Encouraging professional autonomy: Reflective practice and the beginning teacher

Helping those teachers designated as Subject Induction Tutors in secondary schools who support Newly Qualified Teachers to become autonomous, self-reflecting practitioners has been the basis of a participatory action research project based at the University of Leicester. The first part of the paper explores the notion of professional autonomy in terms of staff development, professional communities and the encouragement of critical reflective dialogue. The second part presents some strategies for continuing professional development, with illustration of their impact that appear to provide for greater professional autonomy.     

Reflective practice,staff development and understanding

This paper looks at the idea of reflective practice in the context of educational and staff development. The main elements of reflective practice and differences in the approach of the ‘expert’ in comparison with the ‘reflective practitioner’ are outlined. Notions of reflection‐in‐action and reflection‐on‐action are then taken up and elaborated. In particular, understanding, self‐understanding and openness are considered to be important for reflection‐in‐action. These are briefly considered and located within the tradition of interpretation, or hermeneutics. Reflection‐on‐action is then discussed and found to be very important for reflection‐in‐action. It is suggested that for busy, professional practitioners, reflection‐on‐action often comes under severe pressure and is the ‘endangered species’ of reflective practice.     

Reflective journaling: a tool for teacher professional development

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explores the introduction of postgraduate education students to reflective journaling as a tool for professional development. Students were purposefully selected to keep a weekly journal in which they reflected in and on the activities (methodologies, techniques, strategies) they engaged in while executing a workplace assignment. Empirical results from the study demonstrate that while the students initially expressed reluctance and resistance to journaling, they subsequently became aware of the benefits of being consciously reflective; both for their own professional development and for the learners they taught. This outcome highlights the role of higher education institutions in the preparation of prospective teachers.     

反思性教学：教师专业发展的必由之路

反思性教学越来越受到人们的重视,它给教师专业的发展提供了一个崭新的平台。文章从反思性教学对教师专业发展的意义,反思的内容和过程,反思的策略等几个方面进行了阐述,揭示了反思性教学对教师专业发展的所具有的重大意义。     

反思性教学与农村中小学英语教师专业发展

反思性教学是教师专业发展的助推器。本文结合农村中小学英语教学以及农村中小学英语教师的反思性教学实施的现状,主要阐述了反思性教学与农村中小学英语教师专业发展两者之间的内在联系。其中着重分析了农村中小学英语教师在教学实践中运用反思性教学的必要性。     

Professional development in practicum settings: Reflective practice under scrutiny

This study explored the applicability of Donald Schön's notion of reflective practice for student teachers in practicum settings. The research was guided by three questions: What do student teachers reflect upon?, What precipitates reflection?, and What factors enhance or constrain reflection? Detailed case studies of four science student teachers on a 13-week practicum were constructed. Fifteen reflective themes were documented across the four cases, and it was possible to identify up to four precipitants for each theme. In all, 47 factors were documented that either enhanced or constrained reflection. The paper concludes by suggesting four strategies for promoting student teacher reflection and two refinements to Schön's conception of reflective practice for use in practicum settings.     

Competing priorities in professional development: an Australian study of teacher professional development policy and practice

This paper argues that neoliberal and managerial pressures external to the teaching profession, as well as more progressive and democratic approaches internal to the profession, have simultaneously influenced professional development policy and practice in Australia. In making this case, the paper reviews the nature of the teacher professional development that is supported in federal Australian policies associated with the recently defeated Liberal/National Coalition government (1996–2007) and research into how professional development has been enacted in practice in Australia, during this government's tenure. While acknowledging the significant impact of more neoliberal and managerial approaches and how such policy emphases contribute to the continuation of traditional, systemic/employer provided workshops, the paper also provides evidence of competing, more teacher‐centred approaches.     

