Getting the elearners to reflect on the custom content will help complete the learning process. Obviously, this involves questions that they need to ask themselves. However, not everyone is aware that the questions should be asked throughout the lesson.
Most people think that the reflection should only happen at the end of the lesson. The truth is, the majority of the reflection will happen towards the end of the course – after the content is revealed and taught. You will use this reflection to check if they understood the lesson well.
However, this is only a part of the whole reflection process. You also have to lead them to reflect at the beginning of the course and in the midst of it. This is how you can ensure that they will have the best learning experience while trying to understand the custom content.
There are so many questions that you can provide – depending on what the lesson is all about. But in general, these are the three important questions that need to be answered.
Pre-course question: Where am I going?
Before you start any project, it is nice to affirm why you are doing it. You want learners to know where they intend to go when they take on the course. This will help them understand the point of the course. They have to know the expected outcome so they can decide if it is where they want to go. Will it meet their intended goals? Will it give them the knowledge and skills that they need to improve? This is an important reflection that will assert their objectives and expectations about the course. At the same time, this will help you determine if they understand what the course is really about.
Mid-course question: How am I doing?
While the learners are going through the custom content, it is also important that you allow them to reflect on their progress. No matter how perfect the course may seem, not all the learners will appreciate it in the same way. Not only that, they may not be progressing in the same way. If many of the learners are not progressing as intended, there might be something wrong with the implementation or delivery of the custom content. But even if there are only a few, you want to know why they are behind. Analyze and adjust the lesson as it is happening to ensure that the learning experience will not be compromised. This reflection will help learners maximize what they can get from the course.
Post-course question: What’s next?
After the successful completion of the course, you need to let the learners reflect on what they want to happen next. How will they implement what they just learned? If they want to know more, what are their plans to pursue their learning further? They have to be able to reflect on what they want to happen in the future and reconcile it with the new information that they got from the course that they just completed.
When you give learners enough time and opportunity to dwell on these reflections, you can help enrich the learning experience and make it more valuable. In the end, this could result in the development of a love for learning.
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