Documenting reflection‐in‐action in the classroom: searching for appropriate methods

Schon's [1983] account of “reflection‐in‐action” as a process of “refraining” experience as it proceeds has attracted considerable interest among teacher educators. But that interest has been accompanied by a great deal of confusion, perhaps because “reflection” is such a broad term with familiar meanings. Schon distinguishes the more familiar reflection‐on‐action from reflection‐in‐action that he sees occurring spontaneously within action.

A challenge facing those who stress reflection as a central feature of professional education for teaching involves finding ways to recognize and record the process of reflection‐in‐action in classrooms. This paper promotes discussion of what it means to analyze teaching from the perspective of reflection‐in‐action. After outlining some problems associated with recognizing reflection‐in‐action, data are considered from studies of metaphors and personal accounts of learning to teach. One teacher illustrates the potential of inferring reflection‐in‐action from accounts of changes in teaching practices. Parallel documentation of observations of teaching and interviews about that teaching emerge as a promising approach to the documentation of reflection‐in‐action in classrooms.     

Reading,listening and feeling: audio feedback as a component of an inclusive learning culture at universities

Feedback on student performance is an important part of university assessment procedures. However, effective feedback is hampered by various obstacles. The growing heterogeneity of the student body increases these barriers, particularly with regard to the reception of feedback. One strategy to overcome these obstacles can be to communicate feedback in the form of audio files. The study presented here tested the possibilities of this procedure by giving students feedback, both as an audio file and in writing. The survey shows that some of the students find audio feedback particularly easy to assimilate, while others prefer written feedback. The aim of the study was to go beyond the level of simplistic evaluation (better–worse), and to be able to make more nuanced statements about the strengths and also the weaknesses of audio feedback. All the students stated that they felt the audio feedback was more personal and appreciative than the written feedback. It becomes clear that the different needs of students can best be catered for with a variety of forms of communication. Audio feedback cannot be considered a comprehensive solution to the different problems associated with feedback, but it can contribute to the development of an inclusive university.     

Cinewrite: an algorithm-sketch for writing novels cinematically,and two mysteries therein

Autopoeisis, a cognitive science project aimed ultimately at getting a computer to write sophisticated fiction, has recently been launched at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. One ‘sub-push’ of Autopoeisis is the unabashed attempt, straight away, to cast the writing of novels in computational terms. This attempt (to be distinguished from the attempt at building a story generator, another aspect of Autopoeisis) though still in its infancy, has resulted in CINEWRITE, an algorithm-sketch for crafting genre novels in highly ‘cinematic’ fashion. CINEWRITE is an algorithm-sketch, not a cognitive model. A cognitive model should presumably reflect what humans actually do in the domain in question. Since CINEWRITE is based largely on creative writing as practiced by me (Bringsjord), it may be highly idiosyncratic. One of the possible virtues of CINEWRITE is that reflection upon it brings one face to face with what may well be the two aspects of human story generation least amenable to computational analysis: dextrous manipulation of ‘temporally extended’ mental images, and adoption of a character's point of view. After CINEWRITE is sketched, these two aspects of narrative creation are examined from a theoretical point of view, which results in the humbling admission that handling them computationally is bound to be extraordinarily difficult.     

Historicizing the Future: Educational Reform, Systems of Reason, and the Making of Children Who are the Future Citizens

Educational reform and reformist research are not merely about school improvement. They embody a field of cultural practices that constitutes the objects of schooling – the teacher who administers the reforms to the child and the distinctions and differentiations about who the child is and should be. Our interest is in the rules and standards of reason assembled through the cultural practices of school reform. Reason is a cultural practice functioning to enact a change in the conditions of people but also invests people with particular capacities and capabilities. This investiture of capacities and capabilities produces particular human kinds or categories of the determinant qualities of the individuals schools administer. Using studies of educational governance and social inclusion/exclusion in Europe and on US educational reform, the discussion focuses on the overlapping practices of system management and curriculum reforms that map different human kinds. One human kind is the child as a lifelong learner, an individual whose qualities entail actively and flexibly participating in communities through problem-solving strategies. The characteristics and qualities of the lifelong learner are differentiated from those who do not embody the norms of participation –the child left behind. The study of the systems of reason that govern the objects of reflection and rectification in school reforms is a strategy to consider the politics of reform, change, and social inclusion and exclusion.     

