Reflection methods

• 360-degree feedback

  Why: Provides multiple perspectives, encouraging deeper self-awareness than one-on-one feedback.
  Best use: Small-group projects where peer, teacher, and community partner perspectives are all valuable.

  Description	Feedback and reflection are acknowledged as the crux of the learning process of a student. 360-degree feedback (also known as multi-source feedback) is a process through which feedback from students, teachers or community partners, as well self-reflection by the student itself is gathered. 360-degree feedback is named because it solicits feedback regarding a student behaviour from a variety of points of view. 360-degree feedback provides interactive feedback instead of top-down feedback.
  Goals	The student gains insight into his or her own performance from different perspectives.  360-degree feedback encourages individual reflection andthe awareness of the learning process.
  Actors	Students Teachers Community Partners
  Implementation steps	Formulate the learning goals Effective and frequent feedback is critical, to increase the engagement of the students.  The students do not get a grade for a particular project or assignment, but feedback (Oral feedback or feedback based on an assessment matrix).  Monitor the group. The cooperative learning process provides the opportunity to create a safe environment for the students. The group size needs to be kept small, because in this way the student feels safe to share their perspectives and to give peer feedback.
  Teacher	The teacher acts as a team member. It helps to reduce the power relationship between the students. The teacher must be aware to create a safe environment for all the students and the group dynamics. (Mixed Classroom)
  Time and frequency	360-degree feedback can be used in a whole course, or in separate assignments.
  Time needed for students	Fully dependent on the time scheduled by the teacher. Ideally a full project period.
  Example from VU	Honours course - Vorming in vloeibare tijden (VU, UVA & AUC) In the honours course: vorming in vloeibare tijden, 360-degree feedback is used as an adequate method to provide insight in the study process. instead of a grade, the student will receive substantive feedback from other students, the teachers, externally public and personal growth. The student will also learn how you can give, receive and validate the feedback.  Feedbackfruits Feedbackfruits is an on online Tool: The tool streamlines how students assess their peers’ collaboration skills. The teacher specifies the criteria students use to evaluate their peers’ contribution to group work Peer Review enables instructors to create assignments for students to provide feedback to their peers on deliverables like documents or videos based on predefined criteria. The tool facilitates teacher feedback on activities  Automated Feedback, powered by AI, enables students to receive formative feedback on their academic writing skills based on criteria set by teachers.
  More information	360-degree feedback Tee, D. D., & Ahmed, P. K. (2014). 360 degree feedback: an integrative framework for learning and assessment. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(6), 579–591. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2014.901961 Feedbackfruits https://feedbackfruits.com/tool-overview Giving feedback https://www.ou.nl/en/-/gratis-beschikbaar-app-voor-feedback-en-reflectie-bij-online-samenwerkend-leren Mixed classroom https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/mixed-classroom 360-degrees feedback tool https://high5test.com/360-degree-feedback-platform

• Video

  Why: Captures verbal and non-verbal reflection, helping students who struggle with written reflection.
  Best use: End-of-project reflections, communication-focused courses, or when practicing presentation skills.

  Description	The use of Video can stimulate self-reflection and deep learning. It is also a method for fellow students and for teachers to comment on one another’s video. Recording reflections in video form could inspire confidence in students who struggle to organize their thoughts or find their voice when they sit down to write.
  Goals	Student self-reflection  Giving constructive feedback to other students.
  Actors	Students Teachers Community partners
  Implementation steps	Formulate the learning goals and the assignment.  The attention of the peers must be stimulated by the videos.  Conclude whether the video-based reflection suits the learning needs of the students. Create a safe environment. The student must be willing to create a video to obtain feedback from others. The video can also be a tool to reflect on a previous assignment. The STARRT method can be used (See more information) (Cheng & Chau, 2009)
  Teacher	The teacher will give feedback and is responsible to create a safe environment (Mixed classroom)
  Time and frequency	Depending on the course. Ideally a video is created after a whole project.
  Time needed for the students	It is a time-consuming activity, because of the filming process, the editing and the reflection part.
  Example from VU	Traintool Traintool is an application that serves as a tool for students when they want to train their communicative skills. The application allows students to practice their skills through Smart Video Role Play. In a short video a certain situation is presented to the student. Then the student records their reaction to this situation. They can share the recording with teachers or students, who can give feedback on it. Based on the feedback the student can choose to record an improved version of the video.
  More information	Traintool https://traintool.com/en/ Video reflection Cheng, G., & Chau, J. (2009). Digital video for fostering self‐reflection in an ePortfolio environment. Learning, Media and Technology, 34(4), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439880903338614 Starrt method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=163&v=WMhFn50SNho&feature=emb_logo Potential video recording https://www.teachthought.com/learning/watching-potential-video-recording-student-reflection/

• Portfolio

  Why: Offers a comprehensive record of student work and growth over time.
  Best use: Long-term projects requiring documentation of multiple outputs and learning stages.

