Reflective readiness: character strengths for effective reflection on refugee simulations

ABSTRACT As the number of refugees continues to increase, it is important to improve the public’s understanding of their lived experiences. Refugee simulations are helpful immersive activities for individuals to learn more about refugees. Since these simulations tend to leave participants with a sense of disequilibrium, they may benefit from engaging in effective reflection, which requires reflective readiness. In addition to Dewey’s understanding of reflective readiness as predispositions for effective reflection (open-mindedness, wholeheartedness, and responsibility), reflective readiness can also be conceptualized as the character strengths of curiosity, honesty, judgment, love of learning, perseverance, and zest. This qualitative descriptive study aimed to provide empirical information about this conceptualization by exploring how community college students expressed reflective readiness (as indicated by their curiosity, honesty, judgment, love of learning, perseverance, and zest) through structured reflection about their experience in a refugee simulation. Two instruments were used to collect data for this study, including the VIA Character Strengths Assessment and an adapted Guide for Reflective Practice. The results of this study indicated that community college students’ reflective readiness aided their structured reflection about their experience in a refugee simulation. The findings have several implications, but further research on reflective readiness is recommended.