Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M6611

ERA

ERA
Learn & MetacognitionHigh supportLearning Science
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Updated 2026-08-10

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

ERA is a minimal reflection framework with three stages. Experience describes what happened, sticking to observable events rather than interpretation. Reflection analyzes what the experience meant and what feelings it produced. Action specifies what will be done differently next time. Its purpose is to keep reflection from terminating in analysis: the third step forces the loop closed with a concrete commitment. The framework assumes the reflector can separate description from interpretation, which is what makes the middle stage productive rather than a restatement of the first.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Use event description: write only what happened, holding back interpretation until the description is complete. - Use meaning analysis: ask what the event revealed about your assumptions or process. - Use action commitment: end every reflection with one specific behavior to change.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Reflection fails most often by stopping at insight, so the behavior that produced the problem repeats. ERA prevents this by reserving a stage for action and making it the exit condition. Separating description from reflection also improves the quality of analysis, because the raw event stays available to inspect rather than arriving already interpreted. Each cycle produces a testable change, and the next experience supplies evidence about whether the change worked, which makes the loop cumulative instead of repetitive.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
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Source support: Explicit

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