Reflective activities

It is important for students to reflect upon what they have done in class; their thoughts, their feeling etc. It is widely recognised that students should reflect upon their learning, their contributions, their failing etc (1) after a project of piece of coursework. Often, students are encouraged to create a blog of their activities, maintain a learning diary, or as a homework exercise think about what they have learned and what they are still unsure of.

One of the ways I do this is encourage the students to record their reflection on their mobile phone using the voice recorder. I do this for several reasons:

• They know it may only take 60 seconds as this is the maximum time the voice recorder works for.
• It is much easier than writing.
• They can edit it easily or redo it.
• They can store them all for future listening.
• At the end of the year they can compare their progress in speaking.
• The self assessment should guide them and direct their independent study.
• I structure questions throughout the year to help with their course evaluation.
• It can be used for assessment purposes. They choose their 6 best.
• They are often more honest when speaking into the voice recorder.

Cathleen I think that using mobile phones as a reflective activity is brilliant. It keeps it short, as you mentioned, and this is important if students are ever going to go back a listen to their own musings. I think it would be impossible to listen to them all,but the real value in these is for the students. Perhaps they need to, as an extension of this activity, edit and create a minute or two for you so that you are not listening to all of the reflections. I think if I had to listen to them all it would make this assignment a little less doable and that would be a pity. ^

Link back to main page Mobile phones in the English Classroom

References

1. http://www.edutopia.org/student-reflection-blogs-journals-technology

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