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Support for reflective writing/learning
(1. Using The Park exercise)
Jenny Moon, Centre for Excellence in Media Practice, Bournemouth Media School, Bournemouth University,
UK (Jenny@cemp.ac.uk)
Introduction
The first instruction is to turn the pages of this handout only as you need to. Do not look ahead of where you
are in it or you will reduce the value of your learning from it.
Some resources
Two relevant books by Jenny Moon both published by Routledge are:
 A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning (2004)
 Learning Journals, a handbook for reflective learning and professional development (2006)
A website from which electronic copies of exercises etc can be freely obtained (as well as other material on
teaching and learning): www.cemp.ac.uk/people/jennymoon.php
Reflective writing
We learn from reflecting on what has happened. We can reflect on what went wrong or right and why, what
we might do to improve the situation next time or how to change the context and so on. One representation
of reflective learning is reflective writing though we can reflect in drawing, making music, miming etc - but I
mainly refer to reflective writing here. Sometimes the writing will be ‘one off’ or it might be in the context of
an ongoing reflective journal or a blog etc.
This basic handout will take you through an exercise that will help you to understand what reflective learning
is, what it looks like on the page, and how to deepen it. When first asked to do reflective writing, many people
do not know what is meant – and that can apply to anyone. Once that is overcome, the next issue is usually
that the reflective writing is descriptive and superficial and as such it does not help a great deal with learning.
The exercise below is designed to overcome both issues. It is not an exercise just to do and throw away. It is
one to come back to a number of times. As you learn more about reflective learning, there is more to learn
from the exercise.
Definitions of reflection
There are many definitions of reflection in the literature. For most of those who are required to engage in
reflective learning, definition does not matter – you need to show that you can ‘do it’. The multitude of
different definitions results from the fact that reflection is a constructed term to describe a general area of
human function which probably includes an array of cognitive activities. Because this exercise is based on my
work and therefore on the definition that I use, I give you my simple definition.
Reflection is a form of mental processing - like a form of thinking - that we may use to fulfil a purpose or to
achieve some anticipated outcome. Alternatively we may simply ‘be reflective’, and then an outcome can be
unexpected. The term ‘reflection’ is applied to relatively complex or ill-structured ideas for which there is not
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an obvious solution and it largely refers to the further processing of knowledge and understanding that we
already possess. Emotion is involved in various ways.
In academic situations there is more to say:
In academic contexts the notion of reflection has been developed as a tool to support learning. In an academic context,
refection is likely to involve a conscious and stated purpose for the reflection, with an outcome that is specified in terms
of learning, action or clarification. The academic reflection may be preceded by a description of the purpose and / or
the subject matter of the reflection. The process and outcome of the reflective work is most likely to be in a
represented (eg written) form and to be seen by others and to be assessed. These factors can affect its nature and
quality. (From Moon, 2004)
Metaphors can be helpful too and I particularly like this idea from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K.
Rowling, 2000: London, Bloomsbury) in the way that it suggests that we reflect (largely) on what we know
already.
‘Harry stared at the stone basin. The contents had returned to their original silvery white state, swirling and
rippling beneath his gaze.
“What is it?” Harry asked shakily.
“This? It is called a pensieve”, said Dumbledore. “I sometimes find - and I am sure that you know the feeling that
I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind.”
“Er”, said Harry, who couldn’t truthfully say that he had ever felt anything of the sort.
“At these times”, said Dumbledore, indicating the stone basin, “I use the pensieve. One simply siphons the
excess thoughts from one’s mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one’s leisure. It becomes
easier to spot patterns and links, you understand, when they are in this form”’ (pp518 – 9)
We re-organise our minds as we reflect - I call it ‘cognitive housekeeping’. As we reorganize our minds, we
learn more.
The Exercise
The ideal way to do this exercise is in a small group so that you can learn from the discussions that are
involved. If you do it on your own, the discussions will have to be with yourself. Do hold them! The basis of
the exercise is a story that is reiterated in four accounts. Each of the accounts is written at a deeper level of
reflection – you could say that they become progressively more profound in the level of thinking. The concept
of ‘depth’ is based on research (Moon, 2004 – see website for reference). In terms of equipment, each person
will need these pages. If you are doing the exercise on paper, a highlighter pen would be useful.
The process: read Account 1 of The Park (below). It is descriptive and not very reflective at all, but look out for
anything in the way it is written that is, in your view, reflective and note / underline / highlight it. If you are in a
group, you need to be very clear that when you are reading, no-one talks. When you have finished reading
Account 1, go back over it and think again where it is or is not reflective. If you are working with a group, you
will need to agree when you have all read it and are ready to talk (don’t be tempted to read the next account
as you wait!). Then discuss where the account is and is not reflective for about three to four minutes. Then
read Account 2, again in silence – and then think about / discuss how reflective it is and where it is reflective.
