Fundamentals
This section provides theoretical guidelines necessary to know and understand when we talk about reflection. You will find conceptual guidelines, benefits, and evidence of how reflection is essential in Service-Learning and how it contributes to enhance meaningful learning in students.
Benefits and opportunities
The challenge of implementing reflective activities in SL courses and developing an effective strategy lies in encouraging students to ask themselves the right questions. These questions enable them to critically engage with their experience and articulate their thoughts, allowing them to organize and express their ideas. This process fosters intellectual understanding of the activities conducted during the implementation of the SL project (Brockbank & McGill, 2002).
Evidence
Reflective processes have been proven effective in fostering meaningful learning by enabling students to connect new knowledge with what is already established in their cognitive structure (Ausubel, 2003). Therefore, reflection is understood as the foundation for the ongoing updating of knowledge.
Quality reflection
A reflection aimed at strengthening learning should be intentional and well-planned. In this section, we outline some criteria you should consider if you wish to make a quality reflection.
Superior skills
In a globalised context, where societies are increasingly complex and the socio-environmental issues cannot longer be ignored, it is necessary to shape professionals equipped with the skills to adapt and tackle new challenges. We need critically engaged individuals who can collaborate and communicate in an interdisciplinary manner to propose effective and creative solutions for complex problems.