They provide an opportunity for individuals to reflect upon their experiences, thoughts, and emotions, and effectively communicate their insights. In this article, we will explore the essential components of a reflective essay, discuss popular topics, provide guidance on how to start and structure the essay, and offer examples to inspire your writing.

I. Understanding Reflective Essays:

Definition and purpose of reflective essays
Key characteristics that distinguish them from other types of essays
Benefits of writing reflective essays for personal growth and development

II. Choosing a Reflective Essay Topic:

Exploring personal experiences and their impact
Analyzing significant life events or milestones
Examining challenges, successes, or failures and lessons learned
Reflecting on personal growth and transformation
Discussing the impact of specific books, movies, or artworks
Analyzing the influence of cultural or social experiences
Reflecting on internships, volunteer work, or professional experiences

III. Starting a Reflective Essay:

Engage the reader with a captivating hook or anecdote
Introduce the topic and provide context
Clearly state the purpose and objectives of the reflection
Include a thesis statement that highlights the main insights to be discussed

IV. Writing a Reflective Essay on a Class:

Assessing the overall learning experience and objectives of the class
Analyzing personal growth and development throughout the course
Reflecting on challenges, achievements, and lessons learned
Discussing the impact of specific assignments, projects, or discussions
Evaluating the effectiveness of teaching methods and materials

V. Common Mistakes to Avoid in Reflective Essay Writing:

Superficial reflection without deep analysis
Overuse of personal opinions without supporting evidence
Lack of organization and coherence in presenting ideas
Neglecting to connect personal experiences to broader concepts or theories
Failing to provide specific examples to illustrate key points

VI. Why “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell is Classified as a Reflective Essay:

Briefly summarize the essay’s content and context
Analyze the introspective and self-analytical elements in Orwell’s narrative
Discuss the themes of moral conflict, imperialism, and personal conscience
Highlight Orwell’s reflections on the psychological and emotional impact of his actions

VII. Reflective Essay Structure:

Engaging opening statement or anecdote
Background information and context
Clear thesis statement
Present and analyze personal experiences, thoughts, and emotions
Reflect on the significance and impact of those experiences
Connect personal reflections to broader concepts or theories
Provide supporting evidence and specific examples
Summarize key insights and reflections
Emphasize the personal growth or lessons learned
Conclude with a thought-provoking statement or call to action

VIII. Reflective Essay Examples:

Example 1: Reflecting on a life-changing travel experience
Example 2: Analyzing personal growth during a challenging academic year
Example 3: Reflecting on the impact of volunteering at a local shelter

During a reflective essay, the writer examines his or her own experiences, hence the term ‘reflection’. The purpose of a reflective essay is to allow the author to recount a particular life experience. However, it should also explore how he or she has changed or grown as a result of the experience.

The format of reflective writing can vary, but you’ll most likely see it in the form of a learning log or diary entry. The author’s diary entries demonstrate how the author’s thoughts have developed and evolved over the course of a particular period of time.

The format of a reflective essay can vary depending on the intended audience. A reflective essay might be academic or part of a broader piece of writing for a magazine, for example.

While the format for class assignments may vary, the purpose generally remains the same: tutors want students to think deeply and critically about a particular learning experience. Here are some examples of reflective essay formats you may need to write:

Focusing on personal growth:

Tutors often use this type of paper to help students develop their ability to analyze their personal life experiences so that they can grow and develop emotionally. As a result of the essay, the student gains a better understanding of themselves and their behaviors.

Taking a closer look at the literature:

The purpose of this type of essay is for students to summarize the literature, after which it is applied to their own experiences.

What am I supposed to write about?

When deciding on the content of your reflective essay, you need to keep in mind that it is highly personal and is intended to engage the reader. Reflective essays are much more than just recounting a story. As you reflect on your experience (more on this later), you will need to demonstrate how it influenced your subsequent behavior and how your life has consequently changed.

Start by thinking about some important experiences in your life that have had a profound impact on you, either positively or negatively. A reflection essay topic could be a real-life experience, an imagined experience, a special object or place, a person who influenced you, or something you’ve seen or read.

If you are asked to write a reflective essay for an academic assignment, it is likely that you will be asked to focus on a particular episode – such as a time when you had to make an influential decision – and explain the results. In a reflective essay, the aftermath of the experience is especially significant; miss this out and you will simply be telling a story.

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Considerations

In this type of essay, the reflective process is at the core, so it’s important that you get it right from the beginning. Think deeply about how the experience you have chosen to focus on impacted or changed you. Consider the implications for you on a personal level based on your memories and feelings.

Once you have chosen the topic of your essay, it is imperative that you spend a lot of time thinking about it and studying it thoroughly. Write down everything you remember about it, describing it as clearly and completely as you can. Use your five senses to describe your experience, and be sure to use adjectives. During this stage, you can simply take notes using short phrases, but make sure to record your reactions, perceptions, and experiences.

