The Process of Reflective Practice In Teaching: Opportunities and Constraints

Author(s):

Martin Suter(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

01. Continuing Professional Development: Learning for Individuals, Leaders, and Organisations

Format:

Paper

Session Information

01 SES 07 C, Knowledge and Leadership in Classrooms

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

17:15-18:45

Room:

FCEE - Aula 2.9

Chair:

Inger Ulleberg

Contribution

Models and theories of reflection on practice in teaching continue to be very influential in the training of teachers in all sectors of education. That influence is international in it's extent. In Europe, Carr ( 1985 ; 1986), Eliot (1991) from the United Kingdom, Korthagen (2001) from the Netherlands, Jakku-Sihvonen and Niemi (2006) from Finland and Seel (1999) from Germany have all argued for the practice of teaching to be based on the systematic reflection of teachers.

Advocates of reflective practice in teaching often argue from two perspectives. Firstly that to deal with the complexities and contingencies of the teaching situation, it is not feasible for teachers to be guided by a list of prescriptions on what they ought to do, but rather they should through systematic reflection find what actually works. In this the writers are much influenced by the work of Dewey (1933). The second perspective is that the promotion of reflective practice in teachers would help to oppose the spread of 'managerialism' and 'technical - rationalism' in education and training systems and organisations. This perspective draws heavily on the work of Habermas (1971;1984)

Given the continuing influence of the models and theories of reflective practice, the author wished to investigate the possibilities in actual teaching settings. Over the two years of a part-time In-Service initial teacher training course in an English university the author researched the development of reflective practice in the trainee teachers. The author wished to investigate the extent of the opportunities and possibilities for reflective practice were for trainee teachers in the post compulsory education and training sector in the United Kingdom. He in particular wished to investigate the two major claims for reflective practice, that it is an effective way to deal with the complexities and contingencies of the teaching situation and secondly it helps give the teacher a 'professional voice' to oppose the dominant managerialist discourse.

Method

The research methods used were: a series of semi-structured and unstructured interviews the trainee teachers over the two years of their teacher training course; observation of the trainee teachers in their professional situations and an analysis of the trainee teachers written reflections on their learning and practice.

Expected Outcomes

The research undertaken by the author led him to conclude that opportunities and possibilities for meaningful reflection on practice, but that they were heavily circumscribed by a number of factors. Firstly reflective practice was most effective when it concentrated on the teacher's immediate professional situation, for instance improvements in the use of teaching and learning resources and strategies.It was much less effective where the teacher was attempting to effect changes in the organisation and management of learning Secondly the author found that the opportunities for effective reflective practice was influenced by organisational cultures and 'subject cultures' The author found in some cases an 'enabling culture' where teachers collaborated in bring about changes in teaching and learning. In other situations he found the opportunities constrained by the culture, and in some instances actual hostility. Thirdly he found the development of a strategic compliance when student teachers were asked to engage in the reflection required by the professional body for teachers in the post school sector, often doing the bare minimum to register.

References

Avis,J.(2003) 'Rethinking Trust in a Performative Culture: the case of education' in Journal of Education Policy Volume eighteen, No.3 Bourdieu,P (1990) The Logic of Practice Cambridge: Polity Press Carr,W. ( 1995) Towards a Critical Education Enquiry. Buckingham: Open University Press Day,C. (1999) Developing Teachers: the challenge of lifelong learning. London: Falmer Press Dewey,J. (1933) How We Think. Chicago: University of Chicago Elliot, J. (1991) Action Research For Educational Change Habermas,J. (1971) Knowledge and Human Interests. Boston Mass. :Beacon Press Habermas,J. (1984) The Theory of Communicative Action Volume one: Reason and the Rationalisation of Society. Boston Mass. : Beacon Press Habermas,J. (1987) The Theory of Communicative Action Volume Two: A Critique of Functionalist Reason. Boston Mass. : Polity Press Hillier, Y. ( 2002) Reflective Teaching in Further and Adult Education. London: Continuum Hodkinson,P. (1998) Technicism, teachers and teacher quality in vocational education and training. Journal of Vocational Education and Training Husu,J., Toom,,A. and Patrikainen,S. (2008) 'Guided reflection as a means to demonstrate and develop stdent teachers' competencies' Reflective Practice Volume 9 No.1 IfL ( Institute for Learning) (2008) Licence to Practise: Professional Formation. IfL: London Jakku- Sihvonen, R and Niemi, R. (2006) Research Based Teacher Education in Finland. Turku Kinchloe, J.L. (1990) Teachers As Researchers: qualitative enquiry as a path to empowerment. London: Falmer Press Korthagen, F (2001) Linking Practice and Theory. Mahweh N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum' Orr,K. (2008) 'Room for improvement? The impact of compulsory professional development on teachers in England's Further Education sector. Journal of In-Service Education. Volume 34 No.1 Reynolds, B. and Suter,M. (2010) 'Reflective Practice' in Avis,J., Fisher,R. and Thompson,R. Teaching in Lifelong Learning. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill Seel,H. (1999) 'Didaktik as the professional science of teaching' in Theoretical Network of Teacher Education Volume 2 No. 1

Author Information

Martin Suter (presenting / submitting)

University of Huddersfield UK

School of Education

Oldham

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