Proposed Title:​
Enhancing Students’ Communication and Character through Reflective Writing on
Service as Action: An Action Research among Grade 9 MYP Learners of Tzu Chi School,
Jakarta
Chapter 1
Introduction
Context of the Study​
​
Tzu Chi School in Jakarta is a values-driven institution offering the International
Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). Its philosophy emphasizes holistic
education that integrates academic rigor with moral and ethical development. Within the MYP
framework, the subject of English plays a vital role in shaping students’ communication skills
and intercultural awareness. In Grade 9, writing is assessed against specific criteria that
emphasize structure, style, and critical engagement. Meanwhile, the IB requires students to
participate in Service as Action (SA), an experiential component where learners engage in
community projects and reflect on their experiences through ManageBac, the school’s digital
platform.
Theoretical Framework​
​
This study is anchored on three interconnected theoretical perspectives. First, Kolb’s
Experiential Learning Theory underscores the importance of reflection in consolidating learning
from action, with reflective writing serving as a means of deepening understanding of personal
experiences (Kolb, 2019). Second, frameworks of values and character education highlight the
role of schools in cultivating empathy, responsibility, and compassion (Berkowitz & Bier, 2020).
Integrating values formation into academic tasks ensures that education shapes both the mind
and the heart. Third, constructivist pedagogy positions students as active participants who build
meaning through authentic tasks. In this context, reflective essays on SA provide a platform for
students to synthesize learning, articulate values, and demonstrate communication skills. The IB
Learner Profile and Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills complement these frameworks by
emphasizing global citizenship, intercultural respect, and lifelong learning dispositions.
Statement of the Problem​
​
Despite its central role in the IB framework, Service as Action reflections are often
completed by students as a matter of compliance rather than deep engagement. Learners may
summarize activities without fully articulating lessons learned or values internalized. At the same
time, English writing assessments are sometimes disconnected from real-life, values-based
applications, limiting opportunities for meaningful integration. This reveals a gap: there is a need
for classroom-based strategies that simultaneously address academic literacy (writing) and
values formation through authentic reflection tasks.
Research Questions​
This action research seeks to answer the following:
1.​ How does reflective writing on Service as Action influence Grade 9 students’
communication skills in English?​
2.​ In what ways does reflective writing on Service as Action contribute to the development
of students’ values such as empathy, responsibility, and compassion?​
3.​ How do students perceive the integration of Service as Action reflections into their
English writing assessments and ManageBac submissions?​
Scope and Limitation of the Study​
​
This study is limited to Grade 9 MYP learners of Tzu Chi School, Jakarta, during one
academic term. It focuses on reflective essays submitted as both English writing assessments
and Service as Action documentation in ManageBac. Findings will be contextualized within this
grade level, subject, and school culture, and may not be generalizable to other contexts or
programs.
Significance of the Study
●​ School Administration – Findings can inform strategies for aligning academic and
values-based requirements, reinforcing the school’s holistic mission.​
●​ English and Other Subject Teachers – Insights will help in designing assessments that
integrate skills development with values formation.​
●​ Service as Action Coordinators – Results will show how academic subjects can support
SA documentation meaningfully.​
●​ Future Researchers – This study provides groundwork for further exploration of reflective
practices in IB and non-IB contexts.​
Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature
Reflective writing, service as action, and values-based education represent crucial
intersections within the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB-MYP),
particularly in the context of English language instruction. This chapter reviews current literature
from 2019 onward to situate the present study, which investigates the integration of reflective
writing on SA experiences as both an English assessment and a values formation strategy for
Grade 9 learners at Tzu Chi School, Jakarta.
Reflective Writing in Education​
​
Reflective writing has gained increasing recognition as an effective pedagogical tool for
enhancing both literacy skills and metacognitive awareness. Sudirman (2024) conducted a
systematic review of reflective practice in higher education and found that reflective writing
significantly reinforced students’ ability to connect theoretical concepts with lived experiences.
The review highlighted that students who engage in structured reflection develop stronger
self-awareness, empathy, and critical thinking — competencies that align with the IB learner
profile. Similarly, Ogoshi (2024) examined the use of journaling in Nigerian secondary schools
through a quasi-experimental design. Results showed measurable improvements in students’
essay writing skills, particularly in coherence and expression, suggesting that reflective writing
activities foster fluency and depth in communication.
Service-Learning and Language Learning​
​
Service-learning, which integrates academic study with community engagement, has
been shown to foster civic responsibility and empathy while supporting literacy development.
Recent work by Zhang, Hofmann, and Plößl (2024) explored how reflective writing related to
experiential learning could be systematically analyzed using both machine learning and
linguistic coding. Their findings revealed that students’ reflections provided rich evidence of
language complexity, emotional depth, and value orientation, confirming that service-learning
contexts are ideal for authentic literacy tasks. In an Asian context, Chen and Huang (2021)
investigated university-level English classes in Taiwan that embedded service-learning into
language curricula. Using mixed methods, they found that students not only improved their
writing proficiency but also demonstrated stronger intercultural awareness and social empathy.
These studies support the premise that integrating SA reflection into English writing
assessments promotes a holistic form of learning that goes beyond academic compliance.
Integration of Values in English Language Teaching​
​
English classrooms offer a unique platform for integrating values education, particularly
through writing tasks that invite personal and ethical reflection. Sudirman’s (2024) findings
emphasized the importance of structured reflection in cultivating responsibility and compassion,
while Chen and Huang (2021) showed that values-based instruction enhances student
motivation and engagement. More recently, Tan and Ibrahim (2022) examined values integration
in English lessons in Southeast Asian secondary schools, finding that students who engaged in
reflective, values-driven tasks displayed higher levels of empathy and collaboration compared to
peers in traditional language classes. These findings indicate that character development can
be systematically advanced through language learning, aligning closely with the mission of IB
schools to develop internationally minded and principled learners.
ManageBac and IB Documentation​
​
In IB schools worldwide, ManageBac serves as the digital platform for documenting core
requirements such as Service as Action. While much of the research on reflective practice and
values integration focuses on classroom pedagogy, integrating these practices with existing
digital frameworks ensures both efficiency and alignment with IB expectations. A recent report
from Faria Education Group (2023), the developers of ManageBac, highlighted how schools
effectively streamline student reflection and teacher assessment through the platform’s SA
module. Embedding reflective essays into ManageBac not only reduces redundancy for
students but also allows for more consistent monitoring of both academic and values-driven
outcomes.
Synthesis of Reviewed Literature​
​
The reviewed studies collectively demonstrate that reflective writing enhances
communication skills while deepening students’ ability to internalize and articulate values.
Empirical evidence (Sudirman, 2024; Ogoshi, 2024) supports reflective writing as a means to
strengthen both technical writing proficiency and self-awareness. Service-learning research
(Zhang et al., 2024; Chen & Huang, 2021) confirms that authentic tasks situated in real-life
contexts encourage empathy and intercultural understanding, while values integration studies
(Tan & Ibrahim, 2022) affirm the role of language classes as effective vehicles for character
development. Finally, the ManageBac framework (Faria Education Group, 2023) provides an
operational backbone for aligning academic and IB requirements. Together, these findings
highlight a significant opportunity: integrating reflective writing on SA experiences within Grade
9 English assessments not only strengthens academic literacy but also contributes meaningfully
to students’ personal growth and character formation, fully in line with the goals of IB education
and the values-driven mission of Tzu Chi School.
Chapter 3
Methodology
Research Design​
​
This study will employ Action Research under the Plan–Act–Observe–Reflect (PAOR)
framework. The intervention focuses on integrating a reflective essay on students’ Service as
Action (SA) experiences into the Writing criterion of the Grade 9 English subject. This activity is
intended to serve both as an academic writing assessment and as documentation for the IB
ManageBac
SA
requirement.
The
cyclical
nature
of
action
research
allows
the
teacher-researcher to implement the intervention, monitor outcomes, reflect on the findings, and
plan for refinements in instructional practice (Koh, Chai, & Lim, 2020).
Population and Respondents​
​
The population of this study consists of Grade 9 students enrolled in the International
Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB-MYP) at Tzu Chi School, Jakarta. All Grade 9
learners enrolled in the English subject will be included in the study, as they are required to
submit reflective essays aligned with both the English writing assessment and the IB Service as
Action documentation. Respondents will therefore represent a diverse group of adolescent
learners exposed to a values-driven curriculum that integrates academic rigor with
service-learning. The inclusion of the whole Grade 9 cohort ensures that findings reflect the
typical experiences of students in this program.
Description of Respondents​
​
The respondents are Grade 9 MYP learners, typically aged 14 to 15 years old, who are
at a developmental stage where identity formation, empathy, and critical thinking are beginning
to consolidate. Within the school’s values-centered environment, students are regularly engaged
in activities that cultivate responsibility, compassion, and service-mindedness. They represent
an international and multicultural student body, consistent with the IB philosophy of global
citizenship. These learners are also expected to demonstrate communication competence in
English as their medium of academic instruction, making the integration of reflective writing into
English both feasible and relevant.
Research Instruments​
Three instruments will be employed to collect data:
1.​ Student Reflective Essays – These written outputs will serve as the primary data source.