As soon as you’ve emptied your memory, you should begin reflecting. Choosing some reflection questions that will help you think deeply about the impact and lasting effects of your experience is a helpful way to do this. Here are some suggestions:

As a result of the experience, what have you learned about yourself?
What have you developed as a result? How?
Has it had a positive or negative impact on your life?
Looking back, what would you do differently?
If you could go back, what would you do differently? Did you make the right decisions?
How would you describe the experience in general? What did you learn from the experience? What skills or perspectives did you acquire?

You can use these signpost questions to kick-start your reflective process. Remember that asking yourself lots of questions is crucial to ensuring that you think deeply and critically about your experiences – a skill at the heart of a great reflective essay.

Use models of reflection (like the Gibbs or Kolb cycles) before, during, and after the learning process to ensure that you maintain a high standard of analysis. Before you get to the nitty-gritty of the process, consider questions such as: what might happen (in regards to the experience)?

Will there be any challenges? What knowledge will be needed to best prepare? When you are planning and writing, these questions may be helpful: what is happening within the learning process? Has everything worked according to plan? How am I handling the challenges that come with it?

Do you need to do anything else to ensure that the learning process is successful? Is there anything I can learn from this? Using a framework like this will enable you to keep track of the reflective process that should guide your work.

Here’s a useful tip: no matter how well prepared you feel with all that time spent reflecting in your arsenal, don’t start writing your essay until you have developed a comprehensive, well-rounded plan. There will be so much more coherence in what you write, your ideas will be expressed with structure and clarity, and your essay will probably receive higher marks as a result.

It’s especially important when writing a reflective essay as it’s possible for people to get a little ‘lost’ or disorganized as they recount their own experiences in an erratic and often unsystematic manner since it’s an incredibly personal topic. But if you outline thoroughly (this is the same thing as a ‘plan’) and adhere to it like Christopher Columbus adhered to a map, you should be fine as you embark on the ultimate step of writing your essay. We’ve summarized the benefits of creating a detailed essay outline below if you’re still not convinced of the value of planning:

An outline can help you identify all the details you plan to include in your essay, allowing you to remove all superfluous details so that your essay is concise and to the point.

Think of the outline as a map – you plan in advance which points you will navigate through and discuss in your writing. You will more likely have a clear line of thought, making your work easier to understand. You’ll be less likely to miss out on any pertinent details, and you won’t have to go back at the end and try to fit them in.

This is a real-time-saver! When you use the outline as an essay’s skeleton, you’ll save a tremendous amount of time when writing because you’ll know exactly what you want to say. Due to this, you will be able to devote more time to editing the paper and ensuring it meets high standards.

As you now know the advantages of using an outline for your reflective essay, it is important that you know how to create one. There can be significant differences between it and other typical essay outlines, mostly due to the varying topics. As always, you need to begin your outline by drafting the introduction, body, and conclusion. We will discuss this in more detail below.

Introduction

Your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The goal of a ‘hook’ is to capture the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning. In the first paragraph of your story, you should convey the exciting aspects of your story so that you can succeed in

If you think about the opening quote of this article, did it grab your attention and make you want to read more? This thesis statement summarizes the essay’s focus, which in this case is a particular experience that left a lasting impression on you. Give a quick overview of your experience – don’t give too much information away or you’ll lose readers’ interest.

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Reflection Essay Structure

A reflective essay differs greatly from an argumentative or research paper in its format. Reflective essays are more like well-structured stories or diary entries that are rife with insights and reflections. Your essay may need to be formatted according to the APA style or MLA style.

In general, the length of a reflection paper varies between 300 and 700 words, but it is a good idea to check with your instructor or employer about the word count. Even though this is an essay about you, you should try to avoid using too much informal language.

The following shortcuts can help you format your paper according to APA or MLA style if your instructor asks:

MLA Format for Reflective Essay

Times New Roman 12 pt font double spaced;
1” margins;
The top right includes the last name and page number on every page;
Titles are centered;
The header should include your name, your professor’s name, course number, and the date (dd/mm/yy);
The last page contains a Works Cited list.

Reflective Essay in APA Style

Include a page header on the top of every page;
Insert page number on the right;
Your reflective essay should be divided into four parts: Title Page, Abstract, Main Body, and References.

Reflective Essay Outline

Look at your brainstorming table to start organizing your reflective essay. ‘Past experience’ and ‘description’ should make up less than 10% of your essay.

You should include the following in your introduction:

Grab the reader’s attention with a short preview of what you’ll be writing about.

Example: We found Buffy head-to-toe covered in tar, starved and fur in patches, under an abandoned garbage truck.

It is important to include ‘past experiences’ in a reflective essay thesis statement; a brief description of what the essay is about.

Example: My summer volunteering experience at the animal shelter inspired me to pursue this type of work in the future.

Chronological events are the best way to explain the structure of body paragraphs. Respond to the bold questions in the ‘reflection’ section of the table to create a linear storyline.

Here’s an example of what the body paragraph outline should look like:

Explicit expectations about the shelter

Example: I thought it was going to be boring and mundane.

