Many college students operate from a transactional mindset in which they do only what is required of them to earn a degree to be accepted to graduate school or secure a job. This results in disengagement, a lack of responsibility for their learning, and alienation from their peers, which negatively impacts their learning, development, and fulfillment of their academic potential. When interacting with students possessing such a mindset, many educators find their students disengaged and question their effectiveness and purpose as educators, reducing their enthusiasm, motivation, and even their feelings of self-worth. Often, both students and educators feel trapped and blame one another. In this workshop, we discuss this phenomenon and share a series of self-reflective assignments developed to facilitate students’ self-awareness, sense of belonging, and ownership of their learning, which ultimately leads to students fulfilling their academic potential. In addition, during the workshop, we will share the reflection questions used in the assignments, illustrative student survey responses, and the quantitative impact the assignments had on students across several key psychological variables—cognitive, emotional, and physical engagement with the course content, general mindfulness, and the level of potential they bring to the class.