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Then do the same with Accounts 3 and 4. As you deal with more reflective accounts (3 and 4) you will need
longer for discussion after the reading – maybe up to five minutes. And, incidentally, the accounts are of
different lengths.
This exercise is not exact science – you do not need to agree on what is reflective, and the idea is that you will
learn from each other. There is no list of right and wrong answers!
The next stage: when you have read through to Account 4 and have discussed it, think about or discuss (if you
are in a group) what it is that changes in the nature of the writing and thinking of this person in the four
accounts. Clearly it is not just one thing that changes – there are a number of things that make that make the
fourth account a deeper level of reflection than the first. Try to develop a list of those changes (I call them
‘shifts’). They do not all start ‘shifting’ in Account 1. Some of the changes are really only represented in
Accounts 3 and 4. You could try to depict the changes in a graphic representation – picture, diagram…. The
main thing is to identify what changes are occurring.
The Park
The Park (Account 1)
I went through the park the other day. The sun shone sometimes but large clouds floated across the sky in a
breeze. It reminded me of a time that I was walking on St David’s Head in Wales – when there was a hard and
bright light and anything I looked at was bright. It was really quite hot – so much nicer than the day before
which was rainy. I went over to the children’s playing field. I had not been there for a while and wanted to see
the improvements. There were several children there and one, in particular, I noticed, was in too many clothes
for the heat. The children were running about and this child became red in the face and began to slow down
and then he sat. He must have been about 10. Some of the others called him up again and he got to his feet.
He stumbled into the game for a few moments, tripping once or twice. It seemed to me that he had just not
got the energy to lift his feet. Eventually he stumbled down and did not get up but he was still moving and he
shuffled into a half sitting and half lying position watching the other children and I think he was calling out to
them. I don’t know.
Anyway, I had to get on to get to the shop to buy some meat for the chilli that my children had asked for for
their party. The twins had invited many friends round for an end-of-term celebration of the beginning of the
summer holidays. They might think that they have cause to celebrate but it makes a lot more work for me
when they are home. I find that their holiday time makes a lot more work.
It was the next day when the paper came through the door – in it there was a report of a child who had been
taken seriously ill in the park the previous day. He was fighting for his life in hospital and they said that the
seriousness of the situation was due to the delay before he was brought to hospital. The report commented on
the fact that he had been lying unattended for half an hour before someone saw him. By then the other
children had gone. It said that that several passers-by might have seen him looking ill and even on the ground
and the report went on to ask why passers-by do not take action when they see that something is wrong. The
article was headed ‘Why do they ‘Walk on by’? I have been terribly upset since then. James says I should not
worry – it is just a headline.
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The Park (2)
I went to the park the other day. I was going to the supermarket to get some meat to make the chilli that I had
promised the children. They were having one of their end-of-term celebrations with friends. I wonder what
drew me to the playground and why I ended up standing and watching those children playing with a rough old
football? I am not sure as I don’t usually look at other people’s children – I just did. Anyway there were a
number of kids there. I noticed, in particular, one child who seemed to be very overdressed for the weather. I
try now to recall what he looked like - his face was red. He was a boy of around 10 – not unlike Charlie was at
that age – maybe that is why I noticed him to start with when he was running around with the others. But then
he was beginning to look distressed. I felt uneasy about him – sort of maternal but I did not do anything. What
could I have done? I remember thinking, I had little time and the supermarket would get crowded. What a
strange way of thinking, in the circumstances!
In retrospect I wish I had acted. I ask myself what stopped me - but I don’t know what I might have done at
that point. Anyway he sat down, looking absolutely exhausted and as if he had no energy to do anything. A
few moments later, the other children called him up to run about again. I felt more uneasy and watched as he
got up and tried to run, then fell, ran again and fell and half sat and half lay. Still I did nothing more than look –
what was going on with me?
Eventually I went on I tell myself now that it was really important to get to the shops. It was the next day when
the paper came through the door that I had a real shock. In the paper there was a report of a child who had
been taken seriously ill in the park the previous day. He was fighting for his life in the hospital and the situation
was much more serious because there had been such a delay in getting help. The report commented on the
fact that he had been lying, unattended, for half an hour or more. At first, I wondered why the other children
had not been more responsible. The article went on to say that several passers-by might have seen him playing
and looking ill and the report questioned why passers-by do not take action when they see that something is
wrong.
