0.3 A-reef: reflection  (Page 3/3)

HOW TO GET TO ASSIGNMENT 6:

One Way

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Another Way

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GOAL: To develop new ways in which you can help your students reflect upon the process of their own learning.

GIVE: Feedback to others on their assignments at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Assignment 6: Helping Students Reflect

• List 3 things you have done in your classroom practice to help your students reflect upon their own process of learning.
• Next to each of the 3 things you listed in #1, add a sentence describing it further.
• Think about an upcoming lesson or unit you need to teach in the next few weeks (i.e. "Nutrition"). Name that unit below:
• List and describe 3 opportunities you might give your students to reflect upon their own learning during, and/or after theinstruction.
• Describe 1 new opportunity for student reflection you can do that you have not tried before.

Appreciative inquiry as group assessment and reflection

Appreciative Inquiry is a process by which students can reflect upon a situtation, their learning, or group dynamics in a waythat takes stock of all of the assets and positives of a situation. In the sense that students are gathering information, Appreciative Inquiry canbe considered a form of group assessment.

After students have "cast their group net" (through the Appreciative Inquiry process), together, they look to see what theyhave gathered. Then, they take the next step: they reflect upon what they have gathered and use it to inform their learning and future actions.

Here's an Example of How it Works:

• Pose a question such as: "What is an example of an effective team experince you have had either in or outside of school?"
• Students tell their "peak" team experience stories.
• Ask the students what these stories have in common; what qualitites made each of these teams successful or effective?
• From these qualities and stories a rich metaphorical image might arise. You might even help students to "see" the metaphorical imagesuch as, "I think the way we're describing our peak team experiences is like a grove of aspen trees. The trees look like distinct units, butreally underground their roots are interconnected and the grove is really one living organism." From there you could talk about thestrengths that each student brings to your learning environment that effects the whole. Take inventory of these strengths. List them on theboard.
• Whenever students need to work out a challenge or reflect on how they best learn as a group, they can use the "aspen grove" metaphor (orwhatever metaphor arose) and apply it to the new learning moment at hand.

A Net Full of Assests

We often begin by asking "What's the probem?" When you do that, you focus energy on what we want less of and work to "fix" things.Appreciative Inquiry is about focusing on what you want more of; knowing that what you want more of already exists; and amplifying what strengths andassests a group already has.

With Appreciative Inquiry students are heard, seen, and appreciated. It also enables students to be active participants in thethinking process and encourages them to amplify what strengths or qualities they already possess towards their learning or classenvironment.

Suggested Readings: (Online Only)

What is Appreciative Inquiry - A consultant gives a clear introduction to what it is.

Case Western Reserve University - One school's use of Appreciative Inquiry.

Appreciative Inquiry Commons - A place to learn more about Appreciatie Inquiry and to connect with others who practice it.

TALK AT THE TWB LEARNING CAFE:

How might you apply Appreciative Learning to your classroom experience? Read what others have said. Add your thoughts. Joinyour global colleagues in conversation at the TWB Learning Cafe .

HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT MODULE:

Usually, you just click "Next" to go to the next page. When you finish a section, however, (as you're about to do when you finishreading these two paragraphs), you need to click on the "Outline" button, which is on the bottom, right-hand side of the page. Look underneath the bluebar and click on the word "Outline."

When you click on "Outline," a screen will come up that will show you the outline for Course 3. Look for the next section to read andclick on the first topic in that next section. For example, when you get to the outline now, look under the next section called "A-REEF: Evaluation" andlook for the first topic in black lettering called "Overview." Click on "Overview."