Curiosity, interest and engagement in technology-pervasive learning environments: a new research agenda

This paper identifies the need for developing new ways to study curiosity in the context of today’s pervasive technologies and unprecedented information access. Curiosity is defined in this paper in a way which incorporates the concomitant constructs of interest and engagement. A theoretical model for curiosity, interest and engagement in new media technology-pervasive learning environments is advanced, taking into consideration personal, situational and contextual factors as influencing variables. While the path associated with curiosity, interest, and engagement during learning and research has remained essentially the same, how individuals tackle research and information-seeking tasks and factors which sustain such efforts have changed. Learning modalities for promoting this theoretical model are discussed leading to a series of recommendations for future research. This article offers a multi-lens perspective on curiosity and suggests a multi-method research agenda for validating such a perspective.     

Challenges to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory: Empirical,Clinical, and Policy Implications

ABSTRACT

The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) taxonomy of cognitive abilities married John Horn and Raymond Cattell’s Extended Gf-Gc theory with John Carroll’s Three-Stratum Theory. While there are some similarities in arrangements or classifications of tasks (observed variables) within similar broad or narrow dimensions, other salient theoretical features and statistical methods used for examining and supporting them are in direct opposition. In this article, the theoretical disagreements between Carroll and Cattell-Horn and theoretical incongruencies between their models are delineated, which raises substantive challenges to CHC. Additionally, there are practical and substantial measurement obstacles that further threaten practical application of CHC. We conclude that the problems are due to some fundamental differences that likely will not change, so call for an annulment of this arranged but unhappy marriage.     

Epistemology, Science, and Moral Practice

Two features of discussions on epistemology in the social sciences and education are examined. One is the depiction of science by its critics, the other is the separation of scientific inquiry and ethics. I describe science as very human and very fallible, but also very successful. Contrary to critics, science is not a search for eternal truth or an ultimate reality, rather it is tentative, self-corrective, and growing. Other anti-science arguments are also explored.The separation of ethics from the methods and subject matter of science by critics is seem as a fatal flaw. Ethical problems arise in concrete situations so that moral choices are contextual, requiring inquiry and reflection about options and their potential consequences. Here inquiry is directed toward the most desirable outcomes available.     

Professions in organizations,professional work in education

Professions are occupational arrangements for dealing with human problems. Professional ‘people work’ requires a certain interactive closeness; face‐to‐face communication is prominent in professional–client relations. This also seems the case in the educational system. But in education, organization provides the raison d’être of this profession. This organizational infrastructure enables and delimits educational interaction. The school bureaucracy is criticized by the profession; the profession has an outspoken interest in reforming its organizational infrastructure again, again and again. This article provides a theoretical analysis of teaching, which elucidates this relation between profession, organization and work.     

英语语言模糊性及翻译

模糊性是人类语言的基本特性之一。模糊语言对反映客观世界,表达人类思想具有重要作用;同时,也给翻译造成障碍,并引起了越来越多翻译者的关注。本文主要讨论了模糊语言在语音、词义、语法和跨文化交际中的应用和翻译策略。     

Les effectifs scolarisés en France: XIXème et XXème siècles

This article aims to present an analysis of the change over long periods in school attendance figures in France in the 19th and 20th centuries. The interest of the approach is twofold. Firstly it is of immediate practical interest insofar as it is an original reconstruction of the French educational system. It is also of theoretical interest, as it provides better knowledge of the mechanism regulating the development of the system over a long period. In this respect, reflection is in three parts. First, the chronological series compiled are presented to prepare the statistical analysis. The trends observed are then described and finally a preliminary analysis of the causes of the change is provided, with stress laid on the institutional aspects.     

Exploring scientific,artistic, moral and technical reflection in teacher action research

Reflection in action research is a complicated matter because of the many domains of reflection and most significantly, the lack of understanding of these domains of reflection in action research and how these are supported. In this paper, we propose a framework based on four domains of reflection, namely, scientific, artistic, moral and technical reflection. We describe an initial attempt to use this framework in relation to the actual practice of teacher reflection in action research and show that the framework allowed us to map the various domains of reflection that teachers use in relation to their action research. This helped us to gain insight into the differences and the course of reflection in action research. We discuss how the framework – through orientation, differentiation and deepening – might provide support for reflection in action research.     

