problem solving skills reflective essay

Digging Deep into Purpose and Importance of Reflective Essay

Reflection writing is a powerful tool for students and professionals as they offer a unique opportunity for self-exploration, growth, and understanding. This guide on the importance and purpose of reflective essays aims to change your perception of writing and shed light on the many benefits of incorporating reflection into your life. With our amazing paper help resources and expert guidance, you can master the art of reflective essay writing and unlock your full potential.

Table of Contents

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows the author to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a structured and analytical manner. This form of writing encourages critical thinking and personal growth by examining the author’s experiences, thoughts, actions, and reactions.

Reflective essays often focus on personal development, learning experiences, or the impact of specific events on the author’s life. However, reflection writing is also used for college essays or other forms of academic writing.

Types of Reflection Writing

Reflection essays come in various forms, each with its unique focus and purpose. In this note, we will delve into five types of reflective writing;

Personal Reflective Writing

Professional reflection, academic reflective essay, creative reflection.

Social or Cultural Reflection Writing

Understanding these different approaches will enable you to choose the most suitable reflection essay type for your needs and make your writing more coherent, insightful and trustworthy.

Journaling, manifestation dairies, and written meditations are common ideas. But would you believe these are all forms and branches of personal reflection writing?

Personal reflection essays explore what you’re going through, emotionally, mentally, and provide insights. These could be about their learning, inner conflicts, resolutions and growth.

This type of reflective writing allows individuals to examine their values, beliefs, and actions, fostering self-awareness and personal development.

Personal reflection essays may focus on topics such as significant life events, personal challenges, or the impact of relationships on one’s identity and growth.

Professional reflection writing is common in academic or workplace settings. They involve analyzing personal and professional skills and challenges and identifying areas for improvement.

This reflection essay encourages individuals to examine their professional experiences, decisions, and outcomes, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Professional reflection essays may focus on workplace conflicts, leadership experiences, or developing specific professional competencies.

As a college paper writing service platform, we know that most students are intimidated by reflective essay writing. In an academic setting, the reflection essay blurs the lines between informal and formal writing.

You might be assigned an essay account of your experience with an event, but you’ll still need to follow strict rules of academic writing, i.e., formatting or organizing a paper .

Academic reflective writing involves analyzing and evaluating academic materials, such as readings, lectures, or research projects, and connecting them to personal experiences or broader concepts.

It encourages students to engage with course content on a deeper level, fostering a better understanding of the material and its relevance to their lives and future careers.

For example:

You can be assigned to write a reflection essay on modernism in literature . You’d have to write your thoughts and observations about this era. Still, you must follow the rules like citation, proper referencing, and contextual analysis of the ideas presented in that era.

Creative reflection essays are often utilized in artistic or creative fields, allowing individuals to examine their creative process, inspirations, and outcomes.

This reflective writing fosters self-awareness, critical thinking, and artistic growth, enabling individuals to explore their creative motivations, challenges, and successes.

Creative reflection essays may focus on topics such as the development of a specific artistic project, the influence of personal experiences on one’s creative work, or the role of collaboration in the creative process.

Social or Cultural Reflection

These reflection essays focus on exploring and understanding social or cultural phenomena. It involves analyzing personal experiences, observations, or interactions with others and reflecting on their significance and broader societal implications.

Social or cultural reflection essays encourage individuals to engage with the world around them, fostering empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of social and cultural issues.

These essays may focus on topics such as the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships, the role of cultural identity in shaping one’s worldview, or the challenges of navigating diverse social environments.

Students must grasp all of these forms of reflective essay writing. Understanding the different types of reflective writing and their unique purposes is required for crafting effective reflection essays.

By selecting the most appropriate reflection essay type for your needs, you can create a coherent, understandable, and persuasive piece of writing that fosters personal and professional growth.

Reflective writing offers a valuable opportunity for self-exploration, critical thinking, and meaningful learning, whether you are exploring your personal experiences, professional challenges, academic materials, creative endeavors, or social and cultural phenomena.

What is the Purpose of Reflective Essay Writing?

The amazing thing about reflective essay writing is that, although we have discussed its few meaningful purposes, there’s still a long list to cover.

These numerous goals are particularly for students dealing with academic stress and professionals experiencing work-related challenges. Here are 8 key purposes of reflective paper writing.

Self-awareness : Reflective essays help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their values, beliefs, and emotions.
Critical thinking : It encourages the examination of one’s thoughts and experiences, fostering the development of critical thinking skills.
Personal growth : Reflection writing enables individuals to learn from their experiences, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for personal development.
Problem-solving : Reflection essay writing can help identify the root causes of problems and generate potential solutions.
Emotional processing : Writing about emotional experiences can help individuals process and cope with their feelings.
Learning from mistakes : Reflection writing encourages individuals to examine their failures, learn from them, and develop resilience.
Enhancing communication skills : Reflective writing helps improve written communication skills and promotes effective self-expression.
Empathy development: The reflective essays can foster empathy by encouraging individuals to consider the perspectives and experiences of others.

Why Is Reflection Essay Important for Students?

Reflection writing is a crucial aspect of a student’s academic journey. Here are several reasons why reflection writing is essential for students:

Promotes Self-Awareness

Self-awareness in a student involves recognizing their academic learning style, studying habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Reflective Writing plays a crucial role in building self-awareness in students.

Most students struggle with consulting adults or peers with issues like processing information, retaining knowledge, and solving problems effectively. They have a hard time coming to terms with certain values, beliefs, goals, and emotions.

And an even harder time in exploring and creating their identities. Practicing reflective thought writing enables students to make informed decisions, set realistic goals, and develop healthy relationships.

