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Reflection and reflection activities are potentially valuable components of the instructional experiences educators design in order to support student learning. Published scholarship contains many allusions to students having reactions to reflection activities, but the nature of these reactions are rarely engaged in depth. In this work, we focus on four complications we have encountered while developing a survey to explore student reactions to reflection activities: complex reactions within a single student, complex patterns of reactions between students, students being differentially aware of their reactions to reflection, and students experiencing the reaction survey as a reflection activity itself. Additionally, we discuss potential implications of these complications for educators and researchers. 

This work, funded by the Engineering Education and Centered directorate, is motivated by a belief in the value of reflection for student learning in engineering, an appreciation of the range of activities that educators can leverage in order to support student reflection, and a sense of the need for resources to help educators make informed decisions in the design of reflection activities for specific situations. Against the backdrop of these ideas, our grant is operating on two levels. On a foundational level, we are establishing empirically informed conceptual frameworks and associated survey instruments that help educators and resources understand (a) what knowledge gains result when students engage in specific reflection activities and (b) what types of reactions students have when they engage in the activity. On a practical level, we are exploring ways to distribute our conceptual frameworks alongside relevant information. With our work, we aim to advance conversations about the potential impact of reflection and conversations about how to leverage reflection in teaching. In the paper and poster, we will focus on both the foundational insights and practical resources that are emerging from this work.