Mediating pedagogical innovation via reflective practice: a comparison of pre-service and in-service teachers’ experiences
By: East, Martin. Reflective Practice 2014-12-11 The purpose of this article is to examine the effectiveness of reflective practice for both pre- service teachers and in service teachers regarding attitude and aptitude for implementing a new instructional method. Research questions include: How does reflective practice impact teacher thinking about implementing a learner centered model of instruction? Does reflective practice impact pre service teachers the same as in-service teachers? Does metacognitive reflection lead to change in pedagogy? The methodology includes both quantitative and qualitative studies. Teachers were asked to write their reflective thoughts in journals. The beginning and ending entries were examined and analyzed for themes and frequency of comments regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a new curriculum plan. Findings support these ideas.
Although this research was conducted at a secondary level, the implication for the benefits of teacher self-reflection is clear. Teachers who engaged in the reflective journaling had greater “buy in” to implement the innovative teaching method. The implication for my inquiry is the impact of reflective practice by pre-service teachers in the process of professional growth and the ability to be open to new ideas regarding teaching and learning. The article supports that reflective practice does support an openness to new pedagogy which may not have previously been included in the teacher’s mindset. Key Themes/Big Ideas: Reflective practice, pre-service teachers, learner centered model, task based language teaching (TBLT) Leshem, S. (2014). How do teacher mentors perceive their role, does it matter? Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 42(3), 261-274. Print. The purpose of this study was to examine self-perceptions of mentors, comparing those who had received professional development to those who had not. The research questions included: How do mentors perceive their role? How does professional development affect these self-perceptions? How does the perception differ among mentors? The methodology was described as an “inductive interpretative paradigm” (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). Mentors were given an open ended questionnaire and interviewed. Findings include:
The implications of this study point out that professional development opportunities and formal trainings can have a positive impact on the confidence and skill level of a mentor. I relate this to my current experience as a mentor, performing my role before receiving specific training and now after. This training has changed the way I mentor PSTs in many ways. The author states that mentors who engaged in PD went through a “(re)formation process”. I can attest to that! The PD I am engaged in has changed the way I mentor entirely, and like the mentors in this study, includes a greater focus on the interpersonal relationship between myself, the pre-service teacher, and the collaborating teacher. Key Themes/Big Ideas Mentors, mentors’ perceptions, teacher education, professional development, professional identity Promoting collaborative practice and reciprocity in initial teacher education: realizing a ‘dialogic space’ through video capture analysis By: Youens, Bernadette, Lindsey Smethem, and Stefanie Sullivan. Journal of Education for Teaching 2014-12-15 The purpose of this article is to examine the benefits of utilizing videotaped lessons in the preparation of pre-service teachers. There is a focus on not only the effectiveness of videotaping as part of the collaborative process, but on how allowing the intern teacher to select portions of the video to view with the mentor and collaborating teacher (CT), and to plan and lead the conference, affects the power base and perceived hierarchy between these three roles. Some examination occurs of the relationship between the sponsoring university and the hosting public school, and the traditional disconnect between what the intern learns in one which can differ from what is learned in the other. Research questions include: What is the potential for video capture to enhance a pre-service teacher’s development? Does this disrupt the traditional hierarchy of the intern, CT, mentor relationship? How can this process connect what is learned at the university level to the practicum experience? How does leading the conference change the dynamic of the group interaction and effect PST learning? The design method of this study was to set up a conference opportunity in which the intern selected a portion of their videotaped lesson to share with their mentor and CT, and took the lead in analyzing the lesson. Comments from this conference were then analyzed, as well as what resources were prepared by the interns for these meetings, their written work, and evaluation questionnaires for each participant. The researchers found that the intern experiences indeed resulted in changes, such as a greater connection between university courses and practicum experiences, which they call “bridging the theory-learning divide”. Additionally, a change in the role of power between the intern, mentor and CT was noted. A more balanced collaboration occurred, with each member of the team contributing their own perspective, referred to as an “interactive triadic dialogue”. The implications of this study were of note to my inquiry, in that when interns took the lead in the preparation and implementation of the post-conference, the results were positive. Student teachers showed ownership of the process and product, made leaps in their intellectual and professional growth, and became more a part of the process – doing, not being done to. Their role was more active than passive, and thus more effective. Key terms: teacher preparation, partnerships, video capture, student teachers Medwell, Jane, and Wray, David. 2014. Pre-service teachers undertaking classroom research: Developing reflection and enquiry skills Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 40(1), 65-77. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of reflection and research on interns in a teacher preparation program of study. Pre-service teachers (PSTs) were asked to engage in research regarding teaching handwriting, and then to collaborate and reflect upon their research. The research questions posed were: Can research conducted by a PST create a link between learned theories and applied practices? What is the role of research in teacher preparation? What impact does collaborative research have on the development of a pre-service teacher? “What kinds of reflective learning would be found in student teachers’ reflections about the research processes in which they were involved? How did these student teachers view their development as researchers and teachers during the research process?” The methods used in this study included having intern teachers examine baseline data regarding student handwriting, identify those who might benefit from intervention, create and implement an intervention program, monitor the program daily, and conduct a final assessment. The interns met weekly and these meetings were videotaped. These video recordings as well as written data were examined by the researchers. A content analysis was conducted to examine the PSTs level of personal and professional development. The findings of the study were that teacher inquiry and original research were beneficial to the development of pre-service teachers, and in the opinion of the authors, should be incorporated into teacher education programs consistently. The implications of this research connect to my inquiry. As part of my study of effective post-conferencing strategies, I examine having PSTs identify an area of research and inquiry they would like to engage in to further their own professional growth. Students are asked to identify a student of concern, their area of need, to collect baseline data, design and implement an intervention, and then measure the success of this intervention. This correlates directly with the actions of the PSTs in this study, which indicated a direct benefit from the self-designed research. Keywords: pre-service teachers, reflective practice, student teachers Ponte, E., & Twomey, S. (2014). Veteran teachers mentoring in training: Negotiating issues of power, vulnerability and professional development. Journal of Education for Teaching: International Research and Pedagogy, 40(1), 20-33. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and experiences of intern mentors. The authors studied a small sample of mentor teachers, using what they call a ‘coding and fracturing’ method of data analysis. Qualitative survey analysis was conducted. Five mentors were given open-ended surveys over a period of four years, with data examined for patterns. The research questions asked were: What moved you to become a mentor teacher for the program and apply for the intern mentor position? Thus far, has the mentoring experience met your expectations and goals? What are some of the positive aspects of the mentoring experience? What are some of the challenges of the mentoring experience? How do you think the mentoring has affected your own professional development? How do you think the mentoring might ultimately affect the professional development at your school? Findings showed a growth in the professional development of mentors after being exposed to new ways of teaching as they observed their interns, as well as the opportunity to observe teachers in other classrooms. Mentors also felt they benefited from their interactions with university staff, and that their experiences could be brought back to benefit the faculty at their own school sites. My connection to this study is in the examination of the mentors in their role as a coach and supervisor. My inquiry requires me to do the same, in order to examine my current practices and motivations. The study found that mentors felt their experiences were overall rewarding but full of challenges, with which I completely agree. Keywords/Big ideas: mentor teacher, mentoring, professional development Xu, Y., & Patmor, G. (2012). Fostering Leadership Skills in Pre-Service Teachers. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 24(2), 252-256. The purpose of this article is to share the importance of developing leadership skills in pre-service teachers for the eventual betterment of their schools. The focus is on ethical reasoning, encouraging differing perspective taking, and analyzing real world leadership cases. The authors provide examples of specific strategies for including this type of preparation in a university setting, and stress the importance and potential positive impact this training can have for pre-service teachers once they begin working in the schools. Research questions include: How can a teacher acquire the skills to meet leadership standards? How can a teacher become a teacher leader? What strategies should be taught to develop effective teacher leaders? What is the role of teacher leadership training in pre-service teacher preparation? The authors share their experiences with teacher leadership instruction, and how they have implemented it into related coursework. No original study was conducted. The findings are that preparing pre-service teachers in the skills of leadership within the schools is a worthwhile endeavor and should be included as a standard in all PST training programs. Instructors are encouraged to use the examples provided. An implication which can be related to my inquiry is the emphasis on the positive impact creating teacher leaders can have on the teacher’s school. In having students engage in inquiry as part of the formal observation cycle, particularly in the pre and post conferences, they can develop their skills of self-evaluation and evaluation of real world problems. Additionally, analyzing the components which contribute to effective teacher preparation is a common theme of my inquiry and this article. Keywords/big ideas: teacher preparation, teacher leadership, pre-service teachers, professional development, teacher empowerment Evidence of mentor learning and development: an analysis of New Zealand mentor/mentee professional conversations By: Langdon, Frances J. Professional Development in Education 2013-12-15 The purpose of this article was to emphasize the importance of the role of a mentor in teacher preparation programs, and to analyze a sample of mentor/mentee conversations. Specifically, the authors were looking at what mentors learned about themselves through the process, did mentor/mentee conversations align with mentor goals, and an examination of the data gained from the studied group. The research questions included were: “Is there a shift in mentor learning and development? How do conversations compare with the intended goals of mentors? How do professional development opportunities reflect in mentoring practice? How do the relative proportions of themes that arise in the first and final mentor–mentee learning conversations, as determined by the researchers, compare with the intended goals and the self-analysis of the mentors? What evidence of mentor learning and development can be identified within professional mentor–mentee conversations, and is this evidence substantiated by researcher analysis, within associated mentoring documents and through focus group interviews? ” The methodology plan was to gather information over two years regarding conversations between a mentor and mentee, self-reflection by the mentor, affective support examination, intended conferencing goals outlined, and integration of theory and practice details. The authors refer to this as a “national induction and mentoring study”. An examination of the mentors’ gains and growth was undertaken, and a breakdown conducted of these gains as correlated to the individual mentors. Findings of the study showed that gains or “shifts” were made by all mentors in the course of serving in their role as a mentor, and through participating in professional development regarding engaging PSTs in reflection based conferencing. Some of these shifts were greater than others, which the authors attributed to the amount of time and energy the mentor put into analyzing the conversations. It was noted that differences were observed between the planned goals of the mentor and the actual conversation which occurred during conferencing. Implications from this study correlate directly to my inquiry. I am interested in self-reflecting and analyzing my own methods of conversing with interns, specifically in the context of formal conferences. I am aware of my shift in how I conduct these conversations, as a direct result of my professional development in this area. I am interested in examining this growth, and how it has affected the pre-service teachers I assist. Keywords/big ideas: mentor, learning, conversations, development
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