Teacher reflection on action: what is said (in research) and what is done (in teaching)

Abstract

Teacher reflection on action has been studied extensively in the last 25 years. To appreciate the concept and its use, we should look at the key features of reflection on action (TRA) as identified in research and what teachers state is typical of reflection. In three other studies we have explored possible alignments among (1) what has been claimed (using 50 conceptual papers); (2) what has been disseminated to teachers (using 122 articles on teacher development); and (3) what has been described by teachers (analyzing 49 teacher accounts of reflection practices). As a result of this exploration, we found little empirical evidence for what has been stated in theoretical essays. The research‐based papers revealed that the studies conducted were not very relevant for key characteristics of TRA as identified by the theoretical papers. Furthermore, in attempting to gauge teachers’ reflections, the research does not really reflect what is advocated by models of reflection. These findings led us to conclude that the concept of teacher reflection on action is still very much in flux and may not be adopted as intended in programs of teacher professional development and teacher education.

Keywords:

• reflection on action
• teaching
• teacher professional development
• teacher education
• research on teaching
• teacher learning