  Description	Student portfolios could contain any of the following: service-learning contract, weekly log, personal journal, impact statement, directed writings, photo essay. Also, any products completed during the service experience (i.e., agency brochures, lesson plans, advocacy letters) should be submitted for review. Finally, a written evaluation essay providing a self-assessment of how effectively they met the learning objectives of the course is suggested for the portfolio.
  Goals	This type of documentation has become a vital way for students to keep records and learn organizational skills. Self-reflection and learn from others feedback.
  Actors	Students Teachers Community partners
  Implementation steps	Encourage the students to take photographs of themselves doing their project, short explanations (like business reports), time logs, evaluations by supervisors or any other appropriate "proof" which could be used in an interview. For example, Padlet and Canva can be used (see more information) Require them to make this professional. Keep reminding them that submitting it at the end of the term is only one reason for doing this. "The real reason is to have documentation to present at future interviews.
  Teacher	Guide the students throughout the process of reflection. Giving feedback and monitoring the student.
  Time and frequency	Ranging from one course period to one semester depending on the length of the project
  Time students	Fully dependent on the time scheduled by the teacher. Ideally a full project period, so frequent feedback can be gathered.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	Padlet https://nl.padlet.com/ Canva https://www.canva.com/nl_nl/onderwijs/ Portfolio KU Leuven https://www.kuleuven.be/onderwijs/werkvormen/docs/fiche-portfolio-def.pdf Portfolio University of Waterloo https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/catalogs/tip-sheets/eportfolios-explained-theory-and-practice

• Reflective Vlog

  Why: Combines video reflection with iterative feedback, fostering personal growth and critical thinking.
  Best use: Continuous projects where frequent self-reflection and public sharing are encouraged.

  Description	Vlogging is blogging via video. You can share the video with other students, teachers, community partners.
  Goals	Provides frequent feedback between the students and the instructors and it helps to match the expectations.  Helps to develop critical thinking.  Self-reflect about your own learning.
  Actors	Students Teachers Community partners
  Implementation steps	Formulate the learning goals and the assignment.  -The teacher can use the stars method (Situation, Task, Action, result, Self-reflection) Questions for the student (vlog) Why does the student have to make a vlog? (The assignment) How did the student handle the situation / assignment / learning moment? What was the role of the student? What was the result of the student’s action? Why is the student satisfied or proud of the result What could the student improve the next time. Create new learning goals.  Create a moment for feedback.
  Teacher	The teacher has a coaching role. The central point of a vlog is the personal growth of the student during the project.
  Time and frequency	Ideally the student vlogs a whole project, frequent vlogs are necessarily. The student can reflect on their own learning goals and progress.
  Time needed for students	Fully dependent on the time scheduled by the teacher. Ideally a full project period.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	Stars method https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/interview-advice/the-star-method Tips and tricks for reflection vlogging https://sofiesleerreis.nl/vlogtips

• Reflective Journal

  Why: Encourages regular, structured personal reflection and self-criticism.
  Best use: When reflection needs to be detailed, ongoing, and documented for assessment or feedback.

  Description	Journals are reflective textual accounts of performed tasks during a course or community partner project. Other specific types are: personal journal dialogue journal highlighted journal key phrase journal double-entry journal critical incident journal Three-part journal
  Goals	Enabling reflective qualities in students for self-criticism   Implementation of critical reflection in projects Improving academic accountability and self-awareness  Increasing academic writing skills
  Actors	Students Community partners (project dependent)
  Implementation steps	formulating journal learning goals establishing journal requirements designation of a time frame  Community Service alternative: Peer-review with community partners journal exchange (mutual reflection journaling)
  Teacher	The teacher remains central in this method as the prime supervisor of the students and/or community partners. Teacher supervises the development of the journal periodically, in accordance with the appropriate time frame. Teacher organizes periodical check-ups and sharing moments for student journals in class.  Teacher evaluates journaling ideally with community partners if available.
  Time and frequency	Ranging from one course periode to one semester depending on the length of the project. Ideally, journaling would take longer than shorter since reflective efforts usually take time to take shape.
  Time needed for students	Fully dependent on the time scheduled by the teacher. Ideally a full project period.
  Example from VU	Taken from the Health and Life Sciences course “health in the city”: “We would like to see a document made within student groups with 3 coherent paragraphs on: 1. the strengths of the research design/implementation (what went well and why) 2. the weaknesses in research design/implementation (what can be improved and why) 3. suggestions for improving research in the future.    Keep in mind that in the general part of the report there should also be a bit of reflection, this because you also have to show the client that you look critically at your own research, and can appreciate your findings!”
  More information	See bullet point 15: https://www.teachthought.com/learning/15-reflection-strategies-help-students-retain-just-taught/ University College Dublin handbook: https://www.ucd.ie/teaching/t4media/learning_journals_logs.pdf How to write a reflective journal?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyxT91mJnVk

