Using Images to Engage Online and On-Campus Students in Meaningful Reflection.

This study employed an exploratory, mixed methods design to investigate the impact of visual representations when used as reflection on students' perceptions of a graduate level Research Methods in Agriculture class. Qualitative data suggested visual reflections were well received by students. Six themes were identified: novelty of visual reflections, visual reflections were a positive addition to the class, visual reflections had a positive impact on students' course performance, visual reflections had a positive impact on students' management of their stress, visual reflections had a positive impact on student-instructor connectedness, and visual reflections had a positive impact on student-student connectedness. However, there were no statistically significant differences in students' perceptions of the instructor's verbal immediacy, affective learning, or academic stress between those that engaged in visual reflections and those that did not. Although the quantitative findings of this study were not significant, the qualitative findings suggest visual representations can provide a well-received method of reflection for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]