Reflections on Reflection: Supporting Employability Learning in the Higher Education Context
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| Title: | Reflections on Reflection: Supporting Employability Learning in the Higher Education Context |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Anna Richards, Andrea Reid |
| Source: | Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. 2025 16(1):75-92. |
| Availability: | Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3125. Web site: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Employment Potential, College Students, Reflection, Writing Assignments, Writing (Composition), Experiential Learning |
| ISSN: | 1838-3815 |
| Abstract: | Graduate employability remains a key talking point in higher education despite the contested nature of the construct and the myriad of factors that influence an individual's capacity to gain employment. Universities are still positioned to produce graduates who can contribute to society and the economy through work. Students are similarly responsible for developing the knowledge and capabilities that will meet employer expectations and assure a successful career. This development process often involves students engaging in reflective practice. This paper reports on the efficacy of a structured, written reflective process implemented across an Australian research-intensive institution to support students to learn from experiences to develop their employability. Our study found value in the use of a formalised, stepwise approach to reflective thinking that helps students make and express meaning from learning opportunities. The findings suggest, however, that attempting to shoehorn the untidy business of reflective thinking into a standard linear approach does present some challenges. Despite these challenges, our examination of a sample of reflections using our process showed evidence of reflective thought. We found alignment with the experiential learning theories that framed the creation of our reflective process in the students' expressions of their meaning-making endeavours. Our findings strengthen our advocacy of an anchor for reflective thought in a personally meaningful experience and the use of prompts around effect and action to guide students learning. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1478750 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1478750 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Reflections on Reflection: Supporting Employability Learning in the Higher Education Context – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anna+Richards%22">Anna Richards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrea+Reid%22">Andrea Reid</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Teaching+and+Learning+for+Graduate+Employability%22"><i>Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability</i></searchLink>. 2025 16(1):75-92. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3125. Web site: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 18 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employment+Potential%22">Employment Potential</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reflection%22">Reflection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Assignments%22">Writing Assignments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+%28Composition%29%22">Writing (Composition)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experiential+Learning%22">Experiential Learning</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1838-3815 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Graduate employability remains a key talking point in higher education despite the contested nature of the construct and the myriad of factors that influence an individual's capacity to gain employment. Universities are still positioned to produce graduates who can contribute to society and the economy through work. Students are similarly responsible for developing the knowledge and capabilities that will meet employer expectations and assure a successful career. This development process often involves students engaging in reflective practice. This paper reports on the efficacy of a structured, written reflective process implemented across an Australian research-intensive institution to support students to learn from experiences to develop their employability. Our study found value in the use of a formalised, stepwise approach to reflective thinking that helps students make and express meaning from learning opportunities. The findings suggest, however, that attempting to shoehorn the untidy business of reflective thinking into a standard linear approach does present some challenges. Despite these challenges, our examination of a sample of reflections using our process showed evidence of reflective thought. We found alignment with the experiential learning theories that framed the creation of our reflective process in the students' expressions of their meaning-making endeavours. Our findings strengthen our advocacy of an anchor for reflective thought in a personally meaningful experience and the use of prompts around effect and action to guide students learning. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1478750 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1478750 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 18 StartPage: 75 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Employment Potential Type: general – SubjectFull: College Students Type: general – SubjectFull: Reflection Type: general – SubjectFull: Writing Assignments Type: general – SubjectFull: Writing (Composition) Type: general – SubjectFull: Experiential Learning Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Reflections on Reflection: Supporting Employability Learning in the Higher Education Context Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Anna Richards – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Andrea Reid IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1838-3815 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 16 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability Type: main |
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