I think this is one of the most important elements missing in online learning. I find that we teach class after class towards earning a degree without ever giving the student time to think about how these classes and assignments build towards a set of knowledge and skills to use on a specific job. In my weekly chats I try to always have a reflective question to ask. Although many students do not attend the live chats, they do listen to the archives so I discuss how important it is to reflect on each topic before starting to complete the assignment and again after the assignment is complete. If there are no students present to take part in the live reflection, I present several thoughts for them to consider as they reflect. Reflecting or debriefing is what makes the learning make sense and helps the learner to transfer the new learning to a job in the future.
