Developing and Embedding Reflective Portfolios in Geography

The School of Geography at the University of Leeds, UK, led the development of a faculty-wide Personal Reflective Portfolio as part of a university project--A Strategic Model for Developing Methods and Materials for Recording Achievement in Traditional Universities (Jackson et al., 2000). This paper describes the materials and their usage, the value of bottom-up design, and the issues of embedding this type of material within faculty programmes. The reflections of both students and tutors are considered. Overall the materials are viewed positively and considered to have long-term and workplace relevance. Whether they meet the original aim of helping students to become more reflective and evaluative learners is impossible to measure and not thought to be successful as yet. Reflection on action is more evident than action planning.