The first impression
Experience at the shelter

Example: Finding and rescuing Buffy.

Other experiences with rescuing animals
Discoveries

Example: Newly found passion and feelings toward the work.

A newly developed mindset

Example: How your thoughts about animal treatment have changed.

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Here’s How You Can Submit a Well-Written Reflective Essay for University

Even though writing a reflective essay may seem difficult at first, once you have a clear idea of what you will write and more importantly, how to write, it often gets easier as you go along. Here are five key writing tips to keep in mind when writing a reflective essay.

Choosing a Topic for Reflection

As a busy student, when was the last time you drowned yourself in thoughts and reflected on past experiences? Here is an assignment that intentionally puts you in that position.

Think about all of the experiences which have shaped you – a life-changing event, an interaction with someone you admire, a movie character that appealed to you, a book that gave you perspective, or any other experience which contributed to your character or thought process.

You should choose a topic that will help you reflect on your growth as an individual. Start brainstorming and record every idea that comes to mind.

Organize your thoughts in a mind map

The next step is to create a mind map to help you organize your essay once you have a rough idea of what you want to write.

You can use your mind map to quiz yourself by asking questions of relevance and putting together perspectives for your essay.

The purpose of this exercise is to give you an idea of what you want your essay to be about. It is important to keep pushing yourself to think more deeply and find meaning in your experiences in order to create a successful reflective essay.

From becoming a Writer Today, here are some tips on using mind maps to write better and faster

Start Freewriting

Sometimes, all you have to do is start writing. Essentially, that’s what freewriting is all about.

After brainstorming, creating a mind map, and organizing your thoughts, open a blank document and start writing. Do not stop to think or to edit – just write as your thoughts come to you.

The best part of freewriting is that it results in a steady flow of ideas you may not have thought of otherwise.

In other words, whether or not you’re motivated to write or are constantly second-guessing your ideas, it helps to let your ideas guide you and put them down on paper.

Structure the Essay

It’s time to put your ideas and thoughts into words and give them a proper structure. A reflective essay should have the following parts:

You should begin your essay with a hook to grab the reader’s attention. While setting the tone for the rest of the essay, your thesis statement should introduce the past experience you will be reflecting on;

In this section, you will elaborate on the experience and its significance, as well as its impact on your life. Avoid rambling on and on about the experience for readers to want to read more of your essay, you need to use your storytelling skills. If you can, use examples to strengthen your narrative;

A summary of your reflections is provided in the concluding paragraph. In your essay, you should describe how the experience shaped your life and how you intend to take your learnings and apply them.

Proofread, Proofread and Proofread

Be sure to proofread your reflective essay before submitting it. Before finalizing it, you need to do thorough proofreading. You will be surprised to see how many silly mistakes are made in the first draft.

Be on the lookout for grammatical, spelling, and sentence formation mistakes. Make sure your essay flows well and avoids plagiarism. If you want a fresh set of eyes on your essay, have a family member or friend read it too.

Reflective Essay Topics

Many students find choosing the right topic for a reflective essay difficult. Writing a reflective essay requires creativity and strong writing skills to express your emotions.

Reflective essays can be inspired by nature, places, relationships, and events. Here are some tips that will help you choose the right essay topic.

Decide on a topic idea for your reflective essay that you are familiar with. You will find it easier to write an essay about a topic you are interested in. Never choose a topic that is new to you. This makes the writing phase difficult.
Research your topic: Try to recollect minor details about it. Remember all the things that are related to your topic, and include them in your essay. Take notes about your topic.
Pick a topic that you can explain from a unique viewpoint: Choose a topic that you can explain from a different perspective. Writing something unique that demonstrates your personality in an interesting way is a good technique. Share a memorable and meaningful experience from your life.

Topics for Reflective Essays for Middle School Students

Essay topics can be difficult to choose for some students. The following list of topics can be classified according to grade level. Pick from them and make topic selection easier.

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 7

Taking a trip
To go scuba diving
Within your hometown
Was something you were proud of
Even when you were lost
To your favorite cartoon
During that time you lied
When you were hunting
Did your family play an important role in your life?
Spending time outdoors

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 8

Running in the outdoors
While picking berries
Will be your biggest loss
Who is your biggest inspiration?
What is your greatest fear?
Tell me about your most exciting moment.
What is your least favorite course?
When you go on a date
To a birthday party
Which is your favorite online space?

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 9

A new school
Makes me think about the future.
You participated in or watched a sporting event.
You moved to a new city.
You had an unforgettable dream.
You were running and hunting.
You cannot forget that dream.
It was your childhood home.
Watching the sunrise
An award ceremony

Topics for Reflective Essays in Grade 10

Defending someone in a situation
While playing with friends
It was a memorable dream
About lying and hiding
The most recent meal
While getting lost in the dark
As an intern at a hospital
Or when someone’s life inspired you to change your own
Challenges as a college freshman
By participating in sports

Topics for Reflective Essays for College Students

For college students, the most difficult part of writing a reflective essay is choosing a topic. Some students are better at choosing the essay topic than others, but some will get stuck in this phase.

