Reflective Inquiry
Updated 2026-08-13
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
John Dewey's reflective inquiry describes thinking as a five-stage process: a felt difficulty or confusion, its definition as a problem, the proposal of a hypothesis, reasoning about the consequences of that hypothesis, and testing it through action. The core proposition is that reflection is not passive recollection but an active cycle running from uncertainty through inquiry to confirmation, and that treating it as a method makes it teachable and repeatable. The key qualification is that the stages are phases of one movement rather than a rigid sequence, and inquiry that skips problem definition or never returns to action remains speculation.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Difficulty naming: describe the felt confusion precisely before trying to solve it. - Problem restatement: convert the confusion into a question that can be investigated. - Action test: carry each hypothesis back into practice rather than settling it in thought.
Anchor fast decisions
Uncertainty interrupts habitual action and creates the tension that drives inquiry. Defining the problem converts a vague disturbance into something a hypothesis can address, and reasoning about consequences lets the hypothesis be judged before it is tried. Testing in action returns information that either confirms the idea or restarts the cycle, so thinking stays anchored to experience.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflective_practiceverified
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