The other night a friend mentioned using the What/So What/Now What method to analyze a situation.

I had to admit that I never really understood how it worked as a reflective activity. So I did some digging. Here’s how it can help students reflect on and consolidate their learning:

What - describes the situation

A student might ask ‘What did I learn?’, ‘What did I achieve?’ or ‘What process did I follow?’

So What - reflects on the situation

The student then asks 'So what does that tell me about what I learned?’, ‘So what could I have done to improve?’ or ‘So what do I now know about the situation?’

Now What - considers possible actions

Finally, the student asks ‘Now what do I do to get better?, “Now what could happen if I change one thing? or ”Now what else should I research?’

So give What/So What/Now What a try to get students to describe, reflect on and extend their learning.