Formative Student Reflections
Design Pattern Tags : Course outcomes
Formative Student Reflections May 2016
Abstract/Snapshot:
This pattern is designed to increase the level of engagement of students in learning activities, both in and out of the classroom, via global intensives, field trips, WIL (both on and offshore) and to capture student reflections as part of assessment.
Formative Student Reflections addresses the use of mobile devices to engage students pre, during and post event, as well as to assist in the preparation of assessments tasks. By providing instructions on the use of different mobile devices, students can effectively record, edit and upload their short reflections to a central repository via a Google Community. Students can then share these videos with one another, and reflect upon their own professional and personal growth.
Learning Context This pattern is suitable in the following circumstances:
Class sizes can be up to 50 students (optimum but flexible). Given the central repository is a Google Community, the greater the class size, the greater the management and monitoring of community content may be necessary.
Students participating in the learning events/activities can be a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Participating students can be at different stages in their study.
This type of reflection can be conducted across all disciplines and AQF levels.
The learning event/activity is face-to-face to give students the opportunity to reflect ‘in real-time’ on location. The sharing of video reflections with other students is within an online environment.
Rationale This pattern aims to increase student engagement and promote deeper reflection as part of student learning activities, both during and after the teaching activity. This assists students in preparing for their assessment tasks, as well showing growth as a result of participation.
Learning Design The student experience will be enhanced by:
Critically appreciating and evaluating the relationship between global markets and business in the respective city/country
Using reflective practice techniques as part of an ethical management strategy for globally networked organisations
Working effectively as part of a global, multi-discipline, collaborative team
Making culturally sensitive business decisions within a diverse global environment.
The following outlines the use of selfie-reflections:
Pre-global intensive
In the first class, students complete a “Where am I? Expectations of the Global Intensive” activity (see Expectations of the Global Intensive resource).
As part of the first class, a session is presented on reflective journal writing (see Reflective Journal Writing resource in Resources/Technology section). This resource includes the dos and don’ts of video selfies and how to edit the videos.
At the end of this session, students are required to reflect on their responses to the “Where am I? Expectations of the Global Intensive” activity that they completed earlier to create their first selfie on their mobile device. The selfie should focus on the topic of “What I know about the country I will be visiting”.
Students are then encouraged to store/backup the reflective selfie on their laptop or their Google student mail account via Google Drive and to keep it safely stored as it will form the basis of their Assessment Task (see example Assessment Task - Reflective Video Journal resource in Resources/Technology section).
During the global intensive
Whilst undertaking the global intensive, students will be required to regularly record selfies, highlighting different lectures and field trips, recording personal and professional reflections based on elements of those lectures and field trips that resonated with them. This reflection is based on Schon’s Experiential Learning and information available through the RMIT Study and Learning Centre (https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_AssessmentTasks/assess_tuts... )
Students are encouraged to upload their selfies to either their own private YouTube account, or their Student Google mail account via Google Drive, or their own computer as a way to back up their work ( see http://www.igeeksblog.com/how-to-upload-iphone-videos-to-youtube/ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJmvXujqHNE as part of the resources shared with students in class).
Post-global intensive
As part of the assessment task, students are required to put together a compilation of what they believe are the most important selfies that best summarise the global intensive for them. This video journal, once roughly edited using free editing applications (video footage just needs to be compiled), should be no more than five minutes duration (see Resources/Technology section for examples of video editing applications).
Students are also required to record a brief post-global intensive reflection selfie as a conclusion to their Global Intensive experience and this should be added to the compilation of their other self-selected selfies (see Technology and Resources section).
Students submit their video journal file to Blackboard for assessment. If students are unable to upload their video journal file to Blackboard due to Blackboard size limits, they are required to save a copy on a USB or DVD and submit it to their Global Intensive Coordinator.
Notes:
While students should be encouraged to make use of their mobile devices to record selfies during the global intensive, they will need to be aware that in some locations video recording may be prohibited and they should be instructed when and where they can proceed with their selfie recordings.
Students will need to back up their selfies using Google Drive, YouTube or onto their own laptop. If students are backing up to Google or YouTube they should do this via WIFI or purchase a data pack for mobile phone coverage in the destination country.
Students will need access to video editing technologies to help them edit their selfies as part of the video compilation for their assessment task. However, students will not be assessed on how well they use these technologies (see Resources/ Technology section).
IMPORTANT: Google Apps is not available in China, therefore the use of RMIT’s MyDesktop application can be used by students to access their student Google account when in China. Conditions/Critical Success Factors Students must have access to mobile devices during the event/ learning activity.
Students must have access to a YouTube account, a Google Drive, or their own computer to back up their selfies throughout the global intensive.
Staff and students must have an ongoing commitment in time and knowledge to maintain their online presence.
Staff must have the appropriate level of knowledge and understanding to identify learning activities that will be easily supported transnationally.
Resources/Technology Case Studies/Implementation Outcomes This pattern enables students to engage more effectively with each other, as well as the global intensive overall. By providing information on recording and sharing selfies, students regularly record videos on mobile devices, which they can then reflect on and use as part of their course assessment. Students are able to observe their evolution and growth as part of the global intensive, which they can then reflect upon both professionally and personally. It may also be possible to use these selfies to advertise future global intensives to prospective participants.
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