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Renée Marshall is an International Programs Specialist at CASLS and works with the Oregon International Internship Program (OIIP). Stephanie Knight is Assistant Director at CASLS and works with The Bridging Project and LinguaFolio Online (LFO).

Goal-setting equips learners with a clear map for knowledge and skill attainment, encouraging them to harness their energy and efforts for activities and strategies that are related to achieving their goals (Locke & Latham, 2002, p. 706 as cited in Marshall & Knight, in press). Integral to this process is feedback and reflection, because it guides learners on how they should be adjusting their efforts and strategies, thus encouraging self-efficacy and self-regulation in the process (Locke & Latham, 2002; Moeller, Theiler & Wu, 2011; Oxford & Shearin, 1994 as cited in Marshall & Knight, in press). In the busy classrooms of today with many district, state, and national requirements it can seem challenging to take the time to incorporate reflection into the learning process, but this is a disservice to learners. Evaluating the process-- the learners’ reflection on their process-- rather than the end product places the emphasis on reflection thereby communicating to students through actions how important reflection truly is to the learning process.

Reflection doesn’t need to be arduous or extremely time-consuming. For example, in LinguaFolio Online (LFO), students are directed to evaluate their performance towards assigned Can-Do Statements as 1) This is a goal; 2) Can do with help; 3) Can do; or 4) Can do well before uploading evidence of their performance. Then, after the activity, they can revisit the Can-Do Statements and evaluate if their abilities have changed. If teachers wish to evaluate the students' reflective process, they can direct students to write a few sentences justifying their assessment of themselves and their work in a reflection journal. Certainly the reflective process is iterative; the experience of students in the Oregon International Internship Program (OIIP) provides a concrete example of how learners can improve their reflective abilities overtime with teacher feedback. This program is for international students wishing to be language teachers. They come to the U.S. to work as teaching assistants in elementary classrooms and also take a course at the UO designed to support them. Each student receives feedback on weekly reflection journals that encourages and challenges them a to reflect even deeper on their goals and classroom practice. The Bridging Project, a hybrid course designed for heritage and immersion students, requires learners to use rubrics periodically to conduct peer- and self-reflection related to course learning targets. The teacher evaluates the quality of these reflections with use of the same rubric. To see an example of such a rubric, see our Activity of the Week.

References:

Marshall, R. & Knight, S. (In Press). ePortfolios to Facilitate Goal Setting and Reflection: A Look at LinguaFolio Online and Language Learning. In ePortfolio@edu. What We Know, What We Don't Know, and Everything in Between. Dr. Mary Ann Dellinger and Dr. Alexis Hart, Eds.