Reflection

HSL 4820 Critical Reflection Extra Credit Loss of a Pet

This extra credit critical reflection paper is worth a potential 10 points and is due on the date listed on the dropbox. For this assignment you must read the two journal articles on pet loss (attached to the dropbox), and then write your reflection.

You are required to integrate one term or concept from the course into your reflection (correctly citing the textbook or powerpoint lecture where it came from). You are also required to clearly integrate both readings about pet loss into your paper.

Please address the following questions/prompts in your essay. The reflection paper should be 1-2 pages long (without your reference page) and be proof-read and spell-checked. Your reference page must be in correct APA format.

PROMPTS:

1) What did you learn from the research studies about pet loss and grief that you did not know about before?

2) Which of the twelve continuing bond expressions did you (or do you still) use to maintain a connection to your deceased pet?

3) How did learning about continuing bonds and pet loss help you better comprehend your own grief related to pet loss?

What Is Critical Reflection?

“Critical reflection is a ‘meaning-making process’ that helps us set goals, use what we’ve learned in the past to inform future action and consider the real-life implications of our thinking. It is the link between thinking and doing, and at its best, it can be transformative (Dewey, 1916/1944; Schön, 1983; Rodgers, 2002). Without reflection, experience alone might cause us to ‘reinforce stereotypes…, offer simplistic solutions to complex problems and generalize inaccurately based on limited data’ (Ash & Clayton, 2009, p.26).”

– University of Waterloo, Center for Teaching Excellence

  https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses-and-assignments/course-design/critical-reflection

For this course, you will be writing several critical reflections. This is not simply a quick paper where you rattle of what you “think” or “feel” about something you read. It’s purpose is to engage your higher order thinking skills such as those bracketed in the diagram below.

The purpose of this handout is to orient your thinking toward writing a reflection that really carefully considers the topic you are writing about and the readings you have done

Each critical reflection assignment for the course will include question prompts for you to address in your paper. You are expected to respond to each prompt given to you as part of the assignment.