Here are some excellent reflective essay topics for college students for your convenience. Choose one and write a well-written essay.

First time writing a thesis statement
Your favorite video game
The impact of social media on students
A place you always try to avoid
What was the best birthday memory you had?
What is your favorite restaurant?
The moment when you were proud of yourself
The bravest moment of your life
The most beautiful thing you have ever seen
A time you were embarrassed

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Topics for Reflective Essays for High School Students

The choice of a topic for a reflective essay can be confusing for high school students. Your topic should be engaging and you should be able to explain your personal experience easily. Here is a list of good topics for high school students; choose something from the list for your essay.

Shop at your favorite outlet store
To relive your favorite childhood memory
Of the most memorable holiday
That scared you?
That’s when you met your best friend
And what you love about yourself
Is playing with friends.
What’s your favorite book?
I loved playing in the mud as a kid.
Having to move to a new town or city

Topics for Reflective Essays about Places

Reflective essays should be based on strong emotions and memories. You could write an essay about a day spent at your favorite café, favorite restaurant, etc.

It is easy to write a reflective essay about a place where you have really good memories. Here are some topic ideas that you can use and write an essay on.

Your grandparents’ house
A skating rink
A place where you feel safe
A favorite vacation spot
A popular lunch spot
On your first day at the circus
The mall or your favorite store
Your first trip abroad
Best park in your town
Your most memorable adventure

Topics for Reflective Essays about Events

A good way to grab the reader’s attention is to write about any event. Your essay can be about a birthday party, a farewell, or any other event that you have enough information about.

If you are writing a reflective essay about an event, include vivid details. Here are some interesting topics for reflection essays, choose one and write a good essay.

Unexpected gift
To travel on vacation
While you were lost
The first time you voted
On your trip to the zoo
When you got a new job
It was one of your most memorable trips
During the holiday season
When you moved to a new city
Or when you swam fishing

Topics for Reflective Essays on Nature

A reflective essay should provide the reader with a deeper and more meaningful experience. In addition to making your writing process more interesting, writing about nature also stimulates your imagination.

The following are some good reflective essay topics about nature:

Mountain climbing
Ocean diving
Hiking in the woods
Climbing rocks
And watching the sunset
While running in the forest.
Spending quality time with your pet.
Taking a hike in the woods
And going swimming
While watching animals at a zoo

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Topics for reflection on relationships

As relationships are filled with strong emotions, writing a reflective essay about them means expressing those emotions. The following are some good reflective essay topics about relationships:

A wonderful family reunion
When you spoke publicly for the first time
What friendship means to me
When you were punished by your parents
During a family reunion
When you apologized
For a time you spent with friends without parental supervision
Tell me about your relationship with a family member
An angry conversation
Or a genuinely funny laugh

Some reflective essay topics are the same as some of the questions you may ask in a job interview.

Examples of Reflective Essay

Check out some examples for inspiration now that you know what it takes to write a reflective essay.

An Example of a Reflective Essay on “My Little Brother”

Essay example reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling, written at a middle or high school level.

“There have been many life-changing experiences in my short life. Every new experience has been the first experience at one point in time. For good or for bad, each event altered the course of my life. But, the most transformative event was the birth of my youngest brother.”.

Joel is someone my parents often refer to as a happy accident. My mother became pregnant when I was 13 and my other brother, Jake, was 10. We were what you would call a well-rounded family of four. In almost every way, we fit the ideal classification. My youngest brother’s striking blue eyes were the moment when we realized what we were missing.

Honestly, I resented having another sibling. It wasn’t necessary to add to our family, and my mother, already 38 at the time, was considered high risk because of her age. A pregnancy full of complications sent my life on a rollercoaster-like ride that my 13-year-old mind could not comprehend. Now I can see how forging through those loops helped me cope with the unforeseen challenges of life.

My mother took me to the hospital instead of my father on the day Joel was born. I was the next best alternative because Jake and my father were both feverish; it wasn’t a planned move. With each contraction, I gained a new appreciation for just how strong and powerful a woman could be at her weakest. Through holding her hand and feeding her ice chips, I gained a connection with my mother that I didn’t realize we lacked.

Almost simultaneously, my new baby brother entered this world. One doesn’t realize how much you need something until it’s sitting in your lap. Secondly, my life after this moment would never be the same the moment he curled his chubby little finger around mine, I understood the meaning of the words “happy accident.”.y.

Life has given me many experiences that have shaped me as a person. But, nothing so profoundly changed my views and outlook on life as the birth of my youngest brother. Joel’s arrival was a life-altering event that caused me to see the world through new eyes.”

Assignment Writing Purposes You Need to Know

Reflective Essay Example for “ Reading My Favorite Book”

This reflective essay example about a favorite book is something you might find at the middle or high school level.

