Developing the quality of reflection by post-graduate student teachers, of physical education in initial teacher education, through supporting reflective practice.

 As Coultas (2008) states: “An effective teacher is a learner”  How do individuals become ‘agents of change’: an independent thinker who can learn from experience and make a difference?

 Question: do student teachers have to learn to learn differently ? (most difficult for young PGCE students)  Consideration – Bloom’s (1955) taxonomy of learning – moving from knowledge and comprehension towards evaluation and synthesis

 Dewey (1933) stages of learning were used as a starting point to explore reflection.  Dewey’s five stage model (suggestion, problem, hypothesis, testing and reflection) eventually became an analytic tool to interpret the data.  Why Dewey ? (and not Kolb (1985), Moon (2004, 2008), Bloom (1955)). Dewey

 In order to improve the quality of student learning I needed to be more aware of how novice teachers reflect.  I introduced a reflective learning strategy to the PGCE year, used the learning activities to collect data, evaluated the data and altered the activities to the following cohort  So  I undertook an action learning project to increase my awareness of student learning Aim of the study

 I undertook an action research project  Involving a prior study (intervention one and evaluation one) followed by a main study (intervention two and evaluation two)  It should be noted:  The participants of the prior study were different from those of the main study  It was not possible to give feedback to the research population but results were used to influence the next cohort of PGCE students. In order to improve my action learning:

 13 participants  PGCE PE students studying within one ITE provider  All students were 22 – 23 years of age  All students had progressed straight from an undergraduate degree Research population

 To what extent (a consideration of levels) do student teachers demonstrate reflection through Dewey’s stages of learning?  How reflective learning activities impact (progression through the levels) on student teachers’ ability to reflect?  To what extent do students use narrative to reflect? The three research questions were:

 The interpretative approach generated qualitative data on the views and experiences of students during their teacher training.  Dewey’s (1933) framework used as an analytic tool (suggestion, problem, hypothesis, reasoning, testing)  The data arose from the different reflective learning activities and subsequent interviews. action research project

 1 st - Reflective Learning strategy (prior study) (which included: focus groups, ALS, diaries, questionnaires)  Conclusions drawn  2 nd - Reflective Learning strategy (which included: discussion groups, ALS, journals, interviews)  Data presented Intervention

 Identified three levels of reflection  Superficial engagement (description, “mulling over”, unjustified conclusions)  Dewey reflection (using the five stages)  Enhanced reflection (context, distance, ownership, power and emotion – factors most relevant to PGCE students highlighted by the prior study) Findings showed:

 All participants showed signs of superficial engagement comprising description, “mulling over” and unjustified conclusions  five showed Dewey reflection with two demonstrating ‘enhanced’ reflection (involving context distance, ownership, power and emotion)  all participants used a full and coherent narrative to reconsider their experience. Findings showed:

 Given the ‘tools’ used in this study:  ALS were the most effective for producing all three levels of reflection and a full and coherent narrative  The use of narrative however made the stories personal with little distance or 3-D effect (Moon, 2008). Reflective Learning strategy

 Three levels of reflection – superficial engagement, “mulling over”, unjustified conclusions  ITE need to consider pedagogical approach that enables reflection / CPD programmes need to be aware of the benefits of enhanced reflection  Narrative is more evident than literature suggests  ALS encourage oral narrative Conclusions:

 Three levels of reflection  Pre-reflective stages (superficial engagement) are:  Description, “mulling over”, unjustified conclusions.  Student teachers highlight: power relationships in their reflection Contribution to knowledge

 Use of narrative to promote pre-reflective stages  Importance of the mentor in power role  ALSs encourage oral reflection (but may prevent ‘distance’) due to university based work with a peer group Contribution to practice

 Apprenticeship model of teacher training will take student teachers away from their peer group, therefore CPD will become even more important  Written reflection (or oral reflection with NQTs or other students in the same school) may be the only way to reflect (but unsuccessful in this project) Concerns

 Boud, D. (2010) ‘relocating reflection in the context of practice’ in H.Bradbury, N.Frost, S.Kilminster and M.Zukas (Eds) Beyond Reflective Practice, London: Routledge; pp 25 – 36  Clandinin, D. & Connelly, F (1988) in: Cortazzi, M. (1993) Narrative Analysis. Social Research and Educational Studies Series. London: Falmer Press.  Dewey, J. (1933) How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective Thinking to the Educative process. Lexington Heath and Co.  Dewey, J. (1955) Experience and Education. New York: The Macmillan Co.  Ghaye,A. and Ghaye, K. (1998) Teaching and Learning through Critical Reflective Practice. Oxon: Fulton Pub.  Moon, J. (2005) Learning Journals. London: Routledge / Falmer.  Moon, J. (2008) Critical Thinking. An Exploration of Theory and Practice. Abingdon, New York: Routledge.  Moon, J. (2010) Reflection in Learning & professional Development. London & New York: RoutledgeFalmer. Key texts: