Kolb’s reflective cycle is one of the most widely used models for reflective writing in UK nursing, education, business and health courses. It turns experience into learning through four connected stages. This guide explains each stage, sets out Kolb’s learning styles, gives a worked example, and compares Kolb with Gibbs so you can choose the right model.
What Is Kolb’s Reflective Cycle?
Developed by David Kolb in 1984, the model is also called the experiential learning cycle. Its central idea is that we learn best not simply by doing, but by reflecting on what we did and turning that reflection into new approaches we then test. The cycle has four stages, and because it is a cycle you can enter at any point and keep going round as your understanding deepens.
The Four Stages Explained
The four stages are: Concrete Experience — you do or encounter something. Reflective Observation — you review and reflect on that experience, considering what happened and how it felt. Abstract Conceptualisation — you make sense of it, drawing on theory to form ideas about why it happened. Active Experimentation — you plan and try out a new approach, which becomes the next concrete experience. Effective reflective writing moves clearly through each of these stages.
Kolb’s Four Learning Styles
Kolb linked his cycle to four learning styles, each a combination of two stages. The Diverging style favours concrete experience and reflection, and suits people who like to view situations from many angles. The Assimilating style favours reflection and abstract thinking, and suits those who value logic and ideas. The Converging style combines abstract thinking with active experimentation, suiting practical problem-solvers. The Accommodating style favours concrete experience and experimentation, suiting hands-on, intuitive learners. Recognising your own tendency helps you reflect more honestly.
A Worked Example
Imagine a nursing student who struggles to explain a procedure to a patient (concrete experience). Reflecting afterwards, they realise they used too much jargon and the patient looked anxious (reflective observation). Reading about health-literacy theory, they conclude that plain language and checking understanding improve care (abstract conceptualisation). Next time, they explain the procedure in simple terms and ask the patient to repeat it back (active experimentation) — which starts the cycle again with a new experience.
Kolb vs Gibbs: Which Should You Use?
Kolb’s cycle is concise and strong on turning theory into action, which makes it ideal when your reflection needs to lead to a concrete change in practice. Gibbs’ reflective cycle has more stages, including an explicit focus on feelings and evaluation, so it suits deeper personal reflection. Neither is “better” — choose the model your course recommends, and pick the one that best fits the experience you are reflecting on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the four stages of Kolb’s reflective cycle?
Concrete Experience, Reflective Observation, Abstract Conceptualisation and Active Experimentation. You move through them in order and then begin the cycle again with a new experience.
Is Kolb’s cycle good for reflective essays?
Yes. Its clear four-stage structure gives your reflective essay a logical flow and, importantly, pushes you to turn reflection into a concrete plan for the future, which markers value.
What is the difference between Kolb and Gibbs?
Kolb has four stages and emphasises applying theory to change practice; Gibbs has six stages and gives more attention to feelings and evaluation. Use whichever your course recommends.
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