What Does Reflection Look and Feel Like for International Students? An Exploration of Reflective Thinking, Reflexivity and Employability

Y

16

Reflection; Foreign Students; College Students; Employment Potential; Career Readiness; Program Effectiveness; Student Volunteers; Barriers; Cultural Differences; English (Second Language); Financial Problems; Social Support Groups; Work Experience Programs; Foreign Countries

2162-3104

Reflection, reflective thinking and reflexivity have received significant attention in the scholarly literature on higher education yet there is limited research that explores these concepts in relation to international students. This paper consequently explores what reflection and reflective thinking might look and feel like for international students. We theorize the importance of supporting international students in becoming reflexive practitioners in their chosen area of study; particularly in respect to graduate attributes including reflection and employability. The paper attends to this theorization by sharing Rodgers' (2002) four functions of reflection, a reflective thinking model -- the 4Rs -- as well as Archer's (2000, 2012) notion of reflexivity. We explore how higher educators might consider these frameworks comprehensively when working with international students particularly in the area of workplace experience.

As Provided

2021

EJ1301052