Self-aware students take ownership of their learning and personal development, seeking feedback, reflecting on experiences, and adapting their approaches. Thus, reflective essay writing contributes to effective communication, collaboration, and navigating challenges.

Develops Critical Thinking Skills

Reflective writing develops critical thinking skills in students by prompting them to analyze and evaluate their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives.

It encourages questioning assumptions, considering alternative viewpoints, and making informed judgments. Students practice higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation through reflection.

They learn to articulate their ideas clearly and support them with evidence. Overall, reflective writing plays a crucial role in fostering critical thinking by promoting deep thinking, evaluation of evidence, and effective communication of thoughts.

Practical Academic Stress Dealing

Reflective writing induces practical academic stress dealing in students by improving self-expression, facilitating self-composition, promoting goal-setting and problem-solving, enhancing writing skills, and fulfilling academic requirements. These benefits empower students to navigate their academic challenges more effectively and succeed in their studies.

Improves self-expression : Reflection writing helps students enhance their written communication skills and promotes effective self-expression, which is vital for academic success and personal growth.
Self-composition: Reflective writing allows students to compose their thoughts and ideas in a structured and coherent manner. It encourages them to organize their reflections, leading to clearer and more articulate writing.
Setting better goals: Engaging in reflective writing prompts students to set better academic goals. It helps them assess their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, and establish realistic objectives for their studies.
Problem-solving : Reflective writing encourages students to analyze academic challenges and develop strategies to overcome them. It fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling students to tackle obstacles and find effective solutions.
Organized and better-polished writing skills : Regular practice of reflective writing hones students’ writing skills. It enhances their ability to structure their thoughts, use appropriate language, and present coherent arguments, leading to more organized and polished writing.
Fulfills academic requirements : Reflective essays are often assigned as part of the coursework, and students need to write them to meet academic requirements. Developing reflection writing skills ensures students can effectively complete these assignments while meeting the expectations of their instructors.

Navigating Life Transitions

Students often face significant life transitions, such as moving away from home or choosing a career path. Reflection essay writing can help them process these changes, identify their goals, and make informed decisions.

By engaging in reflective writing, students can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences related to the transitions they are facing. This process allows them to gain clarity, understand their values and aspirations, and evaluate different options.

Reflective writing is a valuable tool for self-reflection and self-discovery, empowering students to navigate life’s transitions with a deeper understanding of themselves and their desired path forward.

Addresses Emotional and Mental Conflicts

Students may experience emotional or mental conflicts due to various factors, such as relationships, academic pressure, or personal issues. Reflection writing provides an opportunity to explore and resolve these conflicts, promoting mental well-being.

By engaging in reflective writing, students can express and process their emotions, gain insights into their turmoil’s underlying causes, and develop coping and problem-solving strategies. It offers a safe and therapeutic outlet for self-expression, self-reflection, and self-care.

Reflective essay writing empowers students to navigate their emotional and mental challenges, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and overall psychological well-being.

Balancing Work and Studies

Many students juggle work and studies simultaneously. Reflection writing can help them assess their time management and prioritization skills, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to maintain a healthy work-study balance.

Encourages Empathy Development

Reflective essays can foster empathy by encouraging students to consider the perspectives and experiences of others, an essential skill for building strong relationships and navigating diverse social environments.

Reflection Essay Writing Format

Reflection essays require a structured approach to ensure coherence and clarity in presenting one’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This detailed tutorial will provide an overview of the reflection essay writing format and offer instructions on how to apply APA and MLA formatting to your reflection essay.

A well-structured reflection essay typically includes the following elements:

Introduction : Provide an overview of the topic or experience you will be reflecting on and briefly explain its significance.
Description : Describe the experience or event in detail, including relevant facts, feelings, and observations.
Analysis : Examine your thoughts, emotions, and reactions to the experience, and consider the factors that influenced your response.
Evaluation : Assess the impact of the experience on your personal growth, learning, or development and discuss any lessons learned.
Conclusion : Summarize your reflections, reiterate the significance of the experience, and discuss any future implications or goals.

APA Formatting for Reflection Essays

The American Psychological Association ( APA ) formatting style is commonly used in social sciences and education. Here are the key formatting instructions for a reflection essay in APA style:

Title Page : Include a title page with the title of your essay, your name, and the name of your institution, all centered and double-spaced.
Running Head : Include a running head on the top-left corner of each page, consisting of a shortened version of your essay title (in capital letters) and the page number.
Font and Spacing : Use a 12-point, Times New Roman font with double-spacing throughout the essay.
Margins : Set 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
Headings : Use headings to organize your essay, with level one headings centered and bold, level two headings flush left and bold, and level three headings flush left, bold, and italicized.
Citations : If you refer to any external sources, use in-text citations with the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses.
Reference List : Include a reference list at the end of your essay, with a centered and bold “References” heading, and list all cited sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

MLA Formatting for Reflection Essays

The Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting style is commonly used in humanities and liberal arts. Here are the key formatting instructions for a reflection essay in MLA style:

Header : Include a header on the top-right corner of each page, consisting of your last name and the page number.
Title : Center the title of your essay at the top of the first page, using standard capitalization. Do not underline, italicize, or place the title in quotation marks.
Indentation : Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
Citations : If you refer to any external sources, use in-text citations with the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses.
Works Cited : Include a Works Cited page at the end of your essay, with a centered “Works Cited” heading, and list all cited sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

Topics for Reflection Essays

Reflective essay topics can vary widely, depending on the individual’s experiences, interests, and goals. Some examples of reflective essay topics include:

A significant personal experience and its impact on your life.
A challenging academic or professional situation and the lessons learned.
A personal or professional failure and how it has shaped your development.
A meaningful relationship or encounter with someone who has influenced your perspective.
A volunteer or community service experience and its effect on your values or beliefs.
A time when you faced a moral or ethical dilemma and how you resolved it.
A personal or professional goal and the steps taken to achieve it.
A cultural or travel experience that broadened your understanding of the world.

