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In Part 1 of this series, I made the case that many neurodivergent learners find themselves unsupported in systems designed around assumed norms, and argued for support structures we can use on our own terms. I then explored how GenAI can scaffold procedural wayfinding to act on the unspoken rules that sit underneath academic tasks.

This post picks up a related thread: reflection. 

To be honest, reflection is something I struggle with. Not in theory (I teach and design learning experiences for it). But when I sit down to do my own reflective writing, I either get lost in loops of self-critique or hit a wall where nothing feels meaningful enough to write down.

Reflection demands that we narrate experience in a way that’s coherent, self-aware and often emotionally attuned. That’s not easy if, like me, you experience memory as episodic, sensory or fractured. Or if, like many neurodivergent thinkers, you’ve been conditioned to mask, explain and perform selfhood for neurotypical systems.

And yet — reflection can be powerful. The key is finding ways to do it differently, not less.

What’s the problem with how we teach reflection?

Much like group work or in-class presentations, reflective writing is often taught with a shrug: “Just be honest. Tell us what you learned.” But for many students, especially those who are neurodivergent or new to academic culture, these tasks are riddled with assumptions that:

  • students understand the difference between description and analysis
  • students can easily identify how they feel or what they’ve learned
  • reflection means writing about yourself, rather than with yourself

And most critically, we rarely teach the thinking around reflection — the sense-making, the structuring, the slow integration of experience with learning. That’s where GenAI, used critically, can help.

A GenAI-supported approach: practical, imperfect and yours

Here’s a 5-step process I use (on myself) to work with GenAI as a thinking partner, not a writer.

1. Free-write your mess

Don’t worry about structure. Jot dot points, describe a moment, dump a question:

  • “I froze during the client presentation. I knew the answer but couldn’t say it.”
  • “Everyone in the group just expected me to do the coding.”
  • “Not sure if this connects to the theory we were supposed to use.”

Keep it messy. That’s the point.

2. Ask for scaffolding, not solutions

Paste your notes into GenAI and ask:

  • “Based on this, what reflective framework might help me make sense of the situation?”
  • “What questions could I ask myself to deepen this reflection?”
  • “Can you help group these thoughts using the DIEP structure?”

Here’s where it gets important: don’t just accept the answer, verify it. Look up the reflective model the AI suggests — is it actually useful? Does it map to your experience? Does your subject require a different one?

Use UTS Library or the Canvas resources to compare. For example:

  • “DIEP” might be useful for short weekly entries, while “Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle” or “Schön’s reflection-in-action” may suit professional placements
  • You could search “Moon’s framework for experiential learning” and see how it differs

Treat the AI’s suggestion as a starting point for reading, not the answer itself.

3. Build your own voice

Once you’ve selected a framework: 

  • Ask the AI to reorganise your notes into that structure
  • Then ask: “What parts of this sound generic or inauthentic?”
  • Or, “Help me rephrase this in more precise language — but keep it sounding like me”

Use it to refine, not replace.

4. Connect critically to learning

  • Ask: “What kind of theory or concept might help me understand why this moment mattered?”
  • Then: “Where could I read more about that?”
  • Use AI to generate leads, not citations. Cross-check with your subject materials and do your own short read-through.

This is where many students stop short. Don’t. Let GenAI point the way — then go there yourself.

5. End with a real question

Reflection isn’t about finishing with a confident lesson learned. It’s about noticing what’s unresolved.

  • Ask the AI: “What might I ask myself next time I’m in a similar situation?”
  • Or even better: “What do I still not understand — and how could I explore that further?”

What this approach offers (and what it doesn’t)

This process doesn’t make reflection easy, it just makes it possible — especially for those of us who find open-ended emotional reasoning inaccessible or overwhelming.

Used well, GenAI:

  • offers structural support and language scaffolds
  • provides a non-judgemental space to iterate
  • helps us work through complexity before performance

But it cannot:

  • tell you what you actually felt
  • make the connections for you
  • replace the work of noticing, verifying and learning

And, if you’re a student struggling with reflective tasks — or an educator unsure how to guide them — here’s one place to start: Paste in a paragraph of your own reflective writing. Ask GenAI:

  • “What assumptions is this paragraph making about what I’ve learned?”
  • “What might I question or complicate in this story?”

Then go read. Go revise. Go reflect — on your terms.

A note on self-care and seeking help

While Generative AI tools may offer assistance with sense-making and self-directed strategies, they are not a substitute for qualified mental health support. If you’re facing personal, psychological or emotional challenges, please seek professional help.

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