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Contribution
This paper describes and elaborates on the content of reflection in that it aims to explore what pre-service teachers identify as important ideas and events that mark their experiences in a reflective practicum course. In other words, the paper intends to become aware of pre-service teachers' concerns, thoughts, and dilemmas in the process of becoming reflective. The following research question guides this study in achieving its purposes: what do pre-service teachers reflect upon in the process of becoming reflective? The study places primary importance on the understanding of reflective practicum process from the pre-service teachers' perspectives by inquiring their interests during a reflective practicum course. Consequently, it enriches our understanding of the phenomenon and of its process as a whole.It is regarded that most of the time teacher education programs with traditional orientation fail to prepare teachers for this multifaceted profession (Kagan, 1992). Teachers graduating from such programs have been reported to be demotivated by the gap between theory and practice. Reflective teacher education is regarded as an alternative model to technically oriented traditional teacher education programs. It has received a great attention, particularly in the last two decades, as a growing number of teacher education programs have integrated it into their curricula (Korthagen, 2001).Reflection is guided, interactive, and individual inquiry-oriented action which incorporates theoretical, practical, and ethical principles. In the reflective process, pre-service teachers are viewed as practitioners, and exposure to practice is regarded as the primary concern in which novice practitioners are guided to combine their knowledge with their practical experiences in order to internalize their experiences.As part of a bigger scale empirical research, this study is a case study that was conducted in the form of participatory action research in a 4-year undergraduate program of English language teaching. The participants consist of 30 final year pre-service teachers whose majority was born in 1984, and of whom twenty three were females. The research was carried out in a practicum course over a period of 12 weeks in the fall of 2004.In this study, as an integral part of qualitative research, the data was gathered from multiple sources in order to obtain a rich description of the phenomenon. Hence, the data sources are as follows: weekly journals (181 journal entries over 8 weeks), reflective interviews (on school observations and on microteaching), class interactions (15 class interactions over 10 weeks), and self-assessment of microteaching (28 assignments).The data analysis was carried out by following the content analysis method within qualitative research. Throughout the data analysis process, as well as in data collection, immense importance was given to ensure the trustworthiness of the study. Hence, methods such as triangulation, peer debriefing, inter-coding, audit trial, and prolonged engagement were incorporated into the study in order to contribute to its credibility.The analysis revealed the following recurrent themes: instructional processes, increasing learner motivation, assessment of 'the teacher', classroom management, and development of insight. Hence, it was found out that, while reflecting, the pre-service teachers focused on the description and evaluation of instructional planning, instructional delivery, ways of motivation, classroom management, roles attributing to effective teacher, and on theoretical knowledge that they gained in this course. Thus, the content of their reflection focused upon how to teach effectively, how to motivate, and how to manage classes so that effective and efficient lessons could be realized. Besides these technical orientations, the pre-service teachers were concerned with ways of learning, and methods of increasing learner engagement.Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1998). Qualitative research for education: Anintroduction to theory and methods. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.Brockbank, A., & McGill, I. (2000). Facilitating reflective learning in highereducation. Suffolk: Open University Press. Brookfield, S. D. (1995). Becoming a critically reflective teacher. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass. Calderhead, J. (Ed.). (1987). Exploring teachers' thinking. London: CasselEducational Limited. Calderhead, J., & Shorrock, S.B. (1997). Understanding teacher education.London: Falmer Press. Denzin, N.K., & Lincoln, Y.S. (Eds). (1994). The handbook of qualitativeresearch. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Dewey, J. (1910). How to think. Boston: Heath. Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A restatement of the relations of reflectivethinking to the educative process. Boston: D.C. Heath.Erlandson, D. A., Harris, E. L., Skipper, B. L., & Allen, S. D. (1993). Doingnaturalistic inquiry: A guide to methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Glazer, C., Abbott, L., & Harris, J. (2004). A teacher-developed process forcollaborative professional reflection. Reflective Practice, 5 (1), 33-46. Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towardsdefinition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11 (1), 33-49. Jay, J. K., & Johnson, K. L. (2002). Capturing complexity: a typology ofreflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85. Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginningteachers. Review of Educational Research, 62 (2), 129-169. Kaminski, E. (2003). Promoting pre-service teacher education students' reflectivepractice in mathematics. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 31 (1), 21-32. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2001a). Linking practice and theory: The pedagogy ofrealistic teacher education. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards amore holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 77-97. Kraft, N. P. (2002). Teacher research as a way to engage in critical reflection: Acase study. Reflective Practice, 3 (2), 175-189. Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. NewburyPark, CA: Sage.Putnam, R. T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge andthinking have to say about research on teacher learning? Educational Researcher, 29 (1), 4-15.Reason, P. (1994). Three approaches to participative inquiry, In N.K. Denzin, &Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (324-339): Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Robson, C. (2002). Real world research (2nd ed.). Cornwall: Blackwell. Schön, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think inaction. New York: Basic Books. Schön, D.A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. Sparks-Langer, G. M., Simmons, J. M, Pasch, M., Colton, A., & Starko, A.(1990). Reflective pedagogical thinking: How can we promote it and measure it? Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (4), 23-32. Stake, R. E. (1994). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.),Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 236-247). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage. Tsang, W. K. (2003). Journaling from internship to practice teaching. ReflectivePractice. 4 (2), 221-240. Valli, L. (1993). Reflective teacher education programs: An analysis of casestudies. In J. Calderhead & P. Gates (Eds.), Conceptualizing Reflection inTeacher Development (pp. 11-21). London: Falmer Press. Valli, L. (1997). Listening to other voices: A description of teacher reflection inthe United States. Peabody Journal of Education, 72 (1), 67-88. Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical.Curriculum Inquiry, 6 (3), 205-229. Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginning teachers. Review ofEducational Research, 54 (2), 143-178. Wunder, S. (2003). Preservice teachers' reflections on learning to teachelementary social studies. Reflective Practice, 4 (2), 193-206. Yildirim, A., & Simsek, H. (2000). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel arastirma yontemleri.Ankara: Seckin. Yost, D. S., Sentner, S. M., & Forlenza-Bailey, A. (2000). An examination of theconstruct of critical reflection: Implications for teacher education programming in the 21st century. Journal of Teacher Education, 51 (1), 39-49. Zeichner, K. M., & Tabachnick, B. R. (1981). Are the effects of university teachereducation 'washed out' by school experience? Journal of Teacher Education, 32 (2), 7-11.Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1985). Varieties of discourse in supervisoryconferences. Teaching & Teacher Education, 1 (2), 155-174.Zeichner, K.M., & Liston, D. P. (1987). Teaching student teachers to reflect.Harvard Educational Review, 57 (1), 23-48. Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1990). Reflective teaching and action research inpreservice teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 16 (3), 235-255. Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginningteachers. Review of Educational Research, 62 (2), 129-169. Kaminski, E. (2003). Promoting pre-service teacher education students' reflectivepractice in mathematics. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 31 (1), 21-32. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2001a). Linking practice and theory: The pedagogy ofrealistic teacher education. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Korthagen, F. A. J. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards amore holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 77-97. Kraft, N. P. (2002). Teacher research as a way to engage in critical reflection: Acase study. Reflective Practice, 3 (2), 175-189. Patton, M. Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. NewburyPark, CA: Sage.Reason, P. (1994). Three approaches to participative inquiry, In N.K. Denzin, &Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (324-339): Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.Robson, C. (2002). Real world research (2nd ed.). Cornwall: Blackwell. Schön, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think inaction. New York: Basic Books. Schön, D.A. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass. Sparks-Langer, G. M., Simmons, J. M, Pasch, M., Colton, A., & Starko, A.(1990). Reflective pedagogical thinking: How can we promote it and measure it? Journal of Teacher Education, 41 (4), 23-32. Stake, R. E. (1994). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.),Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 236-247). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage. Tsang, W. K. (2003). Journaling from internship to practice teaching. ReflectivePractice. 4 (2), 221-240. Valli, L. (1993). Reflective teacher education programs: An analysis of casestudies. In J. Calderhead & P. Gates (Eds.), Conceptualizing Reflection inTeacher Development (pp. 11-21). London: Falmer Press. Valli, L. (1997). Listening to other voices: A description of teacher reflection inthe United States. Peabody Journal of Education, 72 (1), 67-88. Van Manen, M. (1977). Linking ways of knowing with ways of being practical.Curriculum Inquiry, 6 (3), 205-229. Veenman, S. (1984). Perceived problems of beginning teachers. Review ofEducational Research, 54 (2), 143-178. Wunder, S. (2003). Preservice teachers' reflections on learning to teachelementary social studies. Reflective Practice, 4 (2), 193-206. Yildirim, A., & Simsek, H. (2000). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel arastirma yontemleri.Ankara: Seckin. Yost, D. S., Sentner, S. M., & Forlenza-Bailey, A. (2000). An examination of theconstruct of critical reflection: Implications for teacher education programming in the 21st century. Journal of Teacher Education, 51 (1), 39-49. Zeichner, K. M., & Tabachnick, B. R. (1981). Are the effects of university teachereducation 'washed out' by school experience? Journal of Teacher Education, 32 (2), 7-11.Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1985). Varieties of discourse in supervisoryconferences. Teaching & Teacher Education, 1 (2), 155-174.Zeichner, K.M., & Liston, D. P. (1987). Teaching student teachers to reflect.Harvard Educational Review, 57 (1), 23-48. Zeichner, K. M., & Liston, D. (1990). Reflective teaching and action research inpreservice teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 16 (3), 235-255.This proposal is part of my doctoral thesis which I completed in May 2006. I intend to send it for publication in an international journal.
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