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K. Emblen-Perry
3 The Importance on Learning Recognition
Over the last 30 years the need for learners to recognise their learning has gained
importance as it has become clear that being able to judge self-knowledge enhances
the quality of a learner’s education (Kurnaz and Cimer 2010). Those able to reflect
on and become aware of their abilities are likely to perform better than those who do
not (Flavell 1976) and become lifelong learners (McDonald and Boud 2003). This
may be due to the fact that becoming aware of one’s own knowledge promotes the
self-analysis and recognition of strengths and weaknesses which can be addressed
thus facilitating further learning (Kurnaz and Cimer 2010). Hannon et al. (2004) and
Kurnaz and Cimer (2010), therefore recommend that tutors should introduce selfassessment strategies into their learning and teaching practice to promote students’
development of reflective skills and recognition of learning. This may be achieved by
engaging students in knowledge construction practices (Reiser 2004), challenging
learners to focus around sense making, process management, articulation and reflection (Quintana et al. 1999), and developing students’ feedback literacy (Carless and
Boud 2018). In this study drawing sustainability is adopted as an activity to facilitate
reflection, knowledge construction, feedback literacy and self-analytical learning.
In spite of the long-standing recognition of the benefits of encouraging students
to know what they know, graduates’ knowledge and attributes remain difficult to
measure, frequently by graduates themselves (Storey et al. 2017). This may take the
form of under or over confidence (de Bruin et al. 2017). Davis (2003) recognises that
learners are not always effective in analysing whether they have understood and may
therefore be overconfident in their self-assessment of learning. Caleon and Subramaniam (2010) suggest this confidence may be related to the familiarity of topics;
where topics are less familiar confidence levels are lower. Therefore, approaches to
promoting reflection on knowledge in new subjects such as sustainability require this
to be taken into account.
To overcome this lack of understanding related to familiarity and overconfidence,
Reiser (2004) suggests students should be encouraged to be more reflective and
focus on understanding rather than performance to promote skills of reflection and
articulation. This may allow tutors to effectively monitor and evaluate students’
progress and encourage them to learn from their experience and recognise their
learning. These are key processes designed into the activity of drawing sustainability.
The importance of students’ learning recognition provides additional benefits to
tutors. Asking students to explain a concept in their own pictures may benchmark
knowledge, help to identify misunderstandings and offer opportunities to provide
high quality, individualised feedback which can guide students to greater success
(Webb 2020).
K. Emblen-Perry
3 The Importance on Learning Recognition
Over the last 30 years the need for learners to recognise their learning has gained
importance as it has become clear that being able to judge self-knowledge enhances
the quality of a learner’s education (Kurnaz and Cimer 2010). Those able to reflect
on and become aware of their abilities are likely to perform better than those who do
not (Flavell 1976) and become lifelong learners (McDonald and Boud 2003). This
may be due to the fact that becoming aware of one’s own knowledge promotes the
self-analysis and recognition of strengths and weaknesses which can be addressed
thus facilitating further learning (Kurnaz and Cimer 2010). Hannon et al. (2004) and
Kurnaz and Cimer (2010), therefore recommend that tutors should introduce selfassessment strategies into their learning and teaching practice to promote students’
development of reflective skills and recognition of learning. This may be achieved by
engaging students in knowledge construction practices (Reiser 2004), challenging
learners to focus around sense making, process management, articulation and reflection (Quintana et al. 1999), and developing students’ feedback literacy (Carless and
Boud 2018). In this study drawing sustainability is adopted as an activity to facilitate
reflection, knowledge construction, feedback literacy and self-analytical learning.
In spite of the long-standing recognition of the benefits of encouraging students
to know what they know, graduates’ knowledge and attributes remain difficult to
measure, frequently by graduates themselves (Storey et al. 2017). This may take the
form of under or over confidence (de Bruin et al. 2017). Davis (2003) recognises that
learners are not always effective in analysing whether they have understood and may
therefore be overconfident in their self-assessment of learning. Caleon and Subramaniam (2010) suggest this confidence may be related to the familiarity of topics;
where topics are less familiar confidence levels are lower. Therefore, approaches to
promoting reflection on knowledge in new subjects such as sustainability require this
to be taken into account.
To overcome this lack of understanding related to familiarity and overconfidence,
Reiser (2004) suggests students should be encouraged to be more reflective and
focus on understanding rather than performance to promote skills of reflection and
articulation. This may allow tutors to effectively monitor and evaluate students’
progress and encourage them to learn from their experience and recognise their
learning. These are key processes designed into the activity of drawing sustainability.
The importance of students’ learning recognition provides additional benefits to
tutors. Asking students to explain a concept in their own pictures may benchmark
knowledge, help to identify misunderstandings and offer opportunities to provide
high quality, individualised feedback which can guide students to greater success
(Webb 2020).