Beyond the Dialectical: Social Justice Orientation as Expressed in Teacher Portfolio Reflections

• In Event: Roundtable Session 35
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Practices and Processes in Teacher Reflection and Portfolios

Abstract

The study examined reflections contained in the program portfolios of 25 teachers written during advanced Master’s coursework. Coursework was offered in parallel online and F2F cohorts. The overarching question guiding our study is: How do teachers enrolled in the program come to understand and develop as critically reflective educators during focused coursework in each of the two course delivery tracks? Using Taggart and Wilson's Levels of Reflection (2005), we noted some cases of trajectory, yet the levels were not always clearly determined. Analysis of the portfolio reflection data also suggest that online teacher professional development that is deliberately interactive and focused on critical reflectivity while engaging teachers in actions in their schools can be as effective as its F2F counterpart.

Authors

• Rebecca K. Fox, George Mason University

• Nancy Holincheck, George Mason University

• Stephanie L. Dodman, George Mason University

• Kelley E Webb, George Mason University