Maker Learning Reflection Questions For Thoughtful Students

contributed by Dr. Jackie Gerstein & TeachThought Staff

An underappreciated part of the planning process is the idea of reflection.

This can be summed up simply: How will learners document and reflect on their learning? In 15 Reflection Strategies To Help Students Retain What You Just Taught Them, Terry Heick offered activities that help students remember what they learned–and reflection is a big part of that. In terms of learning chronology, reflection is at the opposite side of prediction and anticipation.

See also 15 Questions Students Can Ask Themselves When Learning New Content

Reflection could also be described as the ‘opposite’ of activating prior knowledge. Reflection is functional neurologically (reinforcing learning as a ‘memory), but also useful as a practice, helping students understand the scale and value of what they just experienced.

Maker Education is no different–in fact, Maker Learning may benefit even more from reflection than more traditional academic experiences due to the fail-forward/try-again persistence required by this approach. (Check out our Maker Education resources for more reading.) Jackie Gerstein is one of our favorites here at TeachThought, and her usergeneratededucation site is a must-bookmark for all teachers.

See Also 50 Learning Reflection Questions For Students

So, on to the questions for reflection in Maker Learning. Below, Jackie has written 23 possible reflection questions to get you started. Share any others you’d recommend in the comments.

23 Maker Learning Reflection Questions For Thoughtful Students

1. What new skills have you learned because of the maker experience? Which existing skills did you practice? Which skills were most useful to you?
2. What are the most important learning moments you take with you from this maker experience?
3. Would you do this or a similar maker project again? Why or why not?
4. Has this maker experience changed you? If yes, how?
5. Describe what you have learned about yourself as a result of your maker experience.
6. What would you like to change about your maker experience?
7. What were the benefits from you participating in this making activity?
8. What surprised you the most during your maker experience?
9. What did you do that seemed to be effective?
10. What did you do that seemed to be ineffective?
11. What were the most difficult parts of the maker experience? Why?
12. What were the most satisfying parts of the maker experience? Why?
13. What personal characteristics made this maker experience successful for you?
14. Describe an awareness about a personal characteristic that has been enhanced by your maker experience.
15. How does the maker experience relate to your long-term goals?
16. How have you been challenged during the maker experience?
17. How do you feel about what you made? What parts of it do you particularly like? Dislike?
18. What lessons can you learn from the maker experience?
19. What positives can you take away from the maker experience?
20. How can you apply what you learned from maker experience in your life?
21. What advice would you give to someone else working on the maker activities?
22. What did you learn through this experience and how can you use it in the future?
23. Looking back on the maker experience, what two things stand out to you the most and why?