Examples of Reflective Essay

Our writers have written numerous examples of reflective essays here are some of them.

Reflection Essay Example 1

A Poetic Turnaround: How an Online Assignment Platform Reshaped My Perception

Reflection Paper Example 2

A Day Among Colors and Canvas: Art Exhibition at School

Reflection Writing Example 3

Spinning the Semester Around: Witnessing a Friend Succeeding in Their Academic Battles

Reflective essay writing can polish your being in many ways. By understanding the purpose and importance of reflective essays, as well as mastering the format and selecting meaningful topics, you can transform your writing and unlock the full potential of self-reflection. For additional help, you can avail of our top-of-the-line writing service and confidently pursue your goals, knowing you have the best support for securing impressive grades.

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Problem Solving through Reflective Practice

Reflective practice progresses through several steps. The practitioner first identifies a problem followed by the observation and analysis stage. Ostermann & Kottk amp (2004) identify this stage as “the most critical and complex of the four” (p. 28) stages. This stage entails the necessity of not only gathering information about the problem without tainting it with personal judgment but also analyzing the dilemma as it is compared from the current situation to the desired goal . The third stage, abstract re-conceptualization requires the practitioner to investigate new solutions and resources which address the root of the dilemma. Lastly, experimentation enters as the new strategies are utilized in changing behaviors. York-Barr et al. (2005) suggests that these steps are not linear, nor are they circular. Each step is interconnected

Using a learning journal aids in the learning process. Click on image.

with the others.

This practice can be utilized through recording each step and later reviewing what was learned. It allows educators to provide the example for the students in a continuous learning environment of progression as they develop skills to be more proficient at teaching and more skilled at learning. It is simply the experiential model by which educators learn most effectively.

These are some of my favorite sources for a reflective practice and problem solving using reflective practice.

Click on image.

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R. (2004). Reflective practice for educators: Professional development to improve student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

York-Barr, J., Sommers, W., Ghere, G. & Monthie, J. (2005). Reflective practice to improve schools: An action guide for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

By Tracy Harrington-Atkinson

Tracy Harrington-Atkinson, mother of six, lives in the Midwest with her husband. She is a teacher, having taught elementary school to higher education, holding degrees in elementary education, a master’s in higher education and continued on to a PhD in curriculum design. She has published several titles, including Calais: The Annals of the Hidden , Lemosa: The Annals of the Hidden, Book Two, Rachel’s 8 and Securing Your Tent . She is currently working on a non-fiction text exploring the attributes of self-directed learners: The Five Characteristics of Self-directed Learners.

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Reflective Writing Guide

A great deal of your time at university will be spent thinking; thinking about what people have said, what you have read, what you yourself are thinking and how your thinking has changed. It is generally believed that the thinking process involves two aspects: reflective thinking and critical thinking. They are not separate processes; rather, they are closely connected (Brookfield 1987).

Figure 1: The Thinking Process (adapted from Mezirow 1990, Schon 1987, Brookfield 1987)

Reflective thinking

Reflection is:

a form of personal response to experiences, situations, events or new information.
a 'processing' phase where thinking and learning take place.

There is neither a right nor a wrong way of reflective thinking, there are just questions to explore.

Figure 1 shows that the reflective thinking process starts with you. Before you can begin to assess the words and ideas of others, you need to pause and identify and examine your own thoughts.

Doing this involves revisiting your prior experience and knowledge of the topic you are exploring. It also involves considering how and why you think the way you do. The examination of your beliefs, values, attitudes and assumptions forms the foundation of your understanding.

Reflective thinking demands that you recognise that you bring valuable knowledge to every experience. It helps you therefore to recognise and clarify the important connections between what you already know and what you are learning. It is a way of helping you to become an active, aware and critical learner.

What is reflective writing?

Reflective writing is:.

documenting your response to experiences, opinions, events or new information
communicating your response to thoughts and feelings
a way of exploring your learning
an opportunity to gain self-knowledge
a way to achieve clarity and better understanding of what you are learning
a chance to develop and reinforce writing skills
a way of making meaning out of what you study

Reflective writing is not:

just conveying information, instruction or argument
pure description, though there may be descriptive elements
straightforward decision or judgement, e.g. about whether something is right or wrong, good or bad
simple problem-solving
a summary of course notes
a standard university essay.

See next: How do I write reflectively?

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Editing checklist
Writing a critical review
Annotated bibliography
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Examples of reflective writing
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Korean J Med Educ
v.30(1); 2018 Mar

An analysis of medical students’ reflective essays in problem-based learning

This study aimed to explore students’ learning experience in problem-based learning (PBL) particularly in terms of what they learned and how they learned in one Korean medical school by analyzing their reflective essays with qualitative research methods.

This study included 44 first-year medical students. They took three consecutive PBL courses and wrote reflective essays 3 times anonymously on the last day of each course. Their reflective essays were analyzed using an inductive content analysis method.

The coding process yielded 16 sub-categories and these categories were grouped into six categories according to the distinctive characteristics of PBL learning experience: integrated knowledge base, clinical problem solving, collaboration, intrinsic motivation, self-directed learning, and professional attitude. Among these categories, integrated knowledge base (34.68%) and professional attitude (2.31%) were the categories mentioned most and least frequently.

