'Food for Thought' is a collection of questions designed to spark inspiration during reflective activities. It's a flexible tool, allowing students to create their personalized questionnaire for reflection reports on internships or assignments focused on their impact capacity. Teachers can also select questions from this list to include in study guides where reflection is a key component.
Purpose of the List: This list aims to assist students in reflecting on their contributions to positive societal change. When applied to internships, it encourages students to identify and understand moments where they have or could have made a societal impact, and what this means to them personally.
Design and Focus
To tailor these questions towards the impact-driven nature of assignments or internships, the 'Inner Development Framework' was utilized in their creation. This framework outlines the essential skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to address the problems highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For more information on the framework, visit: https://www.innerdevelopmentgoals.org/framework
How to Use
Students are encouraged to select questions that are relevant to them for their reflection, or teachers can choose appropriate questions when composing study guides."
Food for Thought: A Reflective Questionnaire
This is a list of questions designed for reflection, useful during internships or when working with others on social issues. These questions serve as inspiration. Select those relevant to your situation and which provoke thoughts about your work impact approach.
- How did you critically think using your knowledge?
- What were the complex issues in your internship?
- What were the needs/agendas of those involved in these issues?
- How clear was the information about the issue?
- What information was missing?
- To what extent can the issue be solved, and what would that entail?
- How much interdependence was there between factors?
- What patterns did you recognize in the involved systems?
- What discoveries did you make about your worldview while addressing issues during your internship?
- Which aspects of your worldview were based on assumptions?
- Where were your blind spots?
- What did you do to truly understand the problems?
- How did your internship issues relate to societal problems, and what was your contribution to analyzing or solving these problems?
- What made you feel happy/sad/angry during your internship due to the work you did for others?
- When did you feel part of society and connected to its people during your internship/assignment? What did that mean to you?
- When did you realize the importance of acting in accordance with situational needs, regardless of personal interest?
- In what situations could/couldn't you empathize with people affected by the issues?
- How did you:
- Contribute to meaningful conversations?
- Act as a bridge-builder between professionals and citizens?
- Share your own views?
- Share knowledge with professionals?
- Bridge different knowledge domains?
- Truly listen to others?
- What makes you a good bridge-builder, and what do you want to improve?
- How did you:
- Collaborate with colleagues?
- Work with stakeholders?
- Analyze issues with them?
- Work on solutions together?
- What role did inclusivity play in your internship?
- How did you contribute to inclusion?
- What fostered trust between you and others involved?
- What made stakeholders feel involved and take necessary action? How did you contribute to this?
- When did you have to stand up for your values or proposals? What made it difficult/easy/unpleasant/pleasant?
- What role did creativity play in solving problems during your internship? How did you use it?
- When was an optimistic attitude necessary, and what role did you play?
- When did you see professionals/stakeholders striving to persevere? How would you respond in such situations?
- When did you recognize your 'inner compass'?
- What values were important to you then?
- How did this relate to 'doing good,' caring for others, and solidarity?
- When did honesty and integrity come into play? How did you respond? What would you do differently now, and what were you satisfied with?
- Internships are learning opportunities, but it can be hard to be receptive to learning. Sometimes you know a lot but find it hard to show it to others, or vice versa. Sometimes you realize you don’t know much. What were your experiences? What makes it easier/harder to be open to learning (and thus sometimes vulnerable)?
- What have you learned about yourself? Consider your thoughts, feelings, and self-image. What has changed?"