Directional Reflection:Realising Its ‘Practical Potential’ At The University Level

Reflection is ‘a foundational concept’ in higher education, yet its successful implementation often demands purposeful intervention and thoughtful scaffolding (Harvey et al., 2025, p.1). This Brief Communication explores the potential of Directional Reflection (Brownhill, 2025), a visual strategy that uses arrows to prompt students towards specific types of thinking. Recent dissemination activities of said strategy acknowledge the pressing need to balance the theory with the practice, identifying practical ways that Directional Reflection could be embraced by lecturers and students at the university level. Thus, this Brief Communication proposes an assortment of pedagogical ideas to nurture silent in-session communication, offer cohort assessment feedback, and guide end-of-course reviews, these all being for reader selection, adaptation, and implementation.