The event has affected me for some days but I do not know where to go or whom to tell. I do want to own up
to my part in it to someone though.
The Park (3)
The incident happened in Ingle Park and it is very much still on my mind. There was a child playing with others.
He looked hot and unfit and kept sitting down but the other children kept on getting him back up and making
him play with them. I was on my way to the shop and only watched the children for a while before I walked on.
Next day it was reported in the paper that the child had been taken to hospital seriously ill – very seriously ill.
The report said that there were several passers-by in the park who had seen the child looking ill and who had
done nothing. It was a scathing report about those who do not take action in such situations.
Reading the report, I felt dreadful and it has been very difficult to shift the feelings. I did not stop to see to the
child because I told myself that I was on my way to the shops to buy food for a meal that I had to cook for the
children’s party – what do I mean that I had to cook it?. Though I saw that the child was ill, I didn’t do anything.
It is hard to say what I was really thinking at the time – to what degree I was determined to go on with my day
in the way I had planned it (the party really was not that important was it?). Or did I genuinely not think that
the boy was ill – but just over-dressed and a bit tired? To what extent did I try to make convenient excuses and
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to what extent was my action based on an attempt to really understand the situation? Looking back, I could
have cut through my excuses at the time – rather than now.
I did not go over to the child and ask what was wrong but I should have done. I could have talked to the other
children - and even got one of the other children to call for help. I am not sure if the help would have been
ambulance or doctor at that stage – but it does not matter now. If he had been given help then, he might not
be fighting for his life.
It would be helpful to me if I could work out what I was really thinking and why I acted as I did. This event has
really shaken me to my roots – more than I would have expected. It made me feel really guilty. I do not usually
do wrong, in fact I think of myself as a good person. This event is also making me think about actions in all
sorts of areas of my life. It reminds me of some things in the past as when my uncle died – but then again I
don’t really think that that is relevant - he was going to die anyway. My bad feelings then were due to sheer
sadness and some irrational regrets that I did not visit him on the day before. Strangely it also reminds me of
how bad I felt when Charlie was ill while we went on that anniversary weekend away. As I think more about
Charlie being ill, I recognise that there are commonalities in the situations. I also keep wondering if I knew that
boy….
The Park (4)
It happened in Ingle Park and this event is very much still on my mind. It feels significant. There was a child
playing with others. He looked hot and unfit and kept sitting down but the other children kept on getting him
back up and making him play with them. I was on my way to the shop and only watched the children for a
while before I walked on. Next day it was reported in the paper that the child had been taken to hospital
seriously ill – very seriously ill. The report said that there were several passers-by in the park who had seen the
child looking ill and who had done nothing. It was a scathing report about those who do not take action in such
situation.
It was the report initially that made me think more deeply. It kept coming back in my mind and over the next
few days - I begun to think of the situation in lots of different ways. Initially I considered my urge to get to the
shop – regardless of the state of the boy. That was an easy way of excusing myself – to say that I had to get to
the shop. Then I began to go through all of the agonising as to whether I could have mis-read the situation and
really thought that the boy was simply over-dressed or perhaps play-acting or trying to gain sympathy from me
or the others. Could I have believed that the situation was all right? All of that thinking, I now notice, would
also have let me off the hook – made it not my fault that I did not take action at the time.
I talked with Tom about my reflections on the event – on the incident, on my thinking about it at the time and
then immediately after. He observed that my sense of myself as a ‘good person who always lends a helping
hand when others need help’ was put in some jeopardy by it all. At the time and immediately after, it might
have been easier to avoid shaking my view of myself than to admit that I had avoided facing up to the situation
and admitting that I had not acted as ‘a good person’. With this hindsight, I notice that I can probably find it
more easy to admit that I am not always ‘a good person’ and that I made a mistake in retrospect than
immediately after the event. I suspect that this may apply to other situations.
As I think about the situation now, I recall some more of the thoughts – or were they feelings mixed up with
thoughts? I remember a sense at the time that this boy looked quite scruffy and reminded me of a child who
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used to play with Charlie. We did not feel happy during the brief period of their friendship because this boy
was known as a bully and we were uneasy either that Charlie would end up being bullied, or that Charlie would
learn to bully. Funnily enough we were talking about this boy – I now remember – at the dinner table the night
before. The conversation had reminded me of all of the angonising about the children’s friends at the time.
The fleeting thought / feeling was possibly something like this:– if this boy is like one I did not feel comfortable
with – then maybe he deserves to get left in this way. Maybe he was a brother of the original child. I
remember social psychology research along the lines of attributing blame to victims to justify their plight. Then
it might not have been anything to do with Charlie’s friend.
