Timothy S. O'Connell

Assessing the quality of reflection in student journals: a review of the research

In this paper, we review 11 research articles that examine the level of reflection found in student journals in higher education across a range of disciplines. Our review reveals little to no consistency in the research community around the mechanisms and process of assessing levels of reflection in student journals. Our analysis also reveals that the quality of reflection found in student journals varies considerably across studies. In terms of trends, the five of 11 studies found that students or journals were not overly reflective and contained mostly descriptive accounts of events. Four of the 11 studies found that the majority of students or journals were somewhat reflective. Only two of the 11 studies found a high percentage of students or journals were highly reflective. We conclude with a series of factors to be considered when assessing the quality of reflection in student journals.

The effects of age, gender and level of experience on motivation to sea kayak

Although motivation to participate in outdoor leisure activities has been the frequent focus of research, there are no studies that examine motivation to sea kayak. The purposes of this study were two-fold: (1) to examine the differences in motivation to sea kayak based on the interaction of age and gender, and (2) to examine differences between paddlers of different levels of experience. Participants included 176 paddlers recruited from four sea kayak symposia. Participants were asked to complete an 84-item version of the Recreation Experience Preference (REP) scales as well as to provide demographic information. Data were analysed using a series of analysis of variance tests. Results indicated that men of various age groups were motivated differently by temperature. Additionally, men were more motivated than women to sea kayak by using equipment, taking risks and teaching/leading others, while women were more motivated than men by creativity and enjoying nature. In terms of age differences, younger sea kayakers were more motivated by achievement/stimulation and escaping personal/social pressures than their counterparts in older age groups. More experienced sea kayakers were significantly more motivated by nostalgia and escaping family than were less experienced paddlers. These results may be of interest to outdoor recreation organizations providing sea kayak experiences as they shed initial light on why different groups of people are motivated to sea kayak. Programme delivery, marketing, and instructional techniques may be modified based on these findings.

The impact of playground design on play choices and behaviors of pre-school children

The purpose of this study was to examine where and how children choose to play in four Australian pre-school centers with very different outdoor playgrounds. Using a momentary time sampling direct observation instrument, a total of 960 scans were taken of pre-determined target areas (paths, paved expanses, grass, softfall, sand feature, manufactured functional, manufactured constructive and natural) within four playgrounds over a 30-day period. During each scan, we recorded the number of boys and girls observed in each target area as well as the dominant type of play (functional, constructive, symbolic, self-focused, talking). A total of 2361 observations of children occurred across the four centers. The results revealed the children were using the four playgrounds differently. At the diverse and natural Center A, the most popular space was the natural area and the least popular space was the sandpit. At the small, compact and diverse Center B, children were fairly evenly dispersed, with the most popular areas being the softfall and paved expanse. At the hard and barren Center C, almost half the children were found on the pavement, but the sandpits and natural areas were also popular. Finally, at the large, sparse and old Center D, children were fairly evenly dispersed, but most were observed playing on the softfall. Across all centers, irrespective of target area, the dominant play activity was functional play followed by self-focused play. This article discusses these findings and asks important questions about the design of pre-school playgrounds. In doing so, this study has begun to explain the relationship between the design of outdoor play spaces, childrens choices of play locations and their play behaviors.

Psychological Sense of Community and Group Cohesion on Wilderness Trips.

Aprimary purpose of many wilderness trip programs is the development of positive interpersonal relationships and group experiences that lead to enhanced sense of community among group members (Mitten, 1999). Although there is anecdotal evidence to support the development of sense of community on wilderness trips, there is little empirical evidence to support this conclusion. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively examine the factors that contribute to or detract from wilderness trip participants’ perceived sense of community.

Health and physical education pre-service teacher perceptions of journals as a reflective tool in experience-based learning

The pedagogical use of journals as a reflective tool has been used in many academic disciplines. Researchers have studied the effectiveness of implementing journal writing as an academic exercise, and results have generally touted journals as a successful means of encouraging learning and reflection. However, little is known about how students perceive journal writing, particularly with pre-service Health and Physical Education teachers who are often inundated by attempts to make them into ‘reflective practitioners’ (Schön, 1983). The purpose of this study was to examine journal writing perceptions of Health and Physical Education pre-service teachers who participated in an experience-based learning activity. Results from this exploratory study indicate that journaling is appreciated by some pre-service teachers. While it supports the findings of previous studies that journaling can be an effective pedagogical technique, it raises the question as to whether or not journaling is for every student, particularly when considering academic specialization.

‘I’m just not that comfortable with technology’: student perceptions of and preferences for Web 2.0 technologies in reflective journals

Encouraging reflective practice and developing reflective practitioners is a goal of many disciplines in higher education. A variety of pedagogical techniques have been used to promote critical reflection including portfolios, narratives and reflective journals. Over the past decade, the use of Web 2.0 technologies with students has been increasingly adopted in higher education settings and many educators have integrated these technologies into reflective assignments. These educators assume that students, who are members of the Net Generation, are technologically savvy and have the ability to integrate the use of Web 2.0 technologies into learning. However, while there have been studies examining the outputs of reflective assignments using Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, e-portfolios and wikis, there has been little research examining whether or not students actually use technology for these types of assignment if given the choice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore if technology was appropriated or rejected by students for a reflective journaling assignment. Results are based on a content analysis of 42 student journaling assignments and interviews with eight students. Findings suggest that (1) students are not as technologically competent as assumed; (2) students chose to use basic/fundamental technologies (e.g. word processing) because they viewed it as the easiest way to complete the reflective journaling assignment; (3) student perceptions of what makes an assignment ‘good’ influenced their choice to use Web 2.0 technologies; and (4) overarching student perceptions of higher education and learning impacted their appropriation of technology. Implications are discussed and recommendations for both research and practice are made.

Journal Writing on Wilderness Expeditions as a Tool for Sustainability Education--Reflections on the Potential and the Reality.

In this article, we describe how journals can be used on wilderness expeditions as a tool for meeting some of the elements of sustainability education. Using Lefebvres criteria for evaluating sustainability education efforts, we describe the potential and reality of using journals to help students: (1) put emphasis on interacting with nature and learning with nature; (2) make interconnections between the societal (including political), economic, and ecological aspects of issues covered; (3) support community involvement and participation so that educational endeavors are contextually appropriate, relevant, and culturally sensitive and inclusive; and (4) develop skills, values, and attitudes that allow for reflection, critical thinking, collaboration, and action for social change. We conclude by reflecting on which criteria students are able to work toward more easily through journal writing and discuss how the potential of journals can be maximized to bring together lifelong learning and sustainability.

A Qualitative Exploration of Sense of Community through Reflective Journals during Wilderness Outdoor Education Curricula

There has been repeated encouragement in the literature for researchers to examine the various mechanisms that make up group experiences in outdoor education contexts. As a result, positive sense of community is often one of the implicit or explicit goals of programs and organizations that utilize outdoor settings to deliver educational and/or therapeutic programs. The purpose of this study was to understand how participants understand and experience sense of community formation during participation on outdoor education curricula (OEC) programs. Qualitative data, in the form of 124 participant trip journals, were analyzed and revealed two core themes illuminating sense of community structure and process. Implications for theory, research, and practice are discussed.