The findings of this study provide an overall understanding of the learning experience of Korean medical students during PBL in terms of what they learned and how they learned with rich descriptive commentaries from their perspectives as well as several thoughtful insights to help develop instructional strategies to enhance the effectiveness of PBL.

Introduction

Reflection is a purposeful critical analysis of knowledge and learning experience to achieve deeper understanding in learning processes. Students in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment have to deal with an authentic problem or clinical case and engage reflectively with it in order to construct their own understanding [ 1 ]. In PBL, students should relate “their new knowledge to their prior understanding, attentively abstract knowledge, and understand how their learning and problem-solving strategies might be reapplied” [ 2 ]. These processes are supported through reflective thinking and reflecting on the relationship between problem solving and learning is a crucial component of PBL.

Reflective essays are often used in PBL to promote and externalize students’ reflection on learning experiences. Through writing reflective essays about what they understood and how they learned at the completion of PBL, students can make inferences that tie general concepts and skills to the specifics of the problems under discussion [ 3 ]. As a result, they can construct a more coherent understanding. Thus, a reflective essay is itself an effective learning strategy to promote reflection and at the same time can be a tool for assessing their learning experience during PBL [ 4 ].

Many studies have explored medical students’ learning experience in PBL, but they have mainly been quantitative, focusing on measuring the effectiveness of PBL compared with conventional teaching methods [ 5 ]. Little research has been conducted to qualitatively explore their PBL experience [ 6 ]. In addition, almost no research has been conducted to explore their learning experience by analyzing their reflective essays particularly in Korean medical schools. Quantitative research cannot normally provide information about what they learned or felt and how they learned during PBL. Analyzing reflective essays qualitatively can provide richly descriptive information about the learning experience of medical students in PBL from their perspective. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the learning experience in PBL particularly in terms of what they learned and how they learned in one Korean medical school by analyzing their reflective essays with qualitative research methods. Understanding their learning experiences in PBL with in-depth, textualized data can provide thoughtful insights for the development of effective instructional strategies to enhance the effectiveness of PBL.

1. Participants

The subjects of this study were first-year medical students enrolled in the three consecutive PBL courses at Dong-A University College of Medicine in Korea during the fall semester of 2015. These students consented to the collection of data. Among the 49 students in the classes, five students who did not participate in the entire series of three PBL courses were excluded, leaving 44 first-year students who participated in this study (29 male and 15 female). Their ages ranged from 21 to 33 years (mean±standard deviation=24±2.43). The students in the PBL courses were randomly assigned to discussion groups of seven or eight. They had not taken PBL courses before the first PBL course.

2. Problem-based learning

The PBL courses in this study consisted of three meetings for 3 weeks. In the first two meetings, the seven or eight students of a group discussed a case together with a tutor for about 120 minutes at a time. A typical PBL course started with the tutor presenting a patient’s main symptoms to the students, who then generated multiple hypotheses based on the patient’s main symptoms, gathered relevant data from the tutor, and at the end of the first meeting identified learning issues for self-directed learning. In the second meeting, they shared the information they gathered during self-directed learning, reviewed their prior hypotheses based on new information, and decided which hypothesis was accepted as a final diagnosis. In doing so, the students were asked to construct concept maps of their argumentation based on Toulmin’s argument model [ 7 ].

In the third meeting, all the students gathered in one classroom with the professor who developed the PBL module and each group presented its concept map. The professor gave feedback on their presentations and delivered a final mini-lecture. The clinical case for the first PBL was of a 2-year-old girl suffering from barking coughing, hoarseness, and difficult breathing. The case for the second PBL was of an unconscious 55-year-old man and the case for the third PBL was of a 73-year-old man suffering from edema.

3. Procedures

Before the PBL sessions, students and tutors were given a PBL orientation session, and these orientation sessions were mandatory for both students and tutors. The first PBL session proceeded at the beginning of the fall semester and the second session proceeded 5 weeks later, while the third PBL proceeded in March of the next year. The students were asked to write reflective essays about their PBL learning experience in terms of what they understood and how they learned after a mini-lecture in the third meeting of each PBL course. Thus, in total, they wrote reflective essays three times and they wrote them anonymously.

4. Analysis

The students wrote 107 essays in total as some of them did not write the reflective essays; 39 in the first PBL, 28 in the second PBL, and 40 in the third PBL wrote the reflective essays. Their reflective essays were analyzed with an inductive content analysis method [ 8 ]. The purpose of this study was to explore medical students’ learning experience in PBL, so coded categories should be derived directly from the text data. Thus, inductive analysis was utilized. In order to systematically analyze reflective essays, NVIVO 11, qualitative research software developed by QSR International, was utilized (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). Using this software, the data were first coded using open coding techniques [ 8 ], which entailed assigning headings to all the data. The reflective essays were read through again and as many headings as necessary were assigned to describe all aspects of the content, after which related headings were combined into higher-order heading. The related higher-order coding was then grouped as sub-categories. The sub-categories with similar events are grouped as categories. Through this abstraction process [ 8 ], each category revealed the distinctive characteristics of PBL learning experience. These categories were reviewed by another expert in the field of education technology and if there was disagreement between the researcher and the second expert, the categories were modified based on their consensus. The final findings were also calculated with frequency using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA).

The coding process yielded sixteen sub-categories and these categories were grouped into six categories according to the distinctive characteristics of PBL learning experience: integrated knowledge base, clinical problem solving, collaboration, intrinsic motivation, self-directed learning, and professional attitude. Among these categories, integrated knowledge base (34.68%) and professional attitude (2.31%) were the categories mentioned most and least frequently, respectively. Table 1 shows the frequency with which each category occurred.