When it comes to books, I don’t understand the appeal. Every time I was given an assignment, I would read one after another, not understanding what all the fuss was about. Nevertheless, the moment I read Pride and Prejudice, it was as if my literary eyes were opened for the first time. It stirred love within me for classics I didn’t realize could exist.

When I was first given the assignment of reading Pride and Prejudice, like many of my friends, I scoffed. With an eye roll, I internally calculated how much time I would have to read the book and write a report. I sighed at the loss of time with my friends for a stupid classic.

Cracking open the cover, I was determined to hate it before even reading the first words. By the time I reached page 3, I nearly stopped reading. But there was something about Elizabeth Bennet that quietly piqued my interest. I can’t say where, but somewhere along the way, my eyes devoured the pages instead of trudging along.

The moment I reached the end, I was ecstatic and disappointed at the same time. Their ending had been perfect, but I realized I would miss them. Not just them, but I would also miss being a part of their world.

It was the first time the characters of a story had affected me this way, so I tried to shake it off. However, after several days, that sadness carried me to the classics section of the school library. The moment I cracked open my next classic, my soul instantly felt more at ease, and I’ve never looked back.

I never thought I’d say a book changed me, but in this case, it’s true. The love I found in Pride and Prejudice introduced me to a beautiful world of classic literature I can’t imagine living without. Despite not reading Pride and Prejudice for a while, it will always be my favorite book.

In the conclusion of your reflective essay, you should focus on bringing your piece together. This will include providing a summary of both the points made throughout and what you have learned as a result. Try to include a few points on why and how your attitudes and behaviors have been changed.

Consider also how your character and skills have been affected, for example: what conclusions can be drawn about your problem-solving skills? What can be concluded about your approach to specific situations? What might you do differently in similar situations in the future? What steps have you taken to consolidate everything that you have learned from your experience?

Keep in mind that your tutor will be looking out for evidence of reflection at a very high standard.

Congratulations – you now have the tools to create a thorough and accurate plan which should put you in good stead for the ultimate phase indeed of any essay, the writing process.

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How do you start off a reflective essay?

As is the case with all essays, your reflective essay must begin with an introduction that contains both a hook and a thesis statement. The point of having a ‘hook’ is to grab the attention of your audience or reader from the very beginning.

Can you say I in a reflective essay?

In your reflective essay, you should use the first person with terms like I, me, my, and mine. The essay is an account of something that actually happened to you as well as your thoughts on the event.

What is an example of a reflection?

Common examples include the reflection of light, sound, and water waves. The law of reflection says that for specular reflection the angle at which the wave is incident on the surface equals the angle at which it is reflected. Mirrors exhibit specular reflection.

How do you start the first paragraph of a reflective essay?

Describe the subject matter of the paper in more detail. Include one or two sentences after the first sentence in which you describe the basic features of whatever topic you will be discussing in your essay. Describe them in terms of your feelings, and how you felt and experienced whatever you are discussing.

How many paragraphs should a reflective essay have?

The number of paragraphs depends on the requested essay length. However, it is recommended to write at least three paragraphs in this part. In the body, present your main points, arguments, and examples. This is the part of an essay where you express all your main ideas, develop them, and express your feelings and emotions.

What are the three parts of a reflective essay?

However, some major elements go into a typical reflective essay: introduction, body, and conclusion.

How Do You Write A Reflective Essay?

To write a reflective essay, follow these steps:

Choose a topic: Select a specific event, experience, or concept that you want to reflect upon.
Brainstorm and outline: Reflect on your chosen topic and jot down key points, thoughts, and emotions associated with it. Create an outline to organize your ideas.
Introduction: Begin with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. Provide background information and context related to the topic. End the introduction with a clear thesis statement that expresses the main insights or lessons you will discuss.
Body paragraphs: Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or experience related to your topic. Reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and observations, and support them with specific examples or evidence. Analyze the significance and impact of these experiences.
Use reflection techniques: Incorporate reflection techniques such as asking yourself questions, exploring the “why” behind your thoughts and emotions, and connecting your experiences to broader concepts or theories.
Conclusion: Summarize your key insights and reflections from the essay. Emphasize personal growth, lessons learned, or changes in perspective. Leave the reader with a thought-provoking statement or a call to action.

Which Of These Best Describes A Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is best described as a type of academic or personal writing that allows individuals to examine and reflect upon their experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It involves introspection, self-analysis, and the exploration of lessons learned or personal growth. Reflective essays provide a platform for individuals to communicate their insights and understanding of a particular event, concept, or life experience.

What Is A Reflective Essay And Examples?

A reflective essay is a form of writing where individuals express their thoughts, feelings, and observations about a specific experience, event, or topic. It goes beyond simply describing the experience and delves into analyzing the impact, significance, and lessons learned. Reflective essays encourage self-reflection and introspection, allowing writers to gain deeper understanding and insight.

Examples of reflective essay topics include:

Reflecting on a life-changing travel experience and its impact on personal growth.
Analyzing the challenges and successes encountered during a group project and the lessons learned.
Reflecting on the influence of a particular book, film, or artwork and its effect on personal perspectives.
Examining the role of personal values and beliefs in decision-making processes.