反思性教学:外语教师专业发展的必由之路

反思性教学是近年来在教学实践领域兴起的一种教学思潮。因其具有将“学会教学”与“学会学习”结合起来的实践合理性而受到教育界的广泛关注。本文阐述了反思性教学的内涵以及反思性教学对教师专业发展的意义与作用,分析了在外语教学中运用反思性教学,将有利于促进外语教师的专业发展。最后,介绍了在外语教学中开展反思性教学的几种途径和方法以及外语反思性教学实践的基本环节。     

教师专业发展与日常教育实践研究

中小学教师所从事的研究应该是日常教育实践研究,这既是新课程改革对教师专业发展的必然要求,又是教师提升自己的专业水平、成为专家型教师的必由之路。     

Networked professional development: Issues and strategies in current practice

The Computer Based Collaborative Group Work (CBCGW) Project is an institutional Teaching and Learning Technology Programme (TLTP) Project based in the Department of Educational Studies. The Project aims to support those within and beyond institutional boundaries in the exploration and uptake of collaborative work in a networked environment. This paper reviews examples of current practices in online professional development from around the world and considers some of the issues for providers of academic support. This will in turn be used to contextualize the response to these needs being developed by the Project.     

Reflective practice: origins and interpretations

The idea of reflection is central to the theory and practice of learning – especially learning which is grounded in past or current experience. This paper proposes a working definition of reflection and reviews its origins and recent developments. The author also provides an account of ‘critical reflection’, including its rationale and characteristics, and argues for its particular suitability in the practice of action learning.     

反思性教学:教师专业化发展的必由之路

近年来,反思性教学已为教师及其教学所关注的重要问题。反思性教学是教师专业化发展的重要途径之一,教师只有对自己的教学实践进行理性反思,才能不断提高专业水平,从经验型教师转变为专家型教师,从而适应现代社会对从教者的专业化发展的要求。     

Academic professional development practice: What lecturers find valuable

In an increasingly challenging tertiary environment where academics need more than ever to be skilled across a range of areas, including that of teaching, understanding what constitutes effective professional development is crucial. This paper reports on what a group of lecturers at an Australian university find valuable in developing their professional expertise by means of work-embedded events and activities. It was considered important to probe lecturers' understandings in line with constructivist approaches that encourage the involvement of participants in the learning or development process. Particularly where participants are highly educated and self-aware, drawing out their knowledge and practice seems a fruitful way of informing approaches to professional development. The study revealed that lecturers found a wide range of strategies useful in developing their professional expertise, with a predominance of those strategies being collaborative in nature. The paper suggests some practical ways in which universities can support professional development activities which lecturers identify as valuable.     

Impact of professional development on teacher practice: Uncovering connections

An Inquiry Learning Partnership (ILP) for professional development (PD) was formed between a university, science centre, and two urban school districts to offer 4–6th grade teachers specific science content and pedagogical techniques intended to integrate inquiry-based instruction in elementary classrooms. From pre/post content exams, PD surveys, focus group, and assessment data, teachers increased their science content knowledge, reported implementing inquiry practices in their classrooms and their students experienced modest gains on 5th grade standardized science achievement exams. While some teachers were transferring knowledge/skills gained in professional development to their classrooms, others encountered barriers to implementing PD. These obstacles included limited resources, time constraints, mandated curriculum pacing, language learning, and classroom management issues. Strategies to mitigate these barriers in order to maximize the impact of professional development need to be a priority in professional development reform.     

A systemic approach to professional development: learning as practice

This paper disturbs assumptions that policy for secondary school teachers’ continuing professional development should be dominated by courses, workshops and suchlike events. Research into learning, communities of practice and complexity establishes a contrary view, namely that subject departments are prime sites of non-predictable professional learning. Practical implications are sketched, leading to a recommendation that continuing professional development policies and practices should be systemically reconsidered.     

Measuring teacher motivation: The missing link between professional development and practice

This study explores an important but less explored outcome of professional development, teachers’ motivation to integrate professional development into practice. We developed a scale that measures teachers’ motivation to implement professional development in their classrooms. Three samples of teachers (N = 1388) were used in an iterative process of scale development and validation. Results suggest this scale is a reliable tool to measure teachers’ expectations for successful implementation, value for implementing, and the perceived costs of implementing.