Leadership - Experiential Learning Reflective Essay and Rubr
Leadership - Experiential Learning Reflective Essay and Rubr
Leadership - Experiential Learning Reflective Essay and Rubr
y describing your leadership experiential learning project and what you have learned as a result. A committee of University Honors faculty and staff will evaluate your essay to determine if your work and learning has met the requirements of an honors experiential learning project. Reflection: An Overview Reflection is a critical component of experiential learning, leading to higher-level conceptual learning. Your reflective essay should not merely be a summation of activities completed and opinions formed. Rather, it should be thoughtful, integrative, substantive, and well-crafted. It should address your experiences and learning outcomes in a personal, cohesive manner. Whenever possible, provide specific examples from your experiences that support your thoughts. Reflective Essay Tell us what you did, what you learned, and how youre integrating that learning into your life as you move forward. Your essay should clearly demonstrate your proficiency in the leadership competencies (also see Appendix A): Possesses knowledge of various leadership theories and identifies with the characteristics of leadership Ability to exert influence and motivation and enable self and others to meet desired objectives Ability to relate, communicate and work effectively with peers Develops a vision of the future and acknowledges the impact of decisions (as applicable to the individual and affiliated organizations) Here are some questions to help you get started: Background
Provide background on your prior leadership experiences. What previous experience(s) prompted your interest in this leadership experience? What leadership skills did you bring with you? Describe your academic preparation for this leadership experience. What leadership books and/or articles did you read? What leadership theories did you explore? Experience and Learning Show with examples how you have made progress towards meeting at least two of the above leadership competencies. It is important that you tie in tie in information from lectures/readings/research that you completed before or during the experience. Elaborate and reflect on each point, using specific examples or descriptions from your notes/journal to illustrate your points. Go beyond surface impressions as you discuss your learning. Describe your leadership role during the experience. What are/were the most important goals of your role in the experience? What were your measurements/milestones for success and achievement? How was your experience related to your academic development (major, general education competencies, or professional interests)? What academic theories or concepts did you connect to your experiential learning work? How did the leadership theory(ies) that you studied influence your role (decisions, actions, communication, etc.) as a leader? How did you integrate the knowledge of the theory(ies) with the responsibilities of your role? Which leadership theory was best suited for you to utilize in this experience? What communication style was best suited for the group/organization impacted by your work? How were your interactions with peers framed differently from your constituents? How was your communication style received? Provide examples of how you adjusted your leadership to various constituents. Moving Forward How has your leadership philosophy changed as a result of this experience? What new concepts are you taking away from this experience and incorporating into your existing leadership philosophy? How are you integrating your learning into your life as you move forward from the experience? What new skills/abilities were realized? What is your plan of action to improve yourself as a leader in the future? If you engaged in this experience again, what would you do differently? What advice you would give to peers who are preparing for future leadership experiences? How will you share this learning effectively with them?
Ability to exert influence and motivation and enable self and others to meet desired objectives Develops a vision of the future and acknowledges the impact of decisions (as applicable to the individual and affiliated organizations)
Does not possess an accurate understanding of his/her own strengths and areas of improvement. Has a dream of a desired outcome, but is not coherently linked with strategies and objectives. Acknowledges the impact of a decision or action for an identified constituency, but cannot articulate the ramifications.