Written by: Jacob Mickelsson, A-G Nyström, C. Wendelin & J. Majors. Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland

Absract: This paper studies how the design of digital platforms can support students’ reflection on professional competence. The authors propose a conceptual framework for analyzing properties and functions that are relevant for digital environments for reflecting on professional competences and apply it in a study analyzing a set of existing digital platforms. The results emphasize the importance of multiple temporal vantage points in the design of the digital platforms, namely reflection-before-action (the future), in addition to the more common reflection-in-action (the present) and reflection-on-action (the past), and considers how digital environment design can support reflection from these temporal vantage points. The article offers tools to guide students in their reflection modes.

Keywords: reflection; professional competence; digital platforms; design; reflection-before-action