Exploring the Linkages Between Reflection on Class Experience and Learning Outcomes

Development of a Reflection on Class Experience Scale for University Students

Abstract

The relationship between reflection and learning outcomes among university students has predominantly been examined in specialized education courses or experience- and practice-based courses, while the elaboration of reflection measurement has been overlooked. Using the process model of reflection, this study has operationally defined reflection as "recollecting the classroom experience, analyzing and evaluating it, recognizing what was learned, and applying the findings to the subsequent experience." This study aimed to organize the characteristics of the reflection process model, develop a scale to measure reflection that can be applied to lecture and seminar courses, and examine the relationship between reflection and learning outcomes, such as grades and the sense of the acquisition of abilities. Based on a factor analysis of data from 942 university students, a reflection scale was developed, consisting of three dimensions: "recall and analysis of content," "recall and analysis of activities," and "application." Subsequently, a cluster analysis identified six types from these three sub-dimensions. The findings of the multivariate analysis of variance revealed that students belonging to the active reflection type tended to have a higher sense of competence acquisition than the other types.