Frequency and Ratio of Each Category of the Data

Regarding the category of integrated knowledge base, the findings generally indicate that the medical students recognized those authentic learning experiences during PBL as valuable that dealt with real clinical cases as doctors do. They also perceived that they could remember what they learned through PBL longer than what they learned in class. In addition, many of them reported that they felt a lack of medical knowledge. Regarding the category of clinical problem solving, the findings generally illustrate that while they were involved in clinical problem solving, they recognized their lack of problem-solving skills and understood they should not abandon their initial hypotheses without very strong evidence. Regarding the category of collaboration, the findings generally illustrate that the students felt how effective or important collaboration was in terms of solving a clinical case. They also thought that collaboration promoted their active participation, but that their poor communication skills were a hindrance to effective collaboration. Regarding the category of self-directed learning, they mentioned that the process of searching for what they did not know but needed to know related to the clinical case was very useful for their learning and through this self-directed learning process, they were actively engaged in learning and had learned from various resources. In addition, they expressed that the PBL process increased their interest in learning and made them ponder the professional attitude of a doctor, such as what they should do as a professional practitioner when they make mistakes. Table 2 presents examples of the contents of the reflective essays corresponding to each category.

The Examples of the Contents of the Reflective Essays Corresponding to Each Category

PBL: Problem-based learning.

This study analyzed Korean medical students’ reflective essays using a qualitative research method to explore their’ learning experience in PBL from their voice. The category, “recognizing authentic learning experiences as valuable” was the most occurring category. An authentic learning experience is one of the distinctive essential characteristics of PBL and the students clearly recognized it as valuable. Through dealing with a clinical case, students can construct an integrated knowledge base across multiple disciplines, and such a knowledge base can enhance their ability to recall what they have learned and apply it to clinical work [ 9 ]. This finding is the same to that of Choi et al. [ 10 ] reporting that nursing students expressed the view of the authentic learning experience in PBL as very useful and valuable.

Regarding clinical problem-solving skills, the findings showed that PBL have positive effects of developing their clinical problem-solving skills. In fact, whether students acquire clinical problem-solving skills during PBL are not conclusive according to the previous research [ 10 - 12 ]. However, their statements are in agreement with studies showing positive effects on this issue [ 10 , 11 ]. Regarding collaboration, the findings showed that the students understood how important it is for successful problem solving that they function well as part of team and that there is a smooth open exchange of ideas and active engagement by all members of a group. In fact, there was little research conducted regarding effects of PBL on developing collaboration skills. This result showed that PBL is an effective method for developing collaboration skills and this result is consistent with that of L’Ecuyer et al. [ 13 ], which reported that nursing students expressed PBL as an effective method for developing collaboration skills in their reflective essays.

Students are more motivated when they feel what they are learning is valuable to them [ 2 ]. As expected according to the result, as solving a real clinical case was a valuable experience to them, their motivation toward learning was enhanced. This result is in the same vein as other research indicating that PBL improves students’ motivation toward learning [ 6 , 11 ]. One of the goals of PBL is to develop self-directed learning skills. The students reported that they developed self-directed learning skills through PBL, and this result is the same as that of other studies reporting positive effects of PBL on self-directed learning [ 10 ]. Finally, the students also commented on professional attitudes. One of the clinical cases discussed during PBL in this study concerned a girl who had been previously hospitalized 8 times due to misdiagnosis. Through this case, the students pondered what they should do when they misdiagnose a patient. The demonstration of an appropriate professional attitude is a critical skill in the field of heath science, and the results indicate that PBL can be a useful tool for developing the professional attitudes of medical students.

These findings suggest several instructional strategies. First, the authentic learning afforded by PBL was most frequently mentioned in the reflective essays and the medical students recognized it as valuable. Thus, as authentic learning is a key component of successful PBL, a clinical case provided to students should be carefully designed. A good clinical case should be realistic, allows students to evaluate the effectiveness of their knowledge, requires multidisciplinary solutions, fosters communication skills as they exchange their opinions, and motivate their need to know and learn [ 2 ]. Secondly, the medical students mentioned that their poor communication skills were a hindrance to their active participation in collaborating with others. Listening to others and expressing one’s opinion logically are essential components of successful collaboration. Thus, training in communication skills before PBL can be an effective strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of collaboration. Thirdly, they also expressed their lack of problem-solving skills and their need for such training. Thus, a workshop session offering training in problem-solving skills before PBL can help them develop effective clinical problem-solving skills. Lastly, this study shows that PBL can be used in the development of the professional attitudes of medical students, which is an important objective of medical education. In order to do so, they must reflect on how they respond to difficult situations, and PBL can provide this opportunity with a well-designed clinical case.

This study has limitations. The reflective essays that were analyzed were collected after three PBL courses. Although they were conducted consecutively, there were intervals between them. Thus, the possibility was not entirely excluded that this interval might have influenced the contents of the reflective essays. Furthermore, a study qualitatively exploring how medical students apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the PBL experience in their clinical practices is needed to confirm and deepen the results of this study.

In conclusion, the findings of this study provide an overall understanding of the learning experience of Korean medical students during PBL particularly in terms of what they learned and how they learned with rich descriptive commentaries from their perspectives as well as several thoughtful insights to help develop instructional strategies to enhance the effectiveness of PBL.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Dong-A University research fund.

Conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

111 Problem Solving Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Employability and Study Skills: Kolb’s Reflective Cycle

Introduction.

