Promoting Reflective Thinking in Adult Learners

Case studies delivered in the online discussion environment offer many benefits for adult learners, including development as a reflective practitioner. The online case-based discussion helps learners develop into reflective practitioners and understand the finer points as to why things are done rather than simply how they are done. This approach is an effective tool for adult learners to enhance their ability to address ill-structured problems, those that are complex and controversial in nature. They become adept at engaging in salient dialogue, which, in turn, expands their reflective thinking skills. This chapter, grounded in a heutagogical approach, explores the use of the case studies in an online discussion format to promote reflective judgment capabilities. Focus is placed on the function and structure of online case-based discussions and methods for assessing learning outcomes.