The Use of VSR as an In-house Professional Development Tool for Joint Reflection in a Primary School in the Western-Cape, South Africa

Abstract

Joint reflection amongst teachers is a valuable way to learn from colleagues. The study explored the joint reflection by a primary school mathematics subject team where video-stimulated recall was used as a reflective tool. The research question that guided the study was: what is the influence of joint reflection on the professional development of a mathematics subject team, using video-stimulated recall as a reflective tool? The study leaned on teacher collaboration as a learning context for teachers and used the community of practice as a theoretical framework. The qualitative study used joint video-reflective sessions as data collection instruments where a mathematics subject team of six primary school teachers participated. Lessons of two teachers were video-recorded and played to the subject team and they then jointly reflected on the lessons. The themes that emerged from the data included initial discomfort to share their views about another colleagues’ lesson; learner involvement in lessons; strengthening mathematics concepts; and learning from each other. The study found that colleagues learned from each other, that better ways of doing were suggested and that the analysis of the video was like a two-edged sword where those who presented the lesson learned as well as those who watched the lessons.

Key words:

• Mathematics teachers
• professional development
• video-stimulated recall
• joint reflection
• teacher collaboration

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a grant from the National Research Foundation of South Africa.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).