They will be assessed using the official MYP Writing Criterion rubric (focusing on
organization, style, and language use) and analyzed thematically for values integration
such as empathy, responsibility, compassion, and global awareness.​
2.​ Teacher Observation Notes – The teacher-researcher will document observations during
the implementation of the reflective writing activity. These notes will include insights
about student engagement, common writing challenges, and the depth of students’
reflective responses.​
3.​ Student Reflection Survey – A short survey administered after the activity will capture
students’ perceptions of the reflective writing process, specifically whether it helped them
connect English learning with their Service as Action experiences.​
Data Gathering Procedure (PAOR Cycle)
●​ Plan – The reflective essay activity will be aligned with the MYP Writing criterion. Writing
prompts will be designed to encourage students to articulate connections between their
Service as Action experiences and the values emphasized in the school (e.g.,
compassion, gratitude, responsibility). A rubric will be prepared for assessing both
writing quality and the depth of reflection.​
●​ Act – Classroom sessions will introduce reflective writing techniques and provide
scaffolding for students. Learners will then write a reflective essay on their Service as
Action experience, which will also be submitted in ManageBac as their official SA
documentation.​
●​ Observe – The reflective essays will be collected and evaluated. The teacher-researcher
will record observations regarding student engagement and performance, and a short
survey will be conducted to gather students’ insights into the activity.​
●​ Reflect – Data from essays, observation notes, and surveys will be analyzed to evaluate
outcomes. The researcher will identify patterns in writing proficiency and values
integration, review student feedback, and draw implications for enhancing the integration
of service-learning into English language instruction.​
Statistical Treatment of Data​
Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be employed in analyzing the data:
●​ Quantitative Analysis – Student essays will be scored using the MYP Writing Criterion
rubric. Scores will be tallied and presented using descriptive statistics such as mean,
frequency, and percentage distributions to show levels of writing performance across the
class.​
●​ Qualitative Analysis – Thematic analysis will be applied to the reflective essays to
identify recurring themes of values integration such as empathy, compassion, and
responsibility. Teacher observation notes will be coded for patterns in engagement and
learning behaviors, while survey responses will be summarized to highlight student
perceptions of the activity’s impact (Nowell et al., 2019).​
Ethical Considerations​
​
Since participation in reflective writing is part of the regular academic requirement, this
study will be conducted within the normal school framework. However, permission will be sought
from the school administration and concerned teachers to allow the use of students’ essays,
survey responses, and observation notes for research purposes. Student anonymity will be
ensured by removing any identifying information in the reporting of results. All data will be stored
securely and used solely for academic and research-related purposes connected with this study.
References:
●​ Berkowitz, M. W., & Bier, M. C. (2020). Research-based fundamentals of the effective
promotion of character development in schools. Journal of Character Education, 16(2),
1–16.​
●​ Chen, C. H., & Huang, Y. (2021). Embedding service-learning in English courses to
enhance intercultural competence and writing proficiency. Asia Pacific Education
Review, 22(4), 667–681.​
●​ Faria Education Group. (2023). The state of IB education technology 2023. ManageBac.
https://www.managebac.com​
●​ Koh, J. H. L., Chai, C. S., & Lim, W. Y. (2020). Teacher professional development for
twenty-first century learning: A systemic review. British Journal of Educational
Technology, 51(4), 1061–1079.​
●​ Kolb, D. A. (2019). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and
development (2nd ed.). Pearson Education.​
●​ Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2019). Thematic analysis:
Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods,
18, 1–13.​
●​ Ogoshi, E. M. (2024). Journaling as reflective practice in Nigerian secondary schools: A
quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Instruction, 17(1), 45–62.​
●​ Sudirman, A. (2024). Reflective writing in higher education: A systematic review. Journal
of Applied Learning & Teaching, 7(2), 23–35.​
●​ Tan, C. Y., & Ibrahim, A. (2022). Integrating values education in English classrooms in
Southeast Asia: Impacts on empathy and collaboration. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 115, 103728.​
●​ Zhang, X., Hofmann, J., & Plößl, T. (2024). Machine learning-assisted analysis of
reflective writing in service-learning. International Journal of Educational Research, 122,
102145.​
​
​
​
Literature Matrix:​
Bibliographic Entries
(Author/s, research
title/book title, year)
#
Berkowitz, M. W., &
Bier, M. C.
Research-based
fundamentals of the
effective promotion of
character
development in
1 schools (2020)
Sources/URL
Journal of
Character
Education,
16(2), 1–16.
Chen, C. H., & Huang,
Y. Embedding
service-learning in
English courses to
Asia Pacific
enhance intercultural Education
competence and
Review,
writing proficiency
22(4),
2 (2021)
667–681.
Continent/Region/
Country
USA (general
school
contexts)
Taiwan (Asia)
Faria Education
Group. The state of IB ManageBac.
education technology https://www.m Global (IB
2023 (2023)
anagebac.co schools
m
worldwide)
3
Research Problem
and Research
Questions
How to promote
character
development in
schools through
evidence-based
practices.
How embedding
service-learning
in English
courses
enhances writing
and intercultural
competence.
