Assessment Rubric for Student Reflections

Reflective Practitioner

Clarity: The language is clear and expressive. The reader can create a mental picture of the situation being described. Abstract concepts are explained accurately. Explanation of concepts makes sense to an uninformed reader.
Relevance: The learning experience being reflected upon is relevant and meaningful to student and course learning goals.
Analysis: The reflection moves beyond simple description of the experience to an analysis of how the experience contributed to student understanding of self, others, and/or course concepts.
Interconnections: The reflection demonstrates connections between the experience and material from other courses; past experience; and/or personal goals.
Self-criticism: The reflection demonstrates ability of the student to question their own biases, stereotypes, preconceptions, and/or assumptions and define new modes of thinking as a result.

Aware Practitioner

Clarity: Minor, infrequent lapses in clarity and accuracy.
Relevance: The learning experience being reflected upon is relevant and meaningful to student and course learning goals.
Analysis: The reflection demonstrates student attempts to analyze the experience but analysis lacks depth.
Interconnections: The reflection demonstrates connections between the experience and material from other courses; past experience; and/or personal goals.
Self-criticism: The reflection demonstrates ability of the student to question their own biases, stereotypes, preconceptions.

Reflection Novice

Clarity: There are frequent lapses in clarity and accuracy.
Relevance: Student makes attempts to demonstrate relevance, but the relevance is unclear to the reader.
Analysis: Student makes attempts at applying the learning experience to understanding of self, others, and/or course concepts but fails to demonstrate depth of analysis.
Interconnections: There is little to no attempt to demonstrate connections between the learning experience and previous other personal and/or learning experiences.
Self-criticism: There is some attempt at self-criticism, but the self-reflection fails to demonstrate a new awareness of personal biases, etc.

Unacceptable

Clarity:Language is unclear and confusing throughout. Concepts are either not discussed or are presented inaccurately.
Relevance: Most of the reflection is irrelevant to student and/or course learning goals.
Analysis: Reflection does not move beyond description of the learning experience(s).
Interconnection:
No attempt to demonstrate connections to previous learning or experience.
Self-criticism:
No attempt at self-criticism.

Developed by Steven Jones, Coordinator, Office of Service Learning, IUPUI