理论心理学研究的理论功能

理论心理学的研究主要涉及两个方面的内容:一是对心理学研究对象和研究方式的理论预设或前提假设的哲学反思;二是对心理学研究对象的理论描述、理论解说和理论建构。理论心理学研究的最为基本的和最为直接的功能,是对当代心理科学发展的引导和促进的作用。具体体现在:其一,构建心理学的理论基础,强化心理学的基础研究;其二,促进心理学的理论创新,搭建心理学的创新平台;其三,推动心理学的学科统一,提供心理学的统一前提;其四,强化心理学的应用,实现心理学的社会价值。     

Critique and Negativity: Towards the Pluralisation of Critique in Educational Practice,Theory and Research

There are many possible ways to approach the topic of educational theory and critique. One could inquire into the meaning of critical phenomena and subject‐matter in practical education and instruction, investigate the various forms of critique with the goal of determining the extent to which they assist in clarifying pedagogical action, or one could ask: ‘What is meant by critical educational research?’ and ‘How do the various approaches to this topic relate to one another?’. This article inquires into the relationship between critique and negativity. Such a distinction is relevant for the practical, theoretical and research‐oriented use of the various forms and subject matters of critique. This analysis of their relationship aims to clarify how the structure of human learning connects to that of pedagogical action; and, additionally, how the theoretical guidelines and orientation for pedagogical action relate to scientific analyses and research in education in a way that is productive. Distinctions made in thought, judgement and action are not simply delimiting positive characteristics. Such distinctions are at once mediated by the relations of knowledge and ignorance, ability and inability. Although ignorance and inability can be transformed into positive knowledge and ability, they are not superseded in the process. Ignorance and inability are, on the contrary, constitutive elements of learning. The possibility for transitions from ignorance and inability to knowledge and ability—a possibility that itself presupposes knowledge and ability—point to a form of negativity within the process of education (Bildung). This form of negativity relates to the human ability to learn (Bildsamkeit) and provides the definitive basis of human learning. A form of negativity constitutive of learning processes leads to one that grounds pedagogical processes. Pedagogical efficacy is mediated by a double negativity, comprised of both a universal and a particular form of negativity. The relation of negativity to learning and pedagogical efficacy, with specific reference to educational research studies on teaching and learning processes, is considered. A form of educational research that operates beyond fundamentalist criticisms—that is to say, criticisms based on unshakeable beliefs—and utilises issues arising from a pluralisation of critique to confront the pluralism of critical positions, is considered. The article closes with reflections on the relation between the Critical and the Uncritical.     

Reflection and theory: conceptualising the gap between teaching experience and teacher expertise

Arising from an inductive reflection on the teaching of an INSET course for rural teachers, this article develops a largely conceptual argument about the role of theoretical knowledge in teacher development. Teachers' experiences – and practical knowledge derived from it – are not sufficient to develop teacher expertise. Theoretical reflection in turn produces qualitatively different insights about teaching and learning, which can provide teachers with conceptual tools to establish new links between what they know and what they do. However, there is very little research evidence about the way experienced yet poorly qualified teachers use theoretical knowledge to reflect about their work     

Engaging with theoretical diffraction in teacher education

This article presents a study in which we began with a question ‘how to teach theoretical reflectivity in teacher education’, and ended with a sentence ‘there is theoretical diffraction in teacher education’. The research presented in this paper took place in the context of a university course in which we have been involved for the past two years. During the course we simultaneously aimed to teach theoretical reflection and to analyse what was happening as we taught theoretical reflection. For two years we asked: What are students doing while we are trying to engage them in theoretical reflection? We noted that students are engaged in theory, but not in ways easily readable to the educators, and that the process could be called theoretical diffraction rather than reflection. Theoretical diffraction during the course was patterned by existing discursive practices: (1) disciplining emotions and focusing on control and answers; (2) personalising school as the teacher, and personally defending it; and (3) prioritising practice over theory and seeing both as dogma.     

Interaction,Reflection and Learning at a Distance

The author's experiences as an online student are presented as a case study to examine the relationship between interaction, reflection and learning in distance education. Reflection as a dimension of experiential learning theory is summarised and examples of its use in distance education are discussed. Recommendations for course design that promotes the understanding of theoretical issues through personal experience are proposed.     

