Reflective Writing

Overview

Generally speaking, reflection can be described as a way of thinking about an event or experience (Bruce, 2013). In the introductory video you were asked to recall a time in your life that positively or negatively impacted you. Did you notice how the enhanced awareness affected your thoughts and feelings? Chances are that you became more aware of thoughts, feelings, conflicts, dilemmas, and memories. As previously noted, reflection, or reflective capacity, refers to the enhancement of this ability. Consider the following reflective models as potential aids for both your understanding and practice.

Deal Model

One model for reflective writing is known as DEAL, which was developed by Dr. Patti Clayton (Ash, Clayton, & Atkinson, 2005). This acronym represents three phases in writing a reflection:

• • • Describe the event/situation/experience in specific terms. You could focus on one specific event or provide an overview of a situation. You should be as precise as possible in your description.
    • Examine the event/situation/experience from the perspective of academic learning, personal growth, or civic responsibility.
    • Articulate Learning by sharing what you have learned and why this is important for you (academically, personally, or for your civic responsibility). You could articulate what you might do differently in the future.

If you look back to your free-writing draft, are you able to locate instances of DEAL? Have you described the event, examined it thoroughly, and articulated the learning? If you have, great! If you haven’t, now is the time to expand on your free-writing draft.

Three Stage Model

Toole and Toole’s (1995) three-stage model of reflective writing expands on Borton’s (1970) What – So What – Now What approach that was outlined in Section B: How Can I Reflect?. Here, we provide you with details about this three-stage model that can help you gather and organize your thoughts, so that you can write an effective reflection.

Stage 1: What?

Stage 1 starts the reflection process through descriptive questions (see below) that you can answer in your reflective journals. You should normally complete this stage as you plan and prepare for an experience (e.g., teaching practicum, community service placement, other learning opportunity). This is the “before” stage.

• • • What do I expect to get out of this experience (goals, outcomes, purpose, ideas)?
    • What were my initial observations (e.g., of the placement location, interactions between people, my reactions)?
    • What are the goals of agency, group, organization?
    • What do I already know about the specific context?
    • What roles am I taking on?
    • What happened to me today?

Stage 2: So What?

Stage 2 requires you to share meaningful experiences and provide an observation or analysis of these experiences. In this stage, you write about the day’s actions and what significance or consequences are attached to these actions. You are challenged to interpret the meaning of your experiences. You can answer the following questions in your reflective writing piece. This is the “during” stage.

• • • What did this experience mean to me?
    • What did I do that was effective? Why was it effective?
    • What am I learning about others and myself?
    • What did I do that seems to be ineffective? How could I have done it differently?
    • What values, opinions, and/or decisions have been made through this experience?

Stage 3: Now What?

In stage 3, you will apply the lessons you have learned during one (or more) placements (or situations) to other situations and contexts. You will explore new understandings about yourself and community issues. Questions to guide you are listed below. This is the “after” stage.

• • • Is it important for me to stay involved in the community?
    • What will the final results of my efforts be?
    • How will my efforts working with these community and service agencies contribute to social change?
    • How can I use what I learned in my future placements or career?
    • What changes would I make in this experience if it were repeated?
    • Will I continue to be of service? Why or why not?
    • How does this experience exemplify or contradict module materials?

ORID Model

The third model that you can use to write your reflection is called the ORID model (Colorado State University as cited in Higher Education Quality Committee, 2006). ORID stands for Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional (see below). This model encourages you to progress through a series of questions in order to move you from writing and reflecting about the concrete experience to analyzing it. This model reflects Kolb’s (1984) learning cycle that you learned about in Section B: How Can I Reflect. You could complete the progression within one assignment and/or over a longer period of time (e.g., over a semester).

Objective: Begin by Answering Questions Related to The Concrete Experience.

• • • What did you do?
    • What did you observe?
    • What did you read?
    • What did you hear?
    • Who was involved?
    • What was said?
    • What happened as a result of your work?

Reflective: Next, Answer Questions That Address the Affective Experience.

• • • How did the experience feel?
    • What did it remind you of?
    • How did your apprehension change or your confidence grow?
    • Did you feel successful, effective, and knowledgeable?

Interpretive: Then, Answer Questions That Guide Your Exploration of Your Cognitive Experience.

• • • What did the experience make you think?
    • How did it change your thinking about…?
    • What did you learn?
    • What worked?

Decisional: Finally, Think About How You Will Prepare Yourself to Incorporate Your Experience Into a New Situation.

• • • What will you do differently next time?
    • What decisions or opinions have you formed?
    • How will the experience affect your career path, your personal life choices, or your use of information, skills, or technology?

All resources adapted from WriteOnline.ca