Student Teachers’ Reflective Learning Practices Within Secondary School Teacher Education Curriculum Implementation Processes At Bahir Dar University
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Date
2016-08
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Addis Ababauniversity
Abstract
In this study attempts were made to explore student teachers’ reflective learning practices
by taking levels and forms of reflection into account. It was also planned to examine
whether or not teacher education curriculum implementation processes were facilitative
for student teachers reflective learning practices through examining different actors’
involvement. Qualitative case study was the design of the study. Eight purposively
selected student teachers (3 females and 5 males) and four teacher educators (1 female
and 3 males) were participating in the study. Multiple data gathering instruments such as
interview, observations and document analysis were employed. Analysis and
interpretation were made following multiple qualitative case study design with the
application of pattern matching, case-by-case and then inter-case analysis technique.
Accordingly, the following major findings were obtained. In general terms, even though
student teachers were good enough in conceptualizing the theoretical frames of learning
and reflective learning practices, their status in reflective learning practice is found to be
in its descriptive level and theoretical type of reflections. They were less-engaged in the
productive and higher level (e.g. critical reflection) and practical type of reflection. This
informed that student teachers’ reflective learning practices were below the expected
standards. Of the three levels of reflection fixed in this study, descriptive level of
reflection stood first and followed by comparative level of reflection with rare occurrence
of critical level of reflection. In contrast, student teachers sometimes were being totally
non-reflective particularly in their practical learning engagements such as in teaching
practices and examination responses. In terms of forms of reflection, student teachers did
better on reflection-on-action than reflection-in-action, which indeed was better than how
on reflection-for-action, was practiced. The process of curriculum implementation, in
general, was theory-focused and close-ended which did not as such facilitative and
encouraging student teachers’ towards reflective learning practices especially for
practical type of reflection. Except the curriculum materials, as a document, which were
taken as an opportunity, the other actors (teacher educators, student teachers, and
management body) of curriculum implementation processes were not supportive enough
to facilitating reflective learning practices. In view of the findings, this study suggests
that the teacher education management system in general and teacher educators in
particular should encourage student teachers towards reflective learning practices by
designing and delivering mainly open-ended and practice-focused contents/tasks and of
course through initiating self-critiques, critiques among professional colleagues and
student teachers as well. This can be realized with informed consent and positive mindset
of the management body, the teacher educators and student teachers about reflective
teacher education paradigm
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Keywords
Secondary School Teacher Education