Uniting epistemological perspectives to support contextualized knowledge development

The nature of knowledge and how it is developed have been debated in philosophy and research for centuries. In the literature on teachers’ knowledge, two perspectives have been particularly visible. One perspective stresses cognitive processes and deliberate knowledge acquisition. Another perspective stresses the situated nature of teachers’ learning and knowledge development through awareness. This theoretical article proposes that uniting both epistemological perspectives is beneficial for developing teachers’ contextualized knowledge of how to teach at all phases of career development, and especially early on. In so doing, action and reflection are positioned as central to the development of teachers’ knowledge, and affordances from both the deliberate and the aware perspectives are articulated. Specifically, this article explains why uniting the two perspectives supports better sense-making, more refined instructional planning, and more responsive teaching, before offering a united reflection model. These processes are then discussed in the context of video coaching interventions for early-career teachers. After presenting a blueprint for video-based reflection and key design features that could support teachers’ learning, important differences compared to other reflection models are discussed and implications for (the design of) teachers' professional development based upon this united perspective are presented.

     

Cameos,supporting roles and stars: citation and reflection in the context of initial teacher education

Background: Reflection is well established as an important part of teacher education, but it is also the focus of critical enquiry. This means that reflection is of interest to those who wish to explore its use to produce ‘better’ teachers. It is also of interest to scholars who are interested in the wider implications of reflection, for example, in relation to power and social control. Academic articles are the primary medium through which ideas and practices are communicated. However, they can only contribute if they are accepted for publication on the basis of making a contribution to knowledge. To be seen in this way, a journal paper needs to cite earlier work to show understanding of this work and how this is being augmented.

Purpose: This paper aims to initiate an academic debate of citation practices which, it argues, should be based on an awareness of current practices and a willingness to share, and even change, them. To facilitate the debate and the development of a better understanding of citing and its implications, the paper offers a tripartite citation framework.

Sources of evidence: The extensive citation analysis literature is reviewed to provide a context for an examination of the variety of citation practices found in 24 papers, which all focus on initial teacher education and which cite the same critical paper (Fendler, L., Teacher reflection in a hall of mirrors: Historical influences and political reverberations. Educational Researcher, 32, no. 3: 16–25, 2003; doi: 10.3102/0013189X032003016).

Main argument: This paper argues that there is value in differentiating three categories of citation, labelled ‘cameo’, ‘supporting role’ and ‘star’. These categories do not make judgements about what counts as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ referencing. Rather, they provide a way for authors to assess how they are citing and what the possible consequences may be. These can include an apparent lack of understanding not just of a cited paper but also of the wider literature. This means that citation that is not being carefully managed can undermine an argument.

Conclusions: This paper concludes that there is there is a need to initiate an academic debate about citation which is premised on the development of self-awareness about current practice and its consequences. Such a debate could bring about a number of benefits. It would encourage individual scholars to develop self-aware and ethical citation; it would also clarify current expectations about citation and enable academic communities to reflect on whether enquiry is well served by them.     

哈贝马斯的反思批判的认识论及其启示

哈贝马斯的认识论是以反思批判为特点,以解放的认识兴趣为标志的。哈贝马斯通过回顾哲学史上从康德到马克思的哲学反思阶段,批判了实证主义拒绝自我反思要求、只对经验事实进行描述的客观主义缺陷,建构了以兴趣为基础、兴趣和认识相互交叉的认识论。他特别强调解放的兴趣在认识论重建中的意义,认为解放的兴趣达到了自觉的社会反思批判的层次和高度,是合理理解技术兴趣和实践兴趣的前提。我们应该批判地借鉴哈贝马斯的反思批判的认识论,改变对马克思主义认识论的单纯描述性的理解,凸显其反思批判的社会性维度。     

伦理理论在“思想道德教育与法律基础”课教学中的作用

所有人类行为都具有伦理含义,而且在所有时代与地点,都会提出有关道德行为与道德原则的问题,并尝试解答它们。对道德进行系统反思的伦理理论,可以为实施道德教育的"思想道德教育与法律基础"课教学提供理论基础。如何将伦理理论对道德的理性反思融入到"思想道德教育与法律基础"课的教学中成为摆在每一位任课教师面前的一个迫切需要解决的现实问题。