What is reflection?

What is reflection?

When getting involved with a service-learning course, it is helpful to keep in mind one of the most important aspects of the learning process: analytic reflection. This reflection process can take many forms, including integrative papers, class presentations, journals, reflective essays, and class discussions (these will be discussed later). The reflective process has certain guidelines that need to be followed in order to make the reflections as useful as possible. Although the service-learning course is a valuable experience in itself, reflecting upon and analyzing your experiences can take your understanding to the next level, and can often provide unexpected realizations.

Some students, for example, have discovered that the preconceptions they held about certain issues at their site changed drastically between the beginning of their internship and the end. A student from a previous service-learning course recognized a change in his beliefs in the thirteenth week of class, and then described his observation in a journal entry:

"Before taking this class I had previous ideas on the reasons behind homelessness, poverty, and illiteracy, which I will not mention here. Many of these ideas came from sources such as the news or television, and I have come to see that they are generally wrong."

Another student also commented on the value of first-hand experience in her week-nine journal entry; again, the student compares what she has seen with what she has been told:

"Domestic violence...exists everywhere...and unlike the accounts given on shows like Maury and Montel, this abuse oftentimes goes unnoticed. A note I strongly want to make is that... [it is a misconception] that because a person is an alcoholic, they are abusive, and vice-versa."

Looking back on what you have accomplished at your learning site and reflecting upon these service-learning experiences can give tremendous insight into any changes that may have occurred over time. And although such changes are not always immediately obvious, they can often be seen much more clearly by analyzing past writings, and then making comparisons between specific issues.