• Intervision / Peer consultation

  Why: Facilitates group reflection and exposes students to multiple viewpoints without hierarchical oversight.
  Best use: Developing professional identity or critical thinking in peer-led learning environments.

  Description	Intervision is a group-led method for critical reflection (without an expert from the outside, like supervision), mainly used to describe and reflect on positionality and critical moments.
  Goals	Develop a critical support group for students Strengthen group dynamics  Develop reflective qualities individually and as a group Allowing different perspectives to emerge through reflective discussion
  Actors	Students (if possible, community partners)
  Implementation steps	Formulate learning goals  Organize students in groups, according to class size  Ensure group rules, agree upon them collectively to engage in open-minded behaviour Schedule intervision moments  Periodically review intervision goals, are they met?  (optional) let students write reports on their personal and professional development through intervision
  Teacher	Guide the intervision group(s) throughout the process of reflection, ask questions and formulate problems together with students (and community partners) to discuss and reflect upon.
  Time and frequency	Depending on the course intensity, once a week at minimum, considering that student projects are continuous.
  Time needed for students	One class or part of the class per week depending on course intensity.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	Staempfli, A. and Fairtlough, A., 2018. “Intervision and Professional Development: An Exploration of a Peer-Group Reflection Method in Social Work Education.” British Journal of Social Work, vol. 49, 1254-1273.  Intervision in professional settings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWzIy0iopAw

• Service Learning contracts and logs

  Why: Links learning objectives with community actions and documents progress systematically.
  Best use: Service-learning projects where clear goals, documentation, and reflection on impact are required.

  Description	Learning objectives in relation to service learning are formalized into ‘contracts’, which are kept track of by logs. Students reflect on their abilities through extensive logs which enable them to review their trail throughout the community service.
  Goals	Students learn to formalize course learning goals into tangible community service learning goals Students learn to summarize their activities and academic development in relation to community service Students learn to reflect on their position
  Actors	Students Teachers  Community partners
  Implementation steps	Course teacher establishes learning goals Students formalize learning goals into tangible service learning contract objectives Students keep track of their service learning development through active logging Plenary and group discussions about obstacles and difficulties are being held   Students compile a written text, reflecting on their logs and composed service learning contracts. This can be included in a service learning portfolio.
  Teacher	Establishes learning objectives for students and guides student development in community fields. The teacher needs to make sure contracts and logs are maintained and regularly discussed.
  Time and frequency	Reflection cannot start before a few weeks, since students need to assess their skills and assets in relation to the community field first. From there onwards weekly meetings to reposition students every service moment. Reflective reports should be written at least every two weeks.
  Time needed for students	One class or part of the class per week depending on course intensity.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	University of Sydney – reflective writing PDF https://www.sydney.edu.au/content/dam/students/documents/learning-resources/learning-centre/writing/reflective-writing.pdf Learning contract: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1MaC1ipFoE Learning logs:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGsiWprN9bE

• Socratic Method

  Why: Promotes deep critical thinking by encouraging students to question assumptions and explore ideas.
  Best use: Discussion-heavy courses or seminars where reasoning and dialogue are central.

  Description	The socratic method is very to the point when it comes to reflection. This method in short is ‘answering every question with a question’. It drives every participant of the conversation to reflect on all elements of it.
  Goals	Students and teachers interactively reflect on their positions, both in positionality and in ideas Students learn to self-criticize  Students learn to incorporate multiple perspectives in the classroom
  Actors	Students Teachers  Community partners
  Implementation steps	Organize discussion groups, these can vary from 3-20 students  Set a core element or elements which need to be discussed  Designate a secretary or secretary group who notes the development of the discussion Collect the secretary notes to reveal the reflective processes taking place in the classroom
  Teacher	Teacher guides discussion and organizes roles within the classroom. Afterwards, the teacher evaluates the written results of the socratic method.
  Time and frequency	Depending on the course or community project, at minimum once every week.
  Time students	Students only have to prepare discussion points following experiences from course material, community projects or other relevant topics to the course.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	What is the socratic method? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CPLu3qCbSU Mixed classroom https://vu.nl/en/about-vu/more-about/mixed-classroom

• Reflective essay

  Why: Supports structured, academic reflection and development of critical writing skills.
  Best use: Courses emphasizing academic analysis, theory-practice integration, or critical thinking in written form.

