The Integrative Processing Model

Adapted from: Kiser, P.M. (2000). Getting the most from your human service internship: Learning from experience. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Have the student engage in a written reflection using the below headings and topic areas.

Gathering Objective Data from Concrete Experience

Select an experience that you have witnessed or been part of and provide a written account of that experience:

Reflecting

Reflect record and assess your own reactions to the experience.

Identifying Relevant Theory and Knowledge

Identify theories or bodies of knowledge that can help you make sense of and give context to the experience.

Examining Dissonance

Review the ways you have looked at the experience to see whether there are any points of conflict. These conflicts may be between or among competing theories; between what the theory says should happen and what actually did; between what you believe and what the agency seems to value; or between any two or more aspects of the experience. Sometimes this dissonance is resolvable, and sometimes it is not.

Articulating Learning

Reflect over your writing and thinking and write down significant lessons you have learned from the experience.

Developing a Plan

Consider the next steps in your learning and your work. Identify areas for growth, areas you need to know more about and places to pursue that knowledge. In addition, you may identify new goals or approaches you plan to use in your practice. Take time to think about the success or challenges of those next steps