Reflection plays an important role in continuous personal and professional development. The practice involves utilizing acquired knowledge rather than reciting what has been learned (Cameron, 2016). Hicks et al. (2019) conquer that the feelings and thoughts emerging from pondering about the situation enable people to generate new concepts. This reflective journal discusses how the module has contributed to my employability and study skills. The report uses Kolb’s Reflective Cycle to evaluate learning in communication, research, teamwork, time and self-management, and problem-solving skills, as well as the use of ICTs.

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle

According to Kolb’s framework, new experiences provide the impetus to develop and understand new concepts. As illustrated in Figure 1, Kolb’s theory asserts that learning occurs through a four-stage process. First, a person encounters a new experience or reinterprets a previous one. Second, the individual observes and reflects on the situation in the second stage (Kolb and Kolb, 2018). Third, the person forms new ideas or modifies a previously learned abstract concept. The last phase entails actively experimenting or applying the ideas to real-life problems (Morris, 2020). The following questions guide the reflection:

What did I do?
What happened?
What did I learn?
What can I do to improve?

Communication Skills

This course provided relevant activities and excellent opportunities for learning and strengthening written, visual, and verbal communication skills in both education and business contexts. Cameron (2016) and Shukla and Kumar (2017) opine that effective communication skills are vital for personal and professional success. Throughout this module, we learned and practiced in-demand communication skills and robust strategies for improving them. I grasped how to write emails, speak in diverse contexts such as interviews and groups, give effective presentations, and network online.

Active listening stood out most as I realized that listening to others actively is one of the integral elements of effective communication. I learned that effective listening requires paying attention to verbal and nonverbal cues such as tone, pitch, eye contact, body movements, and gestures. Paying attention to these behaviors helps understand messages and the speaker’s feelings (McShane and Von Glinow, 2018). I will strengthen this skill by giving speakers undivided attention, eliminating distractors, providing feedback, deferring judgment, and responding appropriately.

Research Skills

The course provided a strong foundation for scholarly and professional writing by exposing me to advanced research skills. We learned how to formulate research questions, find relevant information sources, and use them properly. This course enabled me to appreciate the importance of preparing adequately and conducting extensive research when undertaking any assignment. I learned that formulating a narrow topic or question makes tasks more manageable. Furthermore, I realized that understanding how to locate relevant sources and use them provides a strong foundation for successful research. This point is espoused by Garg and Passey (2018), who note that effective research skills help build workforce competence. The research skills I honed during this course will enable me for complex academic tasks and job-related assignments in the future.

The Use of ICTs

This course helped me understand how information communication technologies (ICTs) have transformed education. This course exposed me to a wide range of technological applications in education and other fields. We also covered the impact of these innovations on students, learning, and instruction. In agreement with Cottrell (2013), the integration of ITCs improved the classroom experience tremendously. Most importantly, technology turned the traditional dull classroom and subjects into an interactive and fun learning environment by facilitating active participation in-class activities.

Attending this university made me realize how technology enables students to interact with teachers and peers more effectively. I seek to take advantage of various technological applications to collaborate with my classmates and teachers. I intend to utilize these tools to access many resources and conduct research for my school and work assignments in the future. The ability to use a range of digital applications competently is one of the most necessary skills in education (Cameron, 2016). Cottrell (2013) cautions that with vast information available online, it can be difficult to select quality, relevant and reliable sources.

Team Working and Networking

As outlined in the Groups and Teams PowerPoint, we learned how to identify groups and teams, types of groups, factors that influence group formation and development, core team competencies, and groups’ structural and behavioral characteristics. What stood out most from this lesson was the contrast between a group and a team. I learned that a group could be any set of people interacting based on shared objectives. In contrast, a team is characterized by members who identify strongly with the group and are more personally responsible for achieving clearly-defined collective outcomes and highly-coordinated interactions (McShane and Von Glinow, 2018). These insights helped me understand why some teams work effectively, and others struggle.

The five-stage model of team development and Belbin’s team roles helped me comprehend how a team’s structural and behavioral characteristics can foster or impede effective communication and teamwork. Reflecting on this lesson helped me become more emotionally intelligent by building my self-awareness and self-regulation, which are critical to successful team working and networking (Robbins and Judge, 2017). An important takeaway from this lesson is that emotions affect how people understand others and how they are perceived. This observation is supported by Raeissi et al . (2021), who believe that emotions provide tools to understand oneself, others, and the messages they send. Furthermore, I find the core team competencies and the checklist for the leadership of groups essential to my school experience and career. I seek to develop appropriate group structures, solicit appropriate support from my peers, teachers, and management, and obtain coaching and consultation assistance from experts. These strategies will help me build and continuously improve team working and networking skills.

Time and Self-Management

Robbins and Judge’s (2017) model of stress

This course provided exceptional opportunities for practicing time and self-management skills. Both time and self-management are important to study and employability skills (Cameron, 2016). This lesson covered aspects of time, the importance of time management, and techniques for utilizing time effectively. Particularly, Robbins and Judge’s (2017) model of stress heightened my knowledge and understanding of nature, sources, causes, consequences, and ways of dealing with school and work-related stress (Figure 2). I found this topic very important to my education because I struggle with procrastination, which remains a major problem among many students (Hen and Goroshit, 2020). I was astonished by the hours we waste each day and the consequences, such as missed appointments, unprepared meetings, and poor concentration.

I learned that managing stress and time is critical to success in every task. For example, utilizing time effectively has enabled me to conduct in-depth research, revise what I learn in school at home, prepare for exams adequately, and find some time to be with my friends and enjoy my social life. The course exposed me to vital techniques such as to-do lists, Covey’s four-quadrant To Do, and time journals (Figure 3). These techniques have enabled me to set priorities, SMART goals, and effective plans. I seek to employ these tools to help avoid and manage stress, distractions, and procrastination, meet deadlines, and stick to my plans.

