Embedding reflection in practice

Reflection prompts, tips for practice, introductory resources, and case studies.


Ideas for course design

The model of constructive alignment can be useful when thinking about embedding reflection in course design, that is, there should be alignment between learning outcomes, reflection activities, and assessment practices (Harvey et al, 2010) PDF. 

The Facilitator's toolkit also shows that reflection can be positioned as:

  • A learning outcome: For example, the learning outcome could read, ‘The ability to critically reflect’. If reflection is used as a learning outcome, it should also appear as teaching strategy or assessment.
  • An assessment: For example, the students could be set a summative report on their course where they are asked to reflect on what they have learned and how they will use it in the future. This way we can easily see if they have obtained our learning outcomes.
  • A strategy:  Students could be asked to discuss a set of reflective prompts with peers during a lecture, perhaps about their study habits or how they tackle assignments, while also identifying places for improvements. This could lead students to become more effective in meeting the learning outcomes or completing the assessment.

Ideas for learning activities

Here is an example of a quick activity to introduce to students in the classroom.

Spend the last five minutes of a lecture asking students to identify three things from that lecture to reflect on:

  1. The idea/concept that excited them most;
  2. The most challenging concept to understand;
  3. A question about the material or subject that they didn’t have before.

The lecturer can then encourage students to use these reflections to guide their actions, e.g., explore materials around the exciting idea, study the challenging topic in depth, or find a way to answer their question.

Another easy approach to reflection is simply asking students to think about one thing they have learned and how they can use it in their lives, which pushes students to contextualise their learning more broadly.

This activity is adapted from Tobias Thejll-Madsen's Teaching Matters' blog post: Reflection in learning design: Part of the process and potentially an outcome.

Ideas for assessment

Assessment rubrics: This webpage from the Reflection Facilitator's toolkit shows how to use rubrics to fairly assess reflective assessment, such as descriptive writing and reflective writing.

Grade-related Marking Criteria for Assessed Blogs: A blog post that provides a marking template for academic staff who wish to incorporate assessed blogs into their undergraduate or postgraduate curriculum.


Reflection components

Components of reflective tasks: ways/modes of reflecting, structure, and type of assessment: As part of the Facilitator's toolkit, this University webpage has guidance on designing the three main components of any reflective task: assignment; activity; modes or ways of reflecting.

Assessing reflection

Assessing reflection: The Facilitator's toolkit provides advice about when and how to assess reflection.

The following Teaching Matters blog posts are helpful to think about different ways of assessing reflection:


You can find a number of case studies of reflective practice across the University on the Reflective Toolkit website: Case studies of reflective practice in the University.

The examples below are from the Teaching Matters blog:

"In our course, the repeated cycles of doing, making, and reflecting create spaces where students observe and practice some of the ‘academic moves’ that constitute reflective practice. An important part of the field experience was developing habits for engaging with, and responding to, other people, ideas, and perspectives critically but also with kindness and generosity. In the course, we’re now much more explicit about our pedagogical approach and talk with the students about the design of activities that encourages them to use research methods, analytical techniques, and reflective practice."

"The Reflection Toolkit targets two audiences – reflectors and facilitators of others’ reflection – recognising that students and staff can occupy both roles. It encompasses a range of purposes, abilities, and confidence levels around reflection, ensuring users feel supported, regardless of whether they are new to reflection or experienced."

"The portfolios were designed using the learning outcomes of the courses as well as drawing on theoretical frameworks from reflection, metacognition, the reflective tool kit, formative assessment theory, skills and professional development literature for science students, and the SLICCs framework. Literature of various disciplines that use reflective practice were also consulted. [...]

There were many variables to consider for courses and I wanted to make sure the portfolio would integrate with the courses, so that it did not feel like an “add-on”. Questions were designed on the lectures, practicals, and workshops for all seven courses. There are also designated portfolio sessions as part of core courses in first year (Bio 1B Variation & Bio 2D Environment) and second year courses (Bio 2B- Genes and Evolution, and Bio 2C- Systems and Regulation) where I have designed sessions and activities that interrogate the benefits of reflecting and the reflective processes to develop self-awareness of their progress and skills development."


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