Examining the Relations Between Reflection and (Student) Teachers’ Practical Knowledge

• In Event: Addressing Beliefs and Notions of Preservice Teachers

Abstract

This paper aims to improve the way teachers learn from practice and further develop their practice and their practical knowledge. We conducted empirical studies in four participating countries on a collaboratively developed "guided reflection" procedure and examined three conditions in which the procedure was used: with a supervisor, with a peer student, and alone (self-dialogue). Results show that the peer dialogue was most successful in generating “theory of practice” and that the student – mentor condition was most successful in generating “rules of thumb”. Together, they helped student teachers develop a "deliberate practice", by providing a focus on knowledge to be used directly and by developing an underlying practical knowledge that would guide their future teaching in the long run.

Authors

• Paulien C. Meijer, Radboud University Nijmegen

• Dubravka Knezic, Utrecht University

• Äli Leijen, University of Tartu

• Raili Allas

• Auli Toom, University of Helsinki

• Jukka Husu, University of Turku

• Juan-José Mena Marcos, Universidad de Salamanca

• Margus Pedaste, University of Tartu

• Edgar Krull, University of Tartu