Professional development of Secondary School Mathematics teachers through collaborative reflection in pre-service and in-service learning contexts

Abstract

Teacher professional development is the area of study of this thesis. The cursory post lesson reflective texts written by most student teachers on teaching practice that typically belonged to low reflection category (level one) motivated this study. The extent of effectiveness of a collaborative reflection with a peer (CRP) framework to facilitate student teachers’ attainment of higher levels of reflection is documented. The study investigated the research question: How can collaborative reflection with a peer enable secondary school mathematics student teachers to critically reflect on their practice and influence positively their cognition and decision making during instruction and post lesson reflective dialogues? Developmental research involving case studies of three pairs of pre-service and two pairs of inservice teachers was the model of inquiry used in this action research. Two sessions of field work were used to improve the validity and practicality of the CRP framework before final implementation in a third field work session. Data for the study were collected collaboratively by the researcher and a peer through (a) assessment of student teachers’ reflective actions during teaching, (b) post lesson reflective dialogues, (c) assessment of post lesson reflective texts written by student teachers, and (d) group reflective interviews at the end of the teaching practice period. The results from the data of interest were that a cognitive theory of collaborative reflection could explain the possible understanding of decision making processes that a student teacher might attain. The cognitive theory states six linear stages that discourse in typical post lesson reflective dialogues went through. A theory of student teachers’ professional attitudes towards instructional practice theorises three phases that student teachers’ priorities went through to attain higher order reflections. It is recommended that two student teachers be attached to one experienced teacher and share his/her teaching load. Such a deployment pattern may positively influence student teachers’ cognitions and decision making during teaching and post lesson reflective dialogues. This deployment pattern may allow a student teacher and a peer to spend more time together during planning, teaching, and reflecting on each other’s teaching.