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Surfacing skills… in reflection on experiential learning

What is it?

Surfacing skills refers to the process of helping students recognise and articulate the future skills they have developed during experiential learning such as a placement or internship. Many students are unaware of the breadth of competencies they have gained until prompted to reflect meaningfully on their experiences.

In practice, this activity might involve using a structured reflection model, such as SEAL, Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle or Rolfe’s framework of “What? So What? Now What? within a workshop or seminar. Students are guided to recall a specific task or challenge from their placement, describe their role in it and then analyse what skills they drew upon or developed. This could include, for example, identifying that leading a team meeting did not only involve communication, but also planning, negotiation and confidence-building.

The aim is to guide students beyond simply stating what they did (‘I researched X’ or ‘I attended a meeting’) toward insight-based reflection (‘By leading this team meeting, I developed confidence, planning skills and the ability to manage diverse viewpoints’).

This approach helps students build their confidence, recognise their employability and feel better prepared to present themselves in applications or interviews.

How does it work?

Traditional brainstorming (TBS) involves students in a class generating ideas in a cooperative manner, one at a time, usually with the lecturer writing up responses on a flipchart. Nominal brainstorming (NBS) involves students individually brainstorming ideas; for example, on post-it notes, which are then collated and grouped by theme by the educator. Modern technologies comprising ‘boards’ such as Padlet or Miro can be used to support electronic brainstorming (EBS), as can audience response systems such as Mentimeter. Chat facilities in platforms like Zoom or Teams can also be used, but – like TBS – students are identifiable, which can inhibit participation.

Does it work?

In the university, we encourage use of the SEAL (Situation, Effect, Action and Learning) model of reflection. Like many reflection models, the process involves structured prompts that guide students to describe their experience:

Situation: What happened during the event, incident, activity or task?

Experience: What was the new experience you had to deal with, or challenges you faced, what impact did they have on you?

Action: What action did you take or strategies did you employ to deal with the challenge(s)? Why did you choose to take the action(s) you took?

Learning: What did you learn from it? What can you now do as a result? How would you handle a similar situation again in the future? Has this experience added to your development?

We are currently in the process of developing a number of resources to support the SEAL model of reflection, which will include:

A short slide deck to use with students in class about how to use SEAL effectively

A reflection rubric that can be used by both staff and students

Case studies of how reflection can be used in assessment

Exemplars of using SEAL in practice

Guidance around AI and reflection

The difference between SEAL and the STAR technique – used in recruitment for communicating skill examples

Does it work?

Yes, especially when reflection is done intentionally. Research shows that structured reflection, such as using SEAL or other reflective model, helps students to:

Better understand their professional strengths

Communicate more confidently in interviews and applications

Transfer learning across contexts (e.g., from placements to academic or personal life)

Reflect intentionally on their placement experience to uncover what they’ve learned, why it matters, and how to apply it in future situations

This type of reflection is most effective when built into post-experiential learning activities, such as a follow-up workshop, debrief session or an assignment immediately after a placement or project. Feedback from employers and career services supports this approach: students who can clearly articulate their skills stand out in competitive recruitment environments.

What do I need?

To support students effectively, lecturers may need:

Frameworks or models for reflection (e.g., SEAL has been selected for UofG. Others include What? So What, Now What?; Gibbs' Reflective Cycle; Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model)

Templates or worksheets with reflection prompts

Time and structure within modules or support services to embed reflective practices (e.g., during debrief sessions, post-placement reports or career development modules)

Digital tools or platforms that support reflection and evidence capture

Rubrics to help assess reflection

Top tips

1. Start with the experience, not the skill:

Students often struggle to name skills, such as adaptability, unless they describe what they actually did.

Less effective prompt: ‘What skills did you use on your placement?’

More effective prompt: ‘Tell me about a time when you had to do something unfamiliar or unexpected.’

This works best in a structured reflection activity or workshop. A lecturer can use the prompt during a post-placement session, either individually or in small groups, to encourage students to tell a story rather than immediately try to label a skill. By describing the experience, students naturally reveal the underlying skill, which can then be explicitly named and discussed.

2. Name the skill explicitly

Once a student describes a situation, help them label the skill clearly. This is critical for employability, as it enables them to talk about their experiences in employer-friendly language.

Example: ‘So, you managed competing deadlines across your projects; that demonstrates project management and verbal communication skills.’

At scale, a lecturer could share examples first, then ask students to identify and label the skills in their own experiences, either individually, in pairs or small groups. This approach allows students to practice the skill while keeping it manageable for large cohorts.

In summary by first prompting a story and then explicitly naming skills, students move from task-based recollection to insight-based reflection, strengthening their confidence, employability and ability to communicate their competencies effectively.

3. Use a consistent reflection framework – as it provides a structure to think and write and students can stick with it, e.g. SEAL

4. Discuss challenges and mistakes – this is often where the richest learning happens. For example: “When the training plan I created led to player fatigue mid-week, I realised I needed to adjust intensity and monitor recovery more closely. Next time, I would build in flexibility and use player feedback earlier.” This shows a challenge, the learning gained and a plan for improvement.

5. Connect it to future goals: Encourage students to think about how their skills align with their career goals, whether that it is what they enjoy, are competent in or whether there is a gap and they need to get more experience.

This also links to the ‘Power of yet’ (Carol Dweck). By framing statements with “yet” – e.g., “I don’t have this skill set yet, students adopt a growth mindset, seeing mistakes as opportunities to develop rather than failures.