For students who learn best through reflection, inner dialogue and awareness of their own learning processes. They need to think about how they learn – and connect new knowledge to previous experiences.
Key idea: Learning occurs in the space of reflection
Reflective learning is not a passive activity – it is a way of processing, evaluating and connecting knowledge. The metacognitive approach is about getting students to put their own understanding and learning process into words. This can be done asynchronously through tasks where they write, choose, explain and evaluate.
Toolbox: Reflective and metacognitive modalities in asynchronous learning
| Modality | What does it do? | Example from computer science education | IT-mulighed (fx i Rise) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reflection questions | Stimulates thinking and provides structure for reflection | “What would you do differently in your most recent group assignment?” | Text Entry, Accordion + Text Entry |
| Before/after tasks | Focuses on the learning process and development | Before: “What do you know about MVC?” → After: “How do you understand it now?” | Audio/text + Text Entry |
| Self-assessment | Increases awareness of understanding and effort | “On a scale from 1–5, how well do you understand the concept of ‘abstraction’?” | Knowledge Check (Likert), Survey |
| Learning journal / logbook | Provides continuity in reflection and connection to practice | “Write a few lines about what you learned today – and how you can use it” | Text block, integrated Padlet / note field |
| Scenario-based reflection | Provides continuity in reflection and connection to practice | “You need to choose a database structure – how would you argue for your choice?” | Scenario block + reflection field |
| Peer reflection | Supports learning through mutual mirroring | “Read your fellow student’s explanation – what would you like to ask them more about?” | Comments, peer feedback (external) |
Didactic reflection
When designing reflective elements, ask yourself:
- How can I get students to connect what is new to their own experiences?
- How do they get the opportunity to process rather than just consume?
- What would I like to hear them say or write that shows they have reflected?
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Task: How do you use learning approaches consciously?
Purpose: To evaluate one's own choices and consider whether learning approaches are used intentionally - or out of habit.
Think about your most recent teaching – for example, a course, a lesson or a learning object.
What learning approaches did you support? Was it intentional?
Hvilke modaliteter brugte du – og hvorfor netop dem?
What could you adjust to create better opportunities for acquisition and transfer among all your students?
If you want to go a step further, you can use the chart below to mark which learning approaches you usually work with – and which ones you overlook.
| Learning approach | Do I use it often? (1 = never, 5 = always) | Do I have a didactic justification? |
|---|---|---|
| Visually oriented | ||
| Auditory oriented | ||
| Read/write oriented | ||
| Kinesthetic/action-based | ||
| Reflective/metacognitive | ||
| Social leraning approach |
