Our next task is to reflect on what you have learned by writing a 1000-word essay. Reflection is the element that transforms an experience into a learning experience, so you will be able to get the most value out of your experience by writing the best possible reflection and getting feedback from your advisor/instructor.
Your paper should be written as though you were submitting it in a professional environment. Because it is a personal reflection, the use of the first-person is allowed. Sign up for Grammarly Premium through the library and/or work with a writing advisor if you need help writing this essay. Please make sure you honestly assess your experience since there are no “right or wrong” answers to the prompts. The value of the essay comes from your identification and understanding of the essential career skills you have gained.
To help you write this paper, please follow the outline below and address all of the topics described in the bullet points below:
Reflection Paper Outline
I. Introduction (1 paragraph). Briefly inform the reader of the Experiential Learning Activity you took part in by describing:
The name, date(s), and location(s) of the experiential learning event you participated in
A brief overview of the organization’s mission and how it fits with your goals.
A description of the specific activities and responsibilities you took part in that were related to the learning outcomes identified in advance for this activity.
II. Essential Career Skills Developed (3-5 paragraphs). Analyze your experience in terms of the essential career skills you developed during your Experiential Learning activity in the following categories:
A. Problem-solving
Describe problems you may have encountered and how you solved them
Provide examples of instances where you used creative or innovative initiatives
B. Interpersonal skills
Explain how this experience may have improved your self-confidence, helped you with time management skills, and/or taught you about relationship building and teamwork
Provide examples of how your ethical leadership skills were developed by the mission of St. Thomas University
C. Technical skills
Identify the primary technical skills you acquired about your major or field and how these skills may help you in your future career (e.g., new technology or software, technology design/programming, lab management, etc.).
Name any certifications you earned during your experiential learning event
III. Reflection (3-5 paragraphs). Reflect upon this particular experiential learning experience. Elaborate on the relationship the experiential learning event has to your course of studies and/or future field or career:
Describe to what degree your initial expectations/goals/learning outcomes were met
Describe how the essential career skills you developed have value for your major or field of study.
Describe how your experience encouraged you to continue your career path in this direction. If you learned through this experience that you would not like to pursue this career in the future, that is a valid answer as well.
Give an example of how the essential career skills you developed may be transferable to other situations, including both within and outside of academia
Describe any essential career skills that you did not develop during your Experiential Learning event that you
IV. Conclusion (1 paragraph). Summarize the most important outcomes you will take away from your experience.
Submission Instructions:
The paper is to be written using clear and concise language. Students will lose points for improper grammar, punctuation, and misspellings.
Include a title page with the title “Experiential Learning Reflective Essay,” your name, the date, and the name of your instructor.
Using headings that match those in the outline in the instructions is an effective way to organize your essay.
Papers should be written in Microsoft Word, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font.
All margins should be set to 1″.
Paragraphs should be left-justified with the first sentence of each paragraph indented by 0.5″.
The paper should be approximately 1000 words in length, excluding the title page.
Late work policies and other expectations are at the discretion of the instructor