So I can see how I looked at that event and perhaps interpreted it in a manner that was consistent with my
emotional frame of mind at the time. Seeing the same events without that dinner-time conversation might
have led me to see the whole thing in an entirely different manner and I might have acted differently. The
significance of this whole event is chilling when I realise that my lack of action nearly resulted in his death – and
it might have been because of an attitude that was formed years ago in relation to a different situation.
This has all made me thing about how we view things. The way I saw this event at the time was quite different
to the way I see it now – even this few days later. Writing an account at the time would have been different to
the account – or several accounts that I would write now. I cannot know what ‘story’ is ‘true’. The bullying
story may be one that I have constructed retrospectively - fabricated. Interestingly I can believe that story
completely.
You have finished reading all the accounts when you get here, but please do not turn over – discuss this last
account then think about the changes across all the accounts that represent deepening reflection (see above).
When you have listed the changes that occur in the accounts you can turn over. There is more…
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Now - firstly I give you the list of shifts in depth that I think are important in describing the differences between
the first and fourth accounts
In deepening reflection, there are shifts:
 from description to reflective account;
 from no questions to questions to responding to questions;
 emotional influence is recognised, and then handled increasingly effectively
 there is a ‘standing back from the event’
 there is a shift from self questioning, challenge to own ideas
 from recognition of relevance of prior experience
 in the taking into account of others’ views
 towards metacognition - review of own reflective proceses
Secondly, you may find this commentary on the reflective content of the accounts helpful:
Commentary
The Park (1) This piece tells the story. Sometimes it mentions past experiences, sometimes anticipates the
future but all in the context of the account of the story. There might be references to emotional state, but the
role of the emotions on action is not explored. Ideas of others are mentioned but not elaborated or used to
investigate the meaning of the events.The account is written only from one point of view – that of Annie.
Generally ideas are presented in a sequence and are only linked by the story. They are not all relevant or
focused In fact – you could hardly deem this to be reflective at all. It is very descriptive. It could be a reasonably
written account of an event that could serve as a basis on which reflection might start, though it hardly signals
any material for reflection – other than the last few words
The Park (2) In this account there is a description of the same events. There is very little addition of ideas from
outside the event – reference to attitudes of others, comments.The account is more than a story though. It is
focused on the event as if there is a big question to be asked and answered.In the questioning there is
recognition of the worth of exploring the motives for behaviour – but it does not go very far. In other words,
asking the questions makes it more than a descriptive account, but the lack of attempt to respond to the
questions means that there is little actual analysis of the events.Annie is critical of her actions and in her
questions, signals this. The questioning of action does mean that Annie is standing back from the event to a
small extent. There is a sense that she recognises that this is a significant incident, with learning to be gained –
but the reflection does not go sufficiently deep to enable the learning to begin to occur.
The Park (3) The description is succinct here – just sufficient to raise the issues. Extraneous information is not
added. It is not a story. The focus is on the attempt to reflect on the event and to learn from it. There is more
of a sense of Annie standing back from the event in order to reflect better on her actions and in order to be
more effectively critical.There is more analysis of the situation and an evident understanding that it was not a
simple situation – that there might be alternative explanations or actions that could be justified equally
effectively.The description could be said to be slightly narrow (see The Park (4)) as Annie is not acknowledging
that there might be other ways of perceiving the situation – other points of view. She does not seem to be
recognising that her reflection is affected by her frame of reference at the time or now. It is possible, for
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example, that her experience with Charlie (last paragraph) – or her question about knowing the boy have
influenced the manner in which she reacted. It might not just be a matter of linking up other events, but of
going beyond and checking out the possibility that her frame of reference might have been affected by the prior
experiences.
The Park (4) The account is succinct and to the point. There is some deep reflection here that is self-critical and
questions the basis of the beliefs and values on which the behaviour was based. There is evidence of standing
back from the event, of Annie treating herself as an object acting within the context.There is also an internal
dialogue – a conversation with herself in which she proposes and further reflects on alternative explanations.
She shows evidence of looking at the views of others (Tom) and of considering the alternative point of view, and
learning from it.She recognises the significance of the effect of passage of time on her reflection –eg that her
personal frame of reference at the time may have influenced her actions and that a different frame of reference
might have lead to different results.She notices that the proximity of other, possibly unrelated events (the
dinner-time conversation) have an effect either possibly on her actual behaviour and her subsequent reflection –
or possibly on her reflective processes only. She notices that she can be said to be reconstructing the event in
retrospect – creating a story around it that may not be ‘true’.She recognises that there may be no conclusion to
this situation – but that there are still things to be learnt from it.She has also been able to reflect on her own
process of reflecting (acted metacognitively), recognising that her process influenced the outcome.