How IB schools
streamline
reflective
documentation
through
technology
platforms.
Methodology
(research method,
participants,
survey/
interview
questionnaire)
Theoretical
Framework
Review of
character
education
Character
programs across education
US schools.
frameworks.
Mixed-methods
study of
Taiwanese
university
English learners.
Descriptive
report from
international
schools using
ManageBac.
Service-learnin
g and
intercultural
communication
theories.
Results/Conclusions
Effective promotion of
student character
requires
whole-school,
evidence-based
approaches.
Recommendations
Schools should
adopt
evidence-based
strategies for
holistic character
development.
Language
courses should
Students improved
integrate
writing proficiency and service-learning
intercultural
for intercultural
awareness.
competence.
ManageBac
streamlines SA
Technology-en reflection and
hanced
supports consistency
learning in IB
across schools.
education.
IB schools
should fully
utilize
ManageBac for
reflection and
monitoring.
Koh, J. H. L., Chai, C.
S., & Lim, W. Y.
Teacher professional
development for
twenty-first century
British
learning: A systemic Journal of
review (2020)
Educational
Technology,
51(4),
1061–1079.
Singapore
(regional
review of Asian
contexts)
How teacher
professional
development can
support 21st
century learning.
Systematic
Constructivist
review of teacher and
professional
professional
development
development
literature.
frameworks.
Professional
development
enhances readiness
for 21st century
classrooms.
Provide systemic
teacher training
for 21st century
pedagogy.
How experiential
learning and
reflection
strengthen
communication
and values.
Conceptual/theor
etical framework Experiential
of experiential
Learning
learning.
Theory (ELT).
Reflection
consolidates learning
from experience and
enhances
communication.
Embed reflective
learning tasks in
curricula for
communication
and values
growth.
USA (applied
globally)
How to ensure
trustworthiness
and rigor in
qualitative
thematic
analysis.
Qualitative
methodological Thematic
paper on
analysis in
thematic analysis qualitative
in research.
research.
Thematic analysis can Apply thematic
be rigorous and
analysis
trustworthy if
rigorously in
systematic steps are education
applied.
research.
4
Kolb, D. A.
Experiential learning:
Experience as the
source of learning and
development (2019,
2nd ed.)
Pearson
Education.
5
Nowell, L. S., Norris,
J. M., White, D. E., &
Moules, N. J.
Thematic analysis:
Striving to meet the
trustworthiness
criteria (2019)
6
Ogoshi, E. M.
Journaling as
reflective practice in
Nigerian secondary
schools: A
quasi-experimental
study (2024)
7
Canada
International (applied in
Journal of
global
Qualitative
qualitative
Methods, 18, research)
1–13.
International
Journal of
Instruction,
17(1), 45–62
.
Does journaling
improve writing
Quasi-experimen
skills and
tal design with
Reflective
reflective practice Nigerian
practice in
in Nigerian
secondary
secondary
Nigeria (Africa) schools?
school students. education.
Reflective journaling
improved coherence
and writing
expression.
Encourage
journaling and
reflection to
improve writing
and empathy.
Sudirman, A.
Reflective writing in
higher education: A
systematic review
(2024)
What role does
reflective writing
play in
Systematic
connecting
review of
theory to practice reflective writing
in higher
studies in higher
education?
education.
How can
integrating values Qualitative and
Teaching and
education in
quantitative
Teacher
English improve approaches in
Education,
Southeast Asia empathy and
Southeast Asian
115, 103728. (regional focus) collaboration?
classrooms.
Journal of
Applied
Learning &
Teaching,
7(2), 23–35.
Indonesia
(Asia, higher
education)
Constructivist
reflection and
metacognition
frameworks.
Structured reflective
writing deepens
empathy,
self-awareness, and
critical thinking.
Use reflective
writing
systematically in
higher education
assessments.
Values
education and
character
formation
frameworks.
Students in
values-integrated
classrooms displayed
higher empathy and
collaboration.
Integrate values
into English
instruction to
promote
collaboration and
empathy.
How can
machine learning
be applied to
Machine learning
analyze reflective and linguistic
Service-learnin
writing in
coding applied to g and
service-learning reflective writing computational
contexts?
data.
linguistics.
Machine learning
captured linguistic
complexity and value
orientation in
reflective essays.
Combine
educational
research with
technology to
assess reflective
writing at scale.
8
Tan, C. Y., & Ibrahim,
A. Integrating values
education in English
classrooms in
Southeast Asia:
Impacts on empathy
and collaboration
(2022)
9
Zhang, X., Hofmann,
J., & Plößl, T. Machine
learning-assisted
analysis of reflective
writing in
International
service-learning
Journal of
(2024)
Educational
Research,
122, 102145.
10
Europe
(Germany,
applied
globally)