What Are The Parts Of A Typical Reflective Essay?

A typical reflective essay consists of the following parts:

Introduction: It provides an engaging hook, background information, and context for the topic. The introduction ends with a clear thesis statement that states the main insights or lessons to be discussed.
Body paragraphs: Each paragraph focuses on a specific aspect or experience related to the topic. Writers reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and observations, supporting them with examples or evidence. They analyze the significance and impact of these experiences and connect them to broader concepts or theories.
Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the key insights and reflections from the essay. It emphasizes personal growth, lessons learned, or changes in perspective. A thought-provoking statement or a call to action is often included to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

What Is A Goal Of The Introduction In A Reflective Essay?

The goal of the introduction in a reflective essay is to capture the reader’s attention and provide them with the necessary background information and context related to the topic. It should set the stage for the reflective journey that follows. The introduction concludes with a clear thesis statement that outlines the main insights or lessons the writer will discuss in the essay. It acts as a roadmap, guiding the reader through the writer’s reflections.

What Idea Would Most Likely Make The Best Reflective Essay?

The best idea for a reflective essay is a topic that holds personal significance and offers opportunities for introspection and deep reflection. An idea that involves a transformative experience, a significant life event, or a challenging situation often makes for a compelling reflective essay. It should be something that evokes strong emotions, prompts critical thinking, and allows for self-analysis. The best reflective essays are those that offer meaningful insights, growth, or lessons learned.

What Makes A Good Reflective Essay?

A good reflective essay possesses several key qualities:

Authenticity: It reflects the writer’s genuine thoughts, emotions, and observations.
Depth of reflection: It goes beyond surface-level descriptions and delves into meaningful analysis, exploring the “why” behind the experiences.
Coherence and organization: The essay is well-structured, with clear paragraphs and logical flow of ideas.
Use of specific examples: It supports reflections with specific examples, evidence, or anecdotes to enhance understanding and engagement.
Connection to broader concepts or theories: It links personal experiences to broader concepts, theories, or societal issues to demonstrate critical thinking and understanding.
Insight and personal growth: The essay offers meaningful insights, lessons learned, or personal growth as a result of the reflection.

By incorporating these elements, a good reflective essay effectively communicates the writer’s introspection and provides a thought-provoking reading experience.

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End of Course Reflection

End of Course Reflection - Essay Example

Subject: English
Type: Essay
Level: Undergraduate
Pages: 1 (250 words)
Downloads: 31
Author: ilenebergnaum

Extract of sample "End of Course Reflection"

End Of Reflection When I commenced learning this course I had little knowledge concerning how technology and innovation have influenced the current world. However, I had so much expectation on the learning outcomes that I would gain as a result of pursuing the course. Interacting with my instructors and fellow colleagues has been awesome since I was able to create new links with people that have greatly influenced my life and knowledge wise (Williamson, 2014). The group discussions have been interesting even though seldom tasks would be difficult with strict deadlines; we managed to complete them in time an aspect that taught me the importance of punctuality and meeting work deadlines (Harvard and Hodkinson, 2004).

I also learnt time management skills from the assignment deadlines and now I believe I am a better person than I was to join the corporate world.Conversely, the course was well structured as it included all aspects of learning that allowed as students to captivate knowledge and skills to mold our psychology as we go out to the job market (Harvard and Hodkinson, 2004). Personally, I have been elevated by the course since most of the stuff that I previously did not have interest in are currently my new passion.

The course has modeled me in all aspects; educationally, socially and morally, thus I am in a better position to solve the current problems in the field and the world since the skills that I possess are enough to enable me come up with a formidable solutions to the current problems in the field. Finally, the course presented a challenge through its objectives, thus we as students had the obligation to satisfy the general goals of the course; I am glad that I have satisfactorily met a significant amount of the course responsibility and hope the knowledge will be of great importance in the practical field (Williamson, 2014).

ReferencesHarvard, G. R., & Hodkinson, P. (2004). Action and reflection in teacher education. Norwood, N.J: Ablex Pub. Corp.Williamson, M. (2014). A return to love: Reflections on the Principles of a course in miracles. S.l.: Harper One.

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Home › Stories › End-of-Semester Reflection: A Tool to Improve Future Courses

End-of-Semester Reflection: A Tool to Improve Future Courses

By Kathryn Trentadue

As the semester draws to a close, the final burst of busyness will soon give way to the relative calm of summer. While taking some time to relax is certainly important, the end of the semester also offers an excellent opportunity to reflect on how the semester has gone. As we continue to learn from our teaching experiences, taking some time to consider the highs and lows of the previous semester and adapt our future plans based on the lessons learned can offer noticeable improvements to our future teaching. We recommend three steps for efficiently evaluating your own teaching and planning future courses based on the feedback you’ve received.

