Aligning reflection in the cooperative education curriculum

Reflection is widely used in cooperative education to support learning and praxis; however, a review of the literature reveals limited empirical evidence for the correlation between reflection and positive student learning outcomes. As with any 'wicked' issue, there are multiple positions on reflection. A substantial body of anecdotal evidence, together with evidence based on student satisfaction and self-reporting does, however, indicate the value of reflection for learning, particularly when transparently aligned with the curriculum. This paper draws from the evidence for the practice of reflection to present new models, informed by theory and developed as a result of this research, to support the alignment of reflection in the cooperative education curriculum.