And thirdly there is a framework that supports this and other exercises like it. This generic framework should
help you to write reflectively and to judge how reflective your writing is.
A Generic Framework for Reflective Writing
There are four ‘levels’ of depth of reflection described below. They do not necessarily accord directly with
the accounts in exercises such as ‘The Park’ but provide an general guide.
Descriptive Writing
This account is descriptive and it contains little reflection. It may tell a story but from one point of view at a
time and generally one point at a time is made. Ideas tend to be linked by the sequence of the account / story
rather than by meaning. The account describes what happened, sometimes mentioning past experiences,
sometimes anticipating the future – but all in the context of an account of the event.
There may be references to emotional reactions but they are not explored and not related to behaviour.
The account may relate to ideas or external information, but these are not considered or questioned and the
possible impact on behaviour or the meaning of events is not mentioned.
There is little attempt to focus on particular issues. Most points are made with similar weight.
The writing could hardly be deemed to be reflective at all. It could be a reasonably written account of an event
that would serve as a basis on which reflection might start, though a good description that precedes reflective
accounts will tend to be more focused and to signal points and issues for further reflection.
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Descriptive account with some reflection
This is a descriptive account that signals points for reflection while not actually showing much reflection.
The basic account is descriptive in the manner of description above. There is little addition of ideas from
outside the event, reference to alternative viewpoints or attitudes to others, comment and so on. However,
the account is more than just a story. It is focused on the event as if there is a big question or there are
questions to be asked and answered. Points on which reflection could occur are signalled.
There is recognition of the worth of further exploring but it does not go very far. In other words, asking the
questions makes it more than a descriptive account, but the lack of attempt to respond to the questions means
that there is little actual analysis of the events.
The questioning does begin to suggest a ‘standing back from the event’ in (usually) isolated areas of the
account.
The account may mention emotional reactions, or be influenced by emotion. Any influence may be noted, and
possibly questioned.
There is a sense of recognition this is an incident from which learning can be gained, – but the reflection does
not go sufficiently deep to enable the learning to begin to occur.
Reflective writing (1)
There is description but it is focused with particular aspects accentuated for reflective comment. There may be
a sense that the material is being mulled around. It is no longer a straight-forward account of an event, but it is
definitely reflective.
There is evidence of external ideas or information and where this occurs, the material is subjected to reflection.
The account shows some analysis and there is recognition of the worth of exploring motives or reasons for
behaviour
Where relevant, there is willingness to be critical of the action of self or others. There is likely to be some self
questioning and willingness also to recognise the overall effect of the event on self. In other words, there is
some ‘standing back’ from the event.
There is recognition of any emotional content, a questioning of its role and influence and an attempt to
consider its significance in shaping the views presented.
There may be recognition that things might look different from other perspectives, that views can change with
time or the emotional state. The existence of several alternative points of view may be acknowledged but not
analysed.
In other words, in a relatively limited way the account may recognise that frames of reference affect the
manner in which we reflect at a given time but it does not deal with this in a way that links it effectively to
issues about the quality of personal judgement.
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Reflective writing (2)
Description now only serves the process of reflection, covering the issues for reflection and noting their
context. There is clear evidence of standing back from an event and there is mulling over and internal dialogue.
The account shows deep reflection, and it incorporates a recognition that the frame of reference with which an
event is viewed can change.
A metacognitive stance is taken (ie critical awareness of one’s own processes of mental functioning – including
reflection).
The account probably recognises that events exist in a historical or social context that may be influential on a
person’s reaction to them. In other words, multiple persectives are noted.
Self questioning is evident (an ‘internal dialogue’ is set up at times) deliberating between different views of
personal behaviour.and that of others).
The view and motives of others are taken into account and considered against those of the writer.
There is recognition of the role of emotion in shaping the ideas and recognition of the manner in which
different emotional influences can frame the account in different ways.
There is recognition that prior experience, thoughts (own and other’s) interact with the production of current
behaviour.
There is observation that there is learning to be gained from the experience and points for learning are noted.
There is recognition that the personal frame of reference can change according to the emotional state in which
it is written, the acquisition of new information, the review of ideas and the effect of time passing.
The exercise is devised by Jenny Moon, CEMP, Bournemouth University. If you want to copy it or use it or
modify it, feel free to do so – there are no copyright issues. The best thing to do is to write your own accounts
– perhaps using the framework as a guide if it works for you. There are other similar exercises (some with
three parts rather than four but all based on the same framework) on the website listed under Resources at
the top of this handout