Assemble Feedback

The most important starting point is to collect the information that you acquired over the course of the semester. This can consist of any source of feedback, explicit or implicit, that you received from the class. Some examples of items to consider include:

Mid-semester and end-of-semester student surveys or CIFs
Any teaching evaluation you received during the semester
Student performance/grades/progress towards learning objectives
Any notes or reflections you recorded during the semester about what did (or didn’t) work well

Analyze Feedback

With your course artifacts assembled, you can begin to draw relevant lessons from within the information you’ve received. While individual student comments on surveys may or may not be helpful, look for any patterns which emerge. Some helpful questions to consider when assessing how your course went include:

How well did your students meet your stated learning objectives? Which areas did they succeed in, and where did they struggle?
Which components of your course engaged students most effectively ? Do these areas correspond to sections where students performed well, or is there a disconnect between student learning and student engagement?
Did you adapt course elements after evaluations? How did you address student concerns between mid-semester and end-of-semester evaluations?
Are there any overall themes which emerge from your student comments or teaching evaluations which you feel need to be addressed?

Adapt Future Plans

Once you have analyzed your course artifacts to determine what went well and what could be improved upon, consider how to adapt your future teaching. Perhaps you’re teaching the same course again in the future, in which case you might revise your course materials based on areas that students have encountered difficulties. Or perhaps you won’t be teaching this course again, so feedback about your teaching style is more relevant to consider. Some ways to approach this revision process include :

Revisit learning goals and ensure your class activities and assessments align with those goals.
Revise teaching approaches in areas where students have struggled . Consider allocating more time or adjusting your methodology for those sections.
Brainstorm ways to increase student engagement , especially in areas where students have struggled.
Consider building flexibility into your course design to allow for adaptation based on feedback from students.
Compile clear notes for yourself so that you can incorporate what you’ve learned into your future teaching!

By taking time to self-assess, we can learn from our teaching experiences and continue to hone our pedagogical techniques. The simple act of reflecting on areas that went well and areas that may require adaptation can pay dividends for the teaching of future courses. If you are interested in discussing ways to improve future courses based on feedback you’ve received, consider scheduling a consultation with the Kaneb center today!

Resources for Further Reading:

Spotlight on Teaching and Learning: Reflective Teaching | Center for Teaching & Learning (berkeley.edu)

Reflective Teaching | Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning (yale.edu)

Becoming a Critically Reflective Teacher (2017), Stephen Brookfield

Reflective Teaching Model (emu.edu)

End-of-Semester Reflection (academyart.com)

End of Semester Teaching Reflection Activities.pdf (unl.edu)

