The idea of reflective learning takes its roots from Schon's work done in 1983. An analysis and research of the term “profession” had revealed that professional practice is a prerequisite for updating scientific knowledge, which serves as an engine of growth for the professions (Schon,1999). Since then, scholars and educators have employed reflective learning practices in their classroom activities to increase the professional skills of their students. 

Teachers play a significant role in the promotion of reflective learning as they possess the ability to influence student learning (Brockbank & McGill,1998). It is through teachers' competence that the tacit knowledge of students is transformed (Schon,1999) into professional experiences as they engage this knowledge in actual practice (Alsina & Mula, 2020). Meanwhile, self-reflecting students face different challenges, including even their choice of a field of study (Bubnys, 2020) or ambiguities during field-work (Diaz-Iso et al., 2020); hence, they need the support of their teachers. These emerging issues highlight the necessity of clear instructions to avoid students' becoming confused (Fullana et al., 2016). Students' experiences reflecting on their practices indicate the development of critical thinking skills (Archer-Kuhn et al., (2020); their employment of learned skills beyond the classroom (Calvo et al., 2020); enhanced collaborative learning (Canabate et al., 2020); and the presence of independent learning skills (Colomer et al., 2013). Thus, an assessment of reflective learning highlights the impact of faculty feedback and the exchange of students’ peers as key elements in their learning progress (Peltier et al., 2005). 

Although scholars state that reflective learning occurs when a learner is engaged in deep learning, it might take years (Moon, 2004). Students' experiences related in writing journals over their first practices as a coach refer to a scarcity of the allocated time to reflect rather than to describe (Kuklick et al., 2015). It was found that in reflective writing, the focus is generally oriented on learning rather than on change (Thelin, 2020).

In addition, while incorporated into the curriculum, reflective learning requires reflection throughout the learning process to explore the conceptual understanding of students (Ryan & Ryan, 2013). Designing a real-world task as a game taken on by students enables an assessment of their gained knowledge (Beranic & Hericko, 2020; Grant et al., 2020), and the nurturing of skills necessary for social life (Gonzalez et al., 2020). 

Writing reflections were employed to assess students' online learning progress (Henderson, Napan & Monteiro, 2004). Through these reflections, it was found that students gain knowledge despite the teaching and learning approaches employed. Similarly, a review of literature on students' mobile learning experiences among African scholars has also revealed the significance of students' reflective learning (Kaliisa & Picard, 2017). 

 Scholars have developed diverse frameworks to facilitate reflective learning and render it productive.  Some scholars have identified three ways a student may use reflections to enhance their learning: (a) at a subjective level when a learner decides what was learned; (b) at a personal level, when a learner examines their ways of learning; and finally, (c) at a critical level when a learner analyzes the importance and feasibility of learned material (Hedberg, 2009). 

Hence, theoretical and event-based researches highlight the significance of reflective learning. It nurtures the necessary transferable skills in students that are helpful for their future profession and maintains and further enhances their competency in their field. The core support of reflective learning lies in the development of the type of scientific knowledge that supports the professions that serve the prosperity and well-being of humankind. 

The current pandemic has forced educators to revise their teaching approaches. Due to technical issues, it has been restricted to dividing students into groups and teams, and discussing and listening to others without interrupting. In light of this, in a medical university in Kazakhstan, the reflective learning process was carried out within the frame of the social sciences. The duration of the course was fifteen weeks. A total of 23 second-year general medicine faculty students participated in the study. They wrote one essay per week, totaling 345 essays. This study applied the responses to a final survey with nine open-ended questions among 23 students. The survey was conducted anonymously, hence before launching the survey, the students’ rights were indicated to them. Right after clicking the agreement button, a page to the survey was downloaded. Consequently, out of 23 students, 14 completed the survey. In addition, students wrote a final reflection on their progress. Then six students signed an informed consent form to participate in a focus group discussion. However, due to the examination period starting at the time of the research, only two students could share their experiences in individual interviews. Students received feedback related to the structure from a faculty member for the first five weeks; the following five weeks related to the content and their engagement of the literature, and during the remaining five weeks peers, were involved in providing feedback. An observation was conducted to reveal a possible mismatch or disparity between what and how was presented in an advanced written essay. It reduced cases of plagiarism among students and increased the self-confidence of students to compose authentic work. This study used a survey design which serves to identify the opinion of a larger population on a particular issue (Creswell, 2012, p.375). In this study, it was helpful to explore the gains of students from reflective learning and their interpretation of it. The survey design consisted of two instruments, a survey and an interview (Creswell, 2012, p.382). Due to this being a new experience for students, it was challenging to predict their answers and develop closed-ended questions. Therefore, both the questionnaire and interview consisted of open-ended questions. As a result, open-ended responses required qualitative analysis instruments such as coding and created themes (Creswell, 2012, p.243). The limitation of the study was the small scope of participants, whereas a larger number would typically be essential for a survey design.

The research results are based on data analysis from a survey, individual interviews, and students' final reflection papers. The reflection papers of students show that they have all gained knowledge about essay structure, its length, and the requirements of each section, except very few students (4%) that have copied their responses from the internet. Most of the students were confident about upcoming written exams, yet some felt that additional reading prior to the exam to be appropriate. It seems that students have a vague understanding of the benefits of reflections in their future. They ultimately indicated that they might use this gained knowledge in medical conferences, debates, and discussions. After the students had completed their final reflections and final exams, they received a link to a survey. It consists of eight open-ended questions regarding their experiences of written exams. Although most of the students were confident about their exams, in the survey, 50% indicated that they need to read books to enrich their vocabulary and ideas in the future. This idea was consistent with the responses from individual interviews, which confirmed their desire for additional readings before exams. Further, 43% stated that they need to read more topic-related books and improve their thinking as a necessary skill to improve in future exams, whereas 36% believed that reading would boost their confidence in passing written exams. Therefore, 57% of students challenged the building of arguments while writing their exams. Overall, 50% of respondents found that writing essays during the class to prepare for final exams was helpful for them.

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