Multiple voices, multiple realities, what truth? Student teachers’ learning to reflect in different paradigms

Abstract

This paper reports on a comparison of two research approaches of the study of the reflective practice in two different modes of tele‐guidance of the school practicum. The results of two studies were contrasted encouraging the dialogue between researchers coming from different research paradigms. Although the researchers in the two studies shared some perspectives on educational practices and student teachers’ reflection, the studies resulted in two different reports on student teachers’ reflection. Ontological, epistemological and methodological beliefs in both studies are related to a rationalistic and a naturalistic paradigm informing the two research sites. Researchers’ voices in both studies have been interacting, changing and developing but the differences in beliefs between the two sites seem to have contributed to the different analyses and results.

Keywords:

• Research paradigm
• Reflection
• Student teacher
• Methodology

Notes

The data collection was made possible by the Targeted Socio‐Economic Research Programme, DGXII, of the European Commission.