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Course Reflection: Essay Introduction. The chosen course proved a positive experience for students due to the achievement of an appropriate study atmosphere and the establishment of beneficial student-teacher relationships. Attaining the study group's confidence permitted instituting a functional feedback mechanism, which allowed those in ...
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Final Reflective Essay. At the beginning of the course, I was new to college writing. My writing skills were not bad, but they needed some fine tuning. A lot of the skills I have translated over easily from high school, but some did not. I was always good at getting information and laying down a foundation.
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Never write the whole essay at once. Space out the time slots when you work on your reflection paper to at least a day apart. This will allow your brain to generate new thoughts and reflections. Short and Sweet - Most reflection papers are between 250 and 750 words. Don't go off on tangents.
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End of the Semester Reflection Essay: Reviewing all of the Knowledge I Acquired In This Course May 16, ... The textbook provided a lot of examples and information that helped me come up with many ideas whenever I got stuck on a assignment. Even when I wasn't puzzled, I still saw myself going back and reading the book because it was still a ...
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Lastly, I am now writing this reflection essay and working on my video and portfolio for Project #3, Portfolio and Reflection. As this course comes to an end, I have realized that I do not work well under pressure or a small time frame. I will realistically not take another seven week course after taking this one because I know I need more time.
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Reflection and Metacognition. A key purpose for designing moments of reflection in a course is to help students develop their metacognition and capacity for self-directed learning. Metacognition refers to the ability to "understand and monitor one's own thoughts and the assumptions and implication of one's activities" (Lin 2001, 23).
How to Write a Student Course Reflection Paper
A reflective essay on a course is a personal reflection on how the course affected the student. Reflective essays analyze the course material theories, core concepts and ideas presented by the instructor and then summarizes the writer's feelings about the material. A reflective essay, like all essays, should include an introduction, a body and ...
Examples of Reflective Writing
A reflective note encourages you to think about your personal reaction to a legal issue raised in a course. An essay diary can take the form of an annotated bibliography (where you examine sources of evidence you might include in your essay) and a critique (where you reflect on your own writing and research processes).
Reflective Essay
The essay can be considered an exemplary reflective essay. Example 2 ... a class on Writing about Place. The first work didn't end up being the one that the writer expected to see. ... reflective essay. Presumably, it was written by a high-school student aiming to enroll in a business, marketing, or PR course. Notwithstanding, this reflection ...
How to Write a Reflection Paper in 5 Steps (plus Template and Sample Essay)
Use these 5 tips to write a thoughtful and insightful reflection paper. 1. Answer key questions. To write a reflection paper, you need to be able to observe your own thoughts and reactions to the material you've been given. A good way to start is by answering a series of key questions. For example:
2 x Course Reflection Essay Examples
At the end of course reflection essay example, I can confidently say that this entrepreneurship course has been a great transformative experience that has provided me with the required knowledge and the skill set that is required for steering through the challenges faced by startups. Taking risks is one major personality change that I have ...
A complete guide to writing a reflective essay
Here's a recap of the contents of this article, which also serves as a way to create a mind map: 1. Identify the topic you will be writing on. 2. Note down any ideas that are related to the topic and if you want to, try drawing a diagram to link together any topics, theories, and ideas. 3.
Course Portfolio & Reflection (Assignment Example)
And recording evidence of that is an important step in that process. First Course. This section will include your Portfolio Reflection. Note: You should write this piece last. Find directions for writing it below. Under this menu item, you should also link to Projects 1, 2, and 3. Second Course: You can leave this section alone this term.
Reflective Essay: Introduction, Structure, Topics, Examples For University
An Example of a Reflective Essay on "My Little Brother". Essay example reflecting on the arrival of a younger sibling, written at a middle or high school level. "There have been many life-changing experiences in my short life. Every new experience has been the first experience at one point in time.
End of Course Reflection
Extract of sample "End of Course Reflection". End Of Reflection When I commenced learning this course I had little knowledge concerning how technology and innovation have influenced the current world. However, I had so much expectation on the learning outcomes that I would gain as a result of pursuing the course.
Course Reflection
Course Reflection on Psychology 201. As I reflect on the class as a whole I realize that I have a very neutral point of view of the class. I see it as neither good or bad. I normally enjoy psychology as a whole and find it quite fascinating to learn about how or brain works and the causes of our behaviors. On the other hand though, I really ...
End-of-Semester Reflection: A Tool to Improve Future Courses
By Kathryn Trentadue. As the semester draws to a close, the final burst of busyness will soon give way to the relative calm of summer. While taking some time to relax is certainly important, the end of the semester also offers an excellent opportunity to reflect on how the semester has gone. As we continue to learn from our teaching experiences, taking some time to consider the highs and lows ...
How to Write a Reflective Essay With Sample Essays
Writing a reflective essay, also known as a reflective paper or reflection paper, is as easy as following the step-by-step instructions below. 1. Choose a Topic Idea. If you haven't been assigned a topic and don't have a topic in mind, check the list of topics above for inspiration. If those aren't enough, take a look at these 100 reflection ...
50 Best Reflective Essay Examples (+Topic Samples)
A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it's about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you've experienced at that time.
Reflective Essay Examples
Seeing reflective essay examples can help you understand how to accomplish a reflective essay writing assignment. View examples of reflective essays. ... Through the course of creating the reflective paper, you describe insights that you gained or express your views on some experience. ... The moment I reached the end, I was ecstatic and ...
End of Business Course Reflection Paper
This essay is a reflection about a business education course. The author discusses learning about marketing, finance, management, exporting, importing, direct foreign investment, and sourcing through the completion of assignments and papers. This essay received a B by one of Kibin's paper graders.

Student Learning Outcomes: Course Reflection Essay Example

The Effect of Professional Development on Education

Evaluating Results and Setting Future Goals

Setting SMART Goals

My Portfolio

Final Reflective Essay

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Guide on How to Write a Reflection Paper with Free Tips and Example

What Is a Reflection Paper

Free Reflection Paper Example

How to Start a Reflection Paper

Writing a Reflection Paper Outline

Introduction

Body Paragraphs

How to Write a Reflection Paper: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas and Experiences You’ve Had Related to Your Topic

Step 3: Analyze How and Why These Ideas and Experiences Have Affected Your Interpretation of Your Theme

Step 4: Make Connections Between Your Observations, Experiences, and Opinions

Writing Tips

Do You Need a Well-Written Reflection Paper?

How To Write A Reflection Paper?

End of the Semester Reflection Essay: Reviewing all of the Knowledge I Acquired In This Course

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Course Reflection - Logan Williams

Course Reflection

Powerful Endings and Reflection

Reflection and Metacognition

Powerful Endings: Ideas from TEP

A focus on experience and future applications

A focus on content and skills

Powerful Endings: Ideas from Faculty

Alison Gash, Political Science

Tom Hahn, Architecture

Nicola Barber, Biology

Damian Radcliffe, Journalism and Communications

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Reflective Essay: Introduction, Structure, Topics, Examples For University

Reflective Essay

Focusing on personal growth:

Taking a closer look at the literature:

What am I supposed to write about?

Considerations

Introduction

Reflection Essay Structure

MLA Format for Reflective Essay

Reflective Essay in APA Style

Reflective Essay Outline

Here’s How You Can Submit a Well-Written Reflective Essay for University

Choosing a Topic for Reflection