Online guided reflection sessions: getting learners to think about the process of learning

This 20-minute presentation showcased a series of ‘guided reflection’ sessions which have been used to support the social, emotional, and academic development of foundation year students at the University of Surrey. This group of students arrive at university having not obtained the necessary grades for direct entry onto the first-year undergraduate programme and they report difficult relationships with study and often have fixed beliefs and academic behaviours. This may impact their progression if learners hang on to previously unsuccessful academic behaviours which are also, sadly, likely to reinforce their beliefs about their own academic potential. With this in mind, online reflective sessions were developed to encourage learners to consider their beliefs and the current, relevant academic behaviours that they are engaging with on their programme. The aim was to create a safe space for learners to share experiences and support each other as well as to develop reflective writing skills which would form part of an assessment. The theory which inspired this practice includes the pedagogy of kindness (Denial, 2020), and thoughts from Webster (2023) about the importance of discussing process and approach with learners. This presentation demonstrated the simple virtual platforms used to create this collaborative online space using real examples of reflective writing from foundation year students (with written consent provided by learners in line with the university’s ethical standards). These examples furnished discussion of the potential for online, anonymous spaces to become places of social and emotional (as well as academic) growth for learners. In addition, the presentation considered the key role that the learning developer plays in facilitating deeper reflection and self-empowerment in learners, drawing on expertise gained from offering one-to-one support. The presentation concluded by inviting discussion of some potential avenues for further development of this practice.