REFLECTIONS - Why, When and How

Reflection is required in order to learn from experience. Without reflections after activities, the
experiential learning cycle is incomplete and learning is left completely to chance.

Experiential education, as defined by the Association of Experiential Education, “is a process

through which individuals construct knowledge, acquire skills, and enhance values from direct
experience.” Reflection is a key component that transforms an activity into experiential-learning.
It allows participants to look back on, think critically about, and learn from their
experience. Reflection may include acknowledging and/or sharing of reactions, feelings,
observations, and ideas about anything regarding the activity. Reflection can happen through
writing, speaking, listening, reading, creating art, acting, and a number of other ways.

In the process of consulting, acting and reflecting learning happens

 
 
 
 

 
WHEN DOES LEARNING HAPPEN? 

1. THE COMFORT ZONE

The comfort zone is where many of us operate. It’s the location of the skills and abilities we’ve
acquired. While the comfort zone is by definition the most ‘comfortable’, we can’t make progress
or build skills in the comfort zone since it consists of the abilities we can already do easily.

2. THE PANIC ZONE

If you’ve ever become so anxious you can no longer think, you’ve probably run into the panic
zone. Activities in the panic zone are so tough that we don’t even know how to approach them.
The overall feeling of the panic zone is that you are uncomfortable and possibly discouraged.
Like the comfort zone, we can’t make progress in the panic zone. You may be in the panic zone
when attempting something dangerous, far beyond your reach or under high stress.

3. THE LEARNING ZONE

Between the panic zone and the comfort zone is the learning zone. ​One can only make
progress by choosing activities in the learning zone.​ The skills and abilities that are just out
of reach are in the learning zone; they’re neither so far away that we panic nor close enough
where they’re too easy.
Structured reflection allows students to:
1. consider how they feel before and after an activity,
2. assess prior knowledge
3. consider what they have accomplished or learned after an activity
4. how they felt about the experience
5. share their ideas and communicate the value of others and themselves

Ground rules for facilitating reflections:

1. Students must feel equally included & safe
2. have choice in participation,
3. only speak using “I” statements,
4. respect others interpretations and
5. keep the conversation within the group.

It is important that you encourage the students, support them, be an authentic leader, reflect on
what students have said and avoid imposing your values, talking too much and over-processing.
Some suggested questions for Reflections
You can choose a few to stimulate reflection individually and in the team

(Individual)

1. What were some of the most interesting discoveries you made today? About the
program? About yourself? About others?
2. What were 2 of your most powerful learning moments and what made them so?
3. What most got in the way of your experience, if anything?
4. What were some things your teammates did that helped you to learn or overcome
obstacles?
5. How did you help others during this process? How do you feel you may have hindered
others?
6. What did you learn were your greatest strengths? Your biggest areas for improvement?
7. What would you do differently if you were to approach the same problem again?
8. What moments were you most proud of your efforts?
9. What could you do differently from a personal standpoint the next time you work with the
same group or a different one?
10. What's the one thing about yourself above all others you would like to work to improve?
11. How can you better support and encourage your teammates on future projects?
12. How will you use what you've learned in the future?

(Team) ELP Specific

● How well did you and your team communicate overall?
● Do the team members call out one another’s disruptive or unproductive behaviours?
● Do team members know what their peers are working on and how they contribute to the
collective good of the team.
● Team members quickly and genuinely apologize to one another when they say or do
something inappropriate or possibly damaging to the team
● Team members openly admit their weaknesses and mistakes.
● Team members leave meetings confident that their peers are completely committed to
the decisions that were agreed on, even if there was initial disagreement.
● During team meetings, the most important—and difficult—issues are put on table to be
resolved.
● Team members make an effort to know more about one another and are comfortable
sharing about themselves.
● Team members are slow to seek credit for their own contributions, but quick to point out
those of others.