Teacher development using group discussion and reflection

Abstract

This article presents outcomes from a study of science teachers participating in a collaborative action research project. A case study methodology was used to describe and analyze effectively the views and practices of teachers participating in this project. Through group discussion and reflection with other participants, the teachers discussed and critiqued current practices, clarified action research questions, and explained and evaluated their students’ activities. From these discussions emerged collaborative and communal reflection which helped promote problem‐solving and dialogical thinking, and resulted in teachers’ views changing from the contextual particulars of their local school to a more systematic awareness of their curricular actions. At the same time, these reflective experiences exposed teachers’ personal tensions related to implementing their action research plans. The idea of using group discussion and reflection as a strategy to prompt perceptual restructuring of teachers’ experiences to promote teacher development is presented.

Keywords:

• action research
• reflective practices
• science teachers
• teacher development