Reflection is the foundation from which students develop a wide range of transferable skills and knowledge, or “global competencies”, including critical thinking, innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
Reflection is a fundamental feature of metacognition – that is, of “learning the process of learning” and of self-aware and self-directed learning. It is also critical to developing a growth mindset – a belief in the ability to learn and grow with the aid of perseverance, self-regulation skills, emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-management (including self-advocacy) skills.
Metacognitive competencies include the ability to monitor one’s own progress and take action towards achieving a learning goal. Students with highly developed metacognitive competencies have higher degrees of resilience and well-being, which support student success in challenging times.
Students who apply metacognitive thinking habitually are able to deepen and monitor their learning, make connections across a wider range of contexts and environments, and support more robust inquiries by creating a wider range of inquiry questions.