  Description	Students write a reflective essay about an academic or community problem. How did they approach the problem? What is involved in this problem? It challenges students to actively question issues from different perspectives while training their academic skills.
  Goals	Students develop their academic writing Students learn to academically criticize their academic position Students learn to incorporate different perspectives in their academic approach
  Actors	Students
  Implementation steps	Teacher sets goals for paper direction; ‘case’ Teacher directs students into reflective thinking and gives examples and guidelines Students write essay (optional) students share results into discussion groups or peer reviews
  Teacher	Guides and sets goals for essay
  Time and frequency	Can be done every course week, depending on course intensity. Optimal use = practice- reflective essay - practice - reflective essay and so forth.
  Time students	Depending on essay length, 3-8 hours a week
  Example from VU	-
  More information	Reflective writing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoI67VeE3ds Steps for writing a reflective essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk2GjRIRBIk

• Layered text

  Why: Enables collaborative reflection and interaction directly on texts or case studies.
  Best use: Small to medium groups analyzing shared readings or project documents over time.

  Description	A layered text is a digital document that is ‘layered’ with comments, questions and active discussions. The text becomes filled with all the thoughts and ideas students have on a certain text. The text can be preset or written by students or teachers.
  Goals	Students learn to critically examine academic or non-academic texts  Students learn to understand different perspectives in the classroom Students learn to interact with peers on reflective practice
  Actors	Students Teachers  Community partners
  Implementation steps	Teacher designates text to be written or read by students Setting a minimum input for comments, questions or ideas Teacher picks a few ‘hot’ topics from the text and discusses these points in class  (optional) student groups discuss the results of the layered text and try to answer the questions collectively
  Teacher	Teacher guides the process and sets targets for the text and student input. Teacher can also expand on results of the layered text and use this in further course organisation.
  Time and frequency	At minimum every two weeks since students need to read the text and write comments, which will take at least one class in every step.
  Time students	One class per week, two weeks (3 hours)
  Example from VU	Perusall digital program:  https://vu-ntl.nl/index.php/onderwijsinnovatie/vu-ntl-projecten/perusall/
  More information	See Perusall

• "Light" reflection methods and questionnaires

  Why: Provides low-threshold reflection for quick insight into learning experiences.
  Best use: Short projects or mid-course checkpoints where time is limited and broad feedback is needed.

  Description	The easiest way to incorporate reflection in your course is by asking students a few direct questions about their service-learning experiences. This light evaluation does not aim for the depth of structured methods such as reflective journals or essays, but it still encourages students to pause and consider their role as a societal actor, the new contexts they encountered, and the skills they may have applied outside a traditional classroom setting. By embedding short reflective moments, students begin to connect their academic work to broader personal, interpersonal, and civic development.
  Goals	Let students stop and consider the (potential) added value of societally engaged education. Support students in recognising and articulating cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal skills gained during the experience. Encourage low-threshold self-criticism and self-awareness without overburdening students or staff Provide teachers with a quick and accessible way to gather feedback on student learning outcomes.
  Actors	Students Teachers  (optional) Community partners
  Implementation steps	Decide on the timing (end of course, end of project, or after key milestones). Select 3–5 short reflective questions tailored to the course context. For example: How did you experience working with the external commissioner or community partner? Did the practical component add value compared to traditional academic assignments? Why or why not? What specific skills or knowledge did you gain that you might not have developed in a classroom-only course? What was the most rewarding or challenging part of this experience? What will you do differently in the future as a result of this experience? Collect responses in a format that fits the course (short survey, online form, group discussion, etc.). Review and, if possible, share back main insights with the students to close the loop
  Teacher	The teacher takes on a facilitating role, ensuring questions are framed clearly and responses are treated respectfully. In this light format, the teacher does not need to provide extensive feedback but may highlight recurring themes or insights in class discussions.
  Time and frequency	Can be implemented once at the end of the course, or at several checkpoints (e.g., mid-project and end-project).
  Time students	5–15 minutes, depending on the number of questions.
  Example from VU	-
  More information	-

Want to learn more?

Take up contact with the CSL team at CSL@VU.nl

VU Amsterdam, Faculty of Science

Main Building (HG-0E), ground floor, wing E

De Boelelaan 1105

1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Contact

• Dr. Geertje Tijsma
• Postdoctoral fellow
• g.tijsma@vu.nl

• Galoeh Adrian Noviar
• Project support CSL
• g.a.adriannoviar@vu.nl