Examining Science Teacher Reflection in edTPA and Critical Incident Protocols for Supporting Teacher-Directed Professional Growth

• In Event: Division K Section 5 Poster Session

Abstract

We present our efforts to expand preservice teachers’ reflective practice that affords them agency for choosing events of teaching practice that they deem salient for reflective analysis, while allowing the teacher educator to direct reflection toward dimensions of reform-based practice left unexplored by edTPA. We investigated how preservice science teacher reflections from a locally developed reflection (CIR) protocol compared to written commentaries directed by the edTPA protocol and we followed these participants into their first semester as inservice science teachers to seek patterns of professional growth relating to reflections guided by both their edTPA work and CIR protocols. Findings highlight the benefits and constraints of edTPA and the need for agentic reflection protocols to optimize professional development of science teachers.

Authors

• Anton Puvirajah, University of Western Ontario

• Michael Dias, Kennesaw State university

• Laurie Brantley-Dias, Kennesaw State University