In order to improve one's teaching in the long run, reflection on the lessons makes up an integral part in the process of developing a sufficient reflection competence. The problem, however, is how this reflection competence can be established in student teachers already and if that concept is compatible with current systems of teacher education…

This article presents some of the findings of a three-year project researching the impact of changes made to teaching and learning in a first-year sociology paper for primary and early childhood education (ece) student teachers. The context of the research is an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme situated in the School of…

From Dewey (1933) to present, reflectivity is an important component of teacher education. Little information exists that specifically addresses when changes in reflectivity might occur. Therefore, the purpose of this study was: (a) to apply Van Manen's model to outcomes to examine levels of, and changes in, reflectivity and (b) to verify the…

This study focuses on critical incident analysis in initial teacher education and the part played by the professional learning conversation. A reflection framework was used to identify changes in levels of reflective practice. Conversational skills of the supervising teacher in recognising the "person" in the student teacher, and their…

The promotion of reflective practice, while widely advocated in higher education settings, nonetheless presents numerous challenges. This is an under-researched aspect of the discourse on reflective practice. A key challenge for those working in the field of teacher education within higher education is to promote a culture of refection in large…

Accompanying the emergence of blog technology as a dominant online publishing paradigm is a growing interest in its educational benefits and applications. This study sets out to develop an empirically grounded framework for educational blogging in the context of teacher education. A working framework was first proposed that highlights four areas:…

Colleagues at a midwestern university implemented a multi-semester co-teaching pilot for student teaching, and based on the data collected, are moving toward full implementation in the spring of 2015 for all pre-service teachers in the College of Education (COE). Part of the study replicated work conducted by St. Cloud University (Bacharach &…

The purpose of this research was to better understand affordances and constraints of the Candidate Mentor Supervisor Model (CMSM) as experienced by teacher candidates and their mentor supervisors. The results indicated perceived benefits to teacher candidates. Candidates participating in the CMSM reported a sense of nested support within their…

This paper explores ways in which student-teachers in the Lifelong Learning sector are able to draw on fictionalised accounts of their own teaching practice experiences in order to gain a clearer understanding of their models and expectations of professionalism, and of how they, as individuals, locate their current position within the profession…

This study reports on the experiences of supervisors in a university teacher preparation program regarding their critical reflection on their practice. This has an impact on the learning opportunities available for their student teachers. Findings include: (a) an understanding of critical reflection is something that builds over time for student…

Problematic issues in developing preservice teachers' capacities for reflection include: distinguishing reflective thinking from reflective action; immediate versus extended time frames for reflection; the complexity of critical reflection and the need to foster it over a considerable period; and the role of problem solving in reflection. An…

Results of a study which used a research-based model for clinical supervision of student teachers provide evidence that the model's methodology and use of technology foster reflective teaching and promote implementation of sound decision making strategies by student teachers. Research on the interrelated domains of teacher decision making and…

Preservice training partnerships between schools and universities can appear to be driven by the demands of external accountability. A Neo-Vygotskian model that incorporates understandings of teaching and learning is offered as a framework for preservice training partnerships. Data from a teaching school-university partnership program illustrate…

Reflection is a commonly used term in teacher education. Its meaning and use, however, varies from person to person and from program to program. Despite these variations, there is agreement that the goal of preparing reflective practitioners is a worthwhile endeavor in teacher education. The purpose of reflecting is to untangle a problem, or to…

This paper suggests criteria for effective student teacher experiences and supervisory roles. A system of student teaching supervision with a heavy emphasis on imitative and reproductive learning is an unlikely means of equipping teachers with the confidence to apply process skills of inquiry and problem solving to the numerous dilemmas of…