Problem Solving

This course sharpened my ability to solve problems in different contexts. Shukla and Kumar (2017) and McShane and Von Glinow (2018) agree that problem-solving is one of the most in-demand soft skills today. In addition to articulating the importance of problem-solving in education and the workplace, the teacher exhibited tips for improving my problem-solving skills. I learned that problem-solving is a continuous process that requires a flexible, less-structured process or framework. As a result of attending this course, I have developed a six-stage model for problem-solving (Figure 4). I am looking forward to applying this framework to diagnose and solve problems better

Personal Development Plan

This reflective journal exercise encouraged and challenged me to examine my learning and levels of understanding of the various employability and study skills. The self-assessment exercise helped generate nuanced insights into my true comprehension of the course content, theories, and concepts. Furthermore, this activity enabled me to identify gaps in my knowledge. It proved to be an important “wake-up call” by illuminating areas of strength and those that require improvement.

There are several areas that I need to work on to improve my study and employability skills. First, I need to learn to demonstrate empathy to help create an environment where everyone feels safe and encouraged to express ideas, opinions, emotions, and concerns by listening keenly. Second, as a beginner in the practice of academic and professional writing, I acknowledge that I have to learn much and develop my ability to conduct rigorous research. Particularly, I need to learn how to synthesize and critically evaluate existing information to shape and apply the knowledge I gather from group projects, seminar papers, presentations, and other academic and professional sources.

Third, I need to learn how to manage typical distractions associated with using ICTs to take greater advantage of these tools. Fourth, I need to learn more about recognizing and controlling strong feelings such as anger, frustration, and fear to improve my communication in groups and teams. I also have to learn how to accept and respond to feedback from others. Lastly, I am considering learning to apply evidence-based problem-solving models to diagnose possible causes of problems and develop robust action plans to solve them.

Overall, the PDP course provided numerous opportunities for developing and honing the above study and employability skills. One of my strengths is effective communication, particularly active listening. I ensure undivided attention during conversations, provide feedback effectively, defer judgment, and respond to questions appropriately. I have developed the ability to formulate narrow topics or questions and use sources appropriately and leverage diverse technological applications to collaborate with my classmates and teachers. Moreover, I have developed strong team working and networking, time management, and problem-solving skills. However, I need to improve my ability to demonstrate empathy, synthesize and critically evaluate existing information, manage typical distractions associated with using ICTs, recognize and control strong feelings, and apply evidence-based problem-solving models.

Reference List

Cameron, S. (2016) The business student’s handbook. 6th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Cottrell, S. (2013) The study skills handbook. 4th edn. London: Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

de Schepper, J., Sotiriadou, P. and Hill, B. (2020) ‘The role of critical reflection as an employability skill in sport management’, European Sport Management Quarterly , pp. 1-22. Web.

Garg, A. and Passey, D. (2018) Research skills future in education: building workforce competence: research report 1: Do we cultivate research skills? veracity versus falsity. Lancaster University . Web.

Hen, M. and Goroshit, M. (2020) ‘The effects of decisional and academic procrastination on students’ feelings toward academic procrastination’, Current Psychology , 39(2), pp. 556-563. Web.

Hicks, Q. S. et al . (2019) ‘Identifying the influence of factors on the quality of critical reflection: framing, frequency, and feedback’, Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching , 2(1), pp. 7-15. Web.

Kolb, A. and Kolb, D. (2018) ‘Eight important things to know about the experiential learning cycle’, Australian Educational Leader , 40(3), pp. 8-14. Web.

McShane, S. L. and Von Glinow, M. A. (2018) Organisational behaviour. 8th edn. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Morris, T. H. (2020) ‘Experiential learning–a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model’, Interactive Learning Environments , 28(8), pp. 1064-1077. Web.

Raeissi, P. et al . (2021) ‘Relationship between communication skills and emotional intelligence among nurses’, Nursing Management , 28(1). Web.

Robbins, S. P. and Judge, T. A. (2017) Organizational behavior. 17th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.

Shukla, A. and Kumar, G. (2017) ‘Essential soft skills for employability–A longitudinal study’, Advances in Economics and Business Management , 4(6), pp. 362-367. Web.

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When Reflection Hinders Creative Problem-Solving: a Test of Alternative Reflection Strategies

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Published: 15 April 2021
Volume 37 , pages 429–441, ( 2022 )

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A growing body of evidence suggests that reflecting on performance is an important source of individual learning. Given the importance of creativity in contemporary business settings, reflection has also been cast as a useful strategy to facilitate creative problem-solving. Challenging this idea, we conducted a series of lab experiments to examine the effects of reflection on creative problem-solving. Drawing from theory in cognitive psychology on knowledge structures, we argue that reflection may sometimes debilitate rather than improve creative problem-solving, due to the reinforcement of existing cognitive schemas and the resulting cognitive entrenchment. To test our theoretical arguments, we developed two alternative reflection strategies, imaginative reflection and vicarious elaboration. In Study 1 ( N = 101), we observed a detrimental effect of task reflection on creative problem-solving, which was offset by having participants engage in imaginative reflection. In Study 2 ( N = 191), vicarious elaboration, elaborating on another’s creative experiences instead of reflecting on one’s own creative experiences, was introduced as a second strategy to counter cognitive entrenchment. In Study 3 ( N = 235), we combined the reflection strategies, demonstrating that imaginative thinking was more effective when focused on one’s own experiences rather than on others’ experiences (i.e., vicarious imaginative elaboration). Together, these findings increase our understanding of the effects of different reflection strategies, but also call for further research to address an intriguing observation: none of the reflection strategies led to better outcomes as compared to a control condition without reflection, suggesting that individual reflection might not help creative problem-solving at all.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to thank Ronald Bledow, Ute Hulsheger, Jonas Lang, and Hannes Leroy for the comments on the previous versions of our paper.

