Reflective Writing

The reflective writing assignments are intended to help assess your understanding of biology.  It is an opportunity to reflect upon what you have learned and analyze this impact of this knowledge upon previously acquired concepts and opinions about biology.  It will also allow you to better understand your learning style.  The writings should provide you with a permanent, meaningful record of your experience in this course that help you understand how you think, how you learn best, what you think and why you think it. 

Goals and Expectations Essay.  This essay should describe your learning expectations for this class. 

The first paragraph should describe what you know about how you learn, including study techniques that have been successful for you.  What types of learning activities clarify concepts for you? 

The following paragraph should describe which unit of study you feel you know the most about before starting the course, what you know about that topic and where you learned the material.  Then, describe which unit of study you feel you know the least about, what you do know about that topic, and what you hope to learn about that topic.  Also include a description of which units’ material you are most excited to learn about and explain why this topic holds particular interest for you. 

The final paragraph should describe why you chose to take this class, how you will define successful completion of this course, and what you think that you will need to do to achieve this.

Unit Brainstorms.  At the start of each unit, you will brainstorm what you already know about a topic.  Educational research also suggests that brainstorming is a powerful tool for priming the brain for learning new material.

Summary of Learning.  At the end of each unit of study, you will be asked to provide details of several new concepts you learned while studying the unit.  You will want to show what you know about the topic and how that knowledge affects your understanding of how the world works.  You’ll relate new facts and concepts to prior knowledge, to other science topics and to the world around you.  You’ll also be asked to describe which activities were most useful in the learning process and explain why they were beneficial to your learning. 

Mid-year Summative Essay.  Prepared at the end of first semester, it provides a glimpse into you as a learner of biology.  It should contain your thoughts on how your assumptions about biology have changed and how this course and its content have increased your knowledge of biology and of you as a learner.  Provide a reflection on the content, learning experiences, successful learning strategies, previously held ideas that were disproved and how your knowledge of biology has increase.   Re-read you initial essay and consider how you perceptions have changed. Describe areas of personal growth.  Include a goal you will work to achieve during second semester. 

End of Year Summative Essay.  Due at the end of the course, in this essay you will:

Describe false assumptions about three biological concepts held by you prior to taking the course, along with how knowledge gained from the course content has changed each of these assumptions.  Alternatively, describe three new topics and how they have affected your thinking about science or biology. A combination of the two, reflecting description of three topics, is also acceptable.  

Indicate two or more educational activities that were of particular value and describe their impact on your understanding and development as a learner. Indicate your favorite activity and why it was chosen. 

Describe initial impressions of the classroom experience, and impressions and feelings that developed over the year. Thought and reflection must be evident, as well as a clear description of your thoughts and feelings (sense of accomplishment, pride, regret, frustration, etc.) about the course. Do you meat your initial and mid-year goals?  Why or why not?