please follow the assignment rubrics
Comprehensive Final Reflection Essay
MSE Special Education/Certification in Special Education
Arkansas State University
Students pursuing a master’s degree or certification in Special Education from ASU will write a Final Reflection Essay to fulfill the course portfolio requirement. The Final Reflection Essay should be a 5 to 7 page reflective description of your journey through the graduate program, elaborating on what you believe you learned from the experience and how it relates to professional practice. How did coursework completed as you reached your academic goal contribute to your professional development? What do you believe will be the eventual impact of reaching this educational milestone on your professional career?
Reflective writing inevitably requires you to make connections between experience and theory, and consider implications for the future. In this instance, especially, you will need to consider the impact your learning experiences have had on career and professional development goals. Using readings, class discussions, and work completed for your courses, write about the topics that seem most relevant to these experiences and how new knowledge of your field of study has resulted. In your critical reflection and analysis, you should be able to articulate the understanding(s) you have gained and describe a transition from theory to practice. The transition described should include an integration of main themes from your readings with your coursework experiences and how they have affected your thinking and practice.
Finally, in writing your Final Reflection Essay you should apply these guidelines for reflective writing adopted from the International Institute of Restorative Practices:
A reflection paper is not a summary of the course readings or a stream of conscious mind dump on paper. A reflection paper is your identification of the main themes of readings integrated with coursework experiences, and how they affected your thinking and practice.
• A reflection paper is your chance to add your thoughts and analysis to what you have read and experienced.
• A reflection paper is meant to illustrate your understanding of the material and how it affects your ideas and possible practice in future.
• Relate readings and classes to previous knowledge and experience when appropriate.
• Consider if and how what you have read and learned changes, or changed, your thinking and how it might affect your actions in professional situations.
• Review the readings and class notes to be sure you’ve included all the relevant information you can and made all the connections you can.
• While a reflection paper may adopt an informal tone, it should still have an identifiable opening, body, and conclusion.
• Your paper should be well organized. Consider the use of subheadings to designate themes and provide structure for your final product. Use of the singular person “I” is appropriate in a reflection paper.
• Your paper should be double-spaced and typed in a 12 point, easy to read font. Include in-text references and a reference page for any materials you cite using APA citation formatting.
Journal Reflection Rubric
|
Criteria |
Unsatisfactory-Beginning |
Developing |
Accomplished |
Exemplary |
Total |
|
Content Reflection |
0-34 points |
35-39 points |
40-44 points |
45-50 points |
/50 |
|
Reflection lacks critical thinking. Superficial connections are made with key course concepts and course materials, activities, and/or assignments |
Reflection demonstrates limited critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and/or evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions, activities, and/or assignments Minimal connections made through explanations, inferences, and/or examples. |
Reflection demonstrates some degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and/or evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions activities, and/or assignments. Connections made through explanations, inferences, and/or examples. |
Reflection demonstrates a high degree of critical thinking in applying, analyzing, and evaluating key course concepts and theories from readings, lectures, media, discussions activities, and/or assignments. Insightful and relevant connections made through contextual explanations, inferences, and examples. |
||
|
Personal Growth |
0-13 points |
14-15 points |
16-17 points |
18-20 points |
/30 |
|
Conveys inadequate evidence of reflection on own work in response to the self-assessment questions posed. Personal growth and awareness are not evident and/or demonstrates a neutral experience with negligible personal impact. Lacks enough inferences, examples, personal insights and challenges, and/or future implications are overlooked. |
Conveys limited evidence of reflection on own work in response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates less than adequate personal growth and awareness through few or simplistic inferences made, examples, insights, and/or challenges that are not well developed. Minimal thought of the future implications of current experience. |
Conveys evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates satisfactory personal growth and awareness through some inferences made, examples, insights, and challenges. Some thought of the future implications of current experience. |
Conveys strong evidence of reflection on own work with a personal response to the self-assessment questions posed. Demonstrates significant personal growth and awareness of deeper meaning through inferences made, examples, well developed insights, and substantial depth in perceptions and challenges. Synthesizes current experience into future implications. |
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|
Writing Quality |
0-13 points |
14-15 points |
16-17 points |
18-20 points |
/20 |
|
Poor writing style lacking in standard English, clarity, language used, and/or frequent errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. Needs work. |
Average and/or casual writing style that is sometimes unclear and/or with some errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. |
Above average writing style and logically organized using standard English with minor errors in grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling. |
Well written and clearly organized using standard English, characterized by elements of a strong writing style and basically free from grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling errors. |
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|
APA/Organization |
0-3 Points |
4-5 Points |
6-7 Points |
8-10 Points |
/– |
|
The paper is not APA formatted |
More than 6 APA formatting errors are present and/or no headers for organization are present. |
Paper lacks headers and/or has more than 5 APA errors |
Paper is APA formatted and has minimal errors. Paper includes headers for organization. |
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|
TOTAL POINTS (sum of 4 Criteria) |
/100 |
