Guided reflection procedure as a method to facilitate student teachers’ perception of their teaching to support the construction of practical knowledge

ABSTRACT

This study investigates meaningful events that student teachers identified from video recordings of their teaching practice that were used to improve their knowledge base. Data were collected from 21 student teachers at an Estonian university using a guided reflection procedure. Deductive qualitative content analysis was performed on meaningful events and student teacher reflections. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to compare the differences in types of practical knowledge that student teachers communicated when reflecting on meaningful events. Results indicate that video recordings facilitated the selection of meaningful events related to various aspects of teaching. Moreover, reflecting on empowering events advanced theoretical reasoning, while reflecting on challenging events advanced artefacts: i.e. knowledge that could guide student teacher actions in various teaching situations. Therefore, this study offers valuable insight into the kinds of knowledge student teachers construct in their teaching practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Meaningful events
• student teachers
• initial teacher education
• guided reflection procedure
• teaching practice
• lesson video

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union under grant number [526318-LLP-1-2012-1-EE-COMENIUS-CMP] and the Estonian Science Foundation under grant number ETF9221.

Notes on contributors

Raili Allas

Raili Allas (MA) is a fourth-year doctoral student in educational sciences at the University of Tartu in Estonia. Her doctoral thesis examines the possibilities of using guided reflection procedures to support teachers in constructing practical knowledge during and after initial teacher education. She works as a junior research fellow in teacher education at the Institute of Education at the University of Tartu, Estonia.

Äli Leijen

Äli Leijen (PhD) is a professor of teacher education at University of Tartu in Estonia. Her academic background is in educational sciences. Her PhD thesis explored possibilities for innovation and change in arts education. Her current work is mostly focused on teacher education. Her current research themes include reflection in education, professional identity, teacher education, ICT for implementing innovations in education, and doctoral education.

Auli Toom

Auli Toom, PhD, is a Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Centre for University Teaching and Learning at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Helsinki. She is also a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Education, University of Tartu, Estonia. Her research interests include teachers’ pedagogical knowing, teacher agency and teacher education, and scholarship on teaching and learning. She investigates student learning of knowledge, work competencies, and pedagogies and digital technologies supporting learning. She leads and co-leads several research projects on teacher education and higher education. She has worked as an expert in many international teacher education researches and development programs.