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Course Introduction
Meta-Reflection Short Essays
On 2 separate occasions during our course “journey” together, you will be asked to take a “pause” with the expressed purpose of you “checking in” with yourself … thinking about your thinking, your feelings, your questions, reactions, etc. The practice of reflecting on your thinking, meta-reflection, is some of the most important “work” that we’ll do together.
Why? Well, when we pause to review our thinking, questions, feelings, etc. AND to inquire into this thought and feeling, we are able to have new insights and to begin to see patterns in our responses. Too, with such meta-reflection, we may begin to notice how our thinking has “moved” (or not), been influenced by new ideas (or not), where our feelings might indicate “stuck places” in our thinking, and where our assumptions or paradigms might be open to challenge or to re-thinking. In short, in the practice of meta-reflection, LEARNING occurs AND is recognized!
To complete each meta-reflection, you're invited to do the following:
Return to ALL the work that you’ve completed prior to the meta-reflection (responses to readings, postings to peers, any notes you’ve taken as you’ve worked through course readings, AND your initial introduction (to be sure) and READ these … sit with these. What do you notice about your thinking (and don’t overlook your feelings, too, as these are very important indicators of knowing!)? Are there silences, gaps, omissions, obstacles, possibilities in your own story (praxis) that are recognized or brought into clearer focus as you review and reflect? What questions about YOU YOURSELF are emerging as you reflect? Are you newly curious about you, your thinking and feeling following this “pause”?
Now, having done this reflection “work,” write your meta-reflection.
Let's shift emphasis a bit.
As you consider issues such as how much time, energy, etc. that you can commit to each of the various course requirements, keep in mind that noting or noticing your experience of the course, how your ideas and practices are being stretched, reformulated, and influenced (or not) is important. That said, the meta-reflections are particularly significant. Thus, the length (in pages/words) is simply what is required to fully explore all of the issues at hand. For some, 250 words will be sufficient. For others, LOTS more words will be needed. The rule of thumb: Please remain true to yourself and to the course and activity intentions. Do NOT blather on to fill any “requirement.” Write from your heart (sadly, most of education is only concerned with the top 6 inches of our body, omitting our “heart” wisdom, focusing only on the output of our brain).
Please post your meta-reflection to Yammer in the corresponding meta-reflection group. Note that this meta-reflection will be viewable by all class members.
You have successfully completed this assignment when you have:
- Completed and submitted the essay following all of the guidelines described here.