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Toilet paper scenario: A production manager of a multinational, which produces toilet paper, is confronted with a new package problem of toilet paper. Based on market research, it seems that consumers would like to have more compact packages of toilet paper without reduction of the amount and quality of toilet paper.

Shampoo bottle scenario: A production manager of a multinational, which produces shampoo bottles, is confronted with a complaint of consumers. Based on market research, it seems that consumers are being irritated if they are unable to use the last remnant due to the stickiness of shampoo.

Shampoo Design Coding Rules

General rule is ‘Count all specific design options for the shampoo bottle problem.’ The problem is stickiness of shampoo. Considering this problem: ‘Is the proposed design a concrete solution for the problem?’

One bullet point with different ideas separated by comma = count as different ideas.

A different idea written between brackets next to another idea = count as two ideas.

One idea combined with an arrow and followed by a consequence = count as one idea.

One idea combined with an arrow and followed by a new idea = count as two ideas.

Synonym and Rehearsal

Synonyms = count as one idea.

Writing down the same idea twice in different bullet points = count as one idea.

Conjunctions

One bullet point with different ideas separated by & or and or or = count as different ideas. Beware, if the different ideas belong to one idea = count as one idea.

If ideas are written as an essay instead of bullet points = count each different idea .

An idea combined with an example = count as one idea .

Different questions = count as different ideas.

If a drawing is a visualization of an idea = count as one idea.

If drawings represent different new ideas = count as different ideas.

Do not count the word ‘other’. If ‘other’ is written without suggestion, do not count it as an idea.

Do not count incomplete sentences.

Reflection Exercise Coding Rules

1. Did the participant continue writing additional creative applications?

2. Did the participant write a ‘?’, ‘/’, or absolutely nothing?

3. Did the participant write random words that had nothing to do with the creativity task?

4. Did the participant indicate that it is abstract or too complex?

5. Did the participant think imaginatively?

6. Did the participant think factually?

7. Did the participant think imaginatively and factually?

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Rosseel, J., Anseel, F. When Reflection Hinders Creative Problem-Solving: a Test of Alternative Reflection Strategies. J Bus Psychol 37 , 429–441 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-021-09741-8

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Published : 15 April 2021

Issue Date : April 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-021-09741-8

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Reflection is a purposeful critical analysis of knowledge and learning experience to achieve deeper understanding in learning processes. Students in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment have to deal with an authentic problem or clinical case and engage reflectively with it in order to construct their own understanding [ 1 ].
111 Problem Solving Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Problem Solving Skills Training and the Workplace. It allows them to evaluate the impact and severity of unconventional solutions to the underlying problem with the stakeholders, clients, and allies. The training program will help employees to set aside and segregate the facts. Problem Solving Process and Methods.
Topic 1 Critical Thinking Reflection essay
Sara Glass Grand Canyon University PHI105: 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Samia Humphrey February 14th, 2021 Critical Thinking Reflection In the late 1950s is when critical thinking was brought into grades k-12 (Norris, S. P. (2014)).
Employability and Study Skills: Kolb's Reflective Cycle
This reflective journal discusses how the module has contributed to my employability and study skills. The report uses Kolb's Reflective Cycle to evaluate learning in communication, research, teamwork, time and self-management, and problem-solving skills, as well as the use of ICTs. Cut 15% OFF your first order.
Reflection Paper on Group Work: [Essay Example], 591 words
Group work is a valuable learning experience that allows students to develop essential skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. It also provides an opportunity to gain different perspectives and learn from the diverse knowledge and expertise of team members.
When Reflection Hinders Creative Problem-Solving: a Test of ...
A growing body of evidence suggests that reflecting on performance is an important source of individual learning. Given the importance of creativity in contemporary business settings, reflection has also been cast as a useful strategy to facilitate creative problem-solving. Challenging this idea, we conducted a series of lab experiments to examine the effects of reflection on creative problem ...
How to Reflect and Get Feedback on Your Problem Solving
Reflection is an important tool for improving problem solving, as it encourages self-awareness and self-regulation, develops metacognitive and learning skills, and expands creativity and innovation.
Is it Possible?: A Reflective Essay on Mathematical Problem Solving
Abstract. Today I submit a personal reflective essay that narrates the mathematical process that I used in most of my problem-solving. As a person of the science commune, I find it unusual however ...
PDF Reflective Essay
A reflective essay is a piece of writing, where students are expected to ... to evaluate students' core learning skills (for example gathering, analysing & synthesising data, critical thinking, problem solving strategies, and self-evaluation), thus providing an integrative perspective on each individual students, their skill development,
Problem Solving Reflection
Problem Solving Reflection. Improved Essays. 931 Words. 4 Pages. Open Document. Essay Sample Check Writing Quality. Show More. The concepts delivered throughout the management problem-solving course have provided me with valuable simulated real-life experiences which can be applied in my everyday work life as a HR Administrator with aspirations ...
T1 Topicand Audience Worksheet PHI105 Persuasive Essay ...
Persuasive Essay: Topic and Audience Worksheet ... 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving PHI-105. Grand Canyon University. 999+ Documents. Go to course. 2. ... Sample Critical Thinking Reflection T1 PHI105. 21st Century Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving 100% (12) 4.