Keyword: reflection

ABSTRACT: Professional conversations are significant in teacher education, yet policy-makers and practitioners differ in their understanding of what these involve. The purpose of this study was to identify and understand the critical elements of successful professional conversations, the elements that effectively contribute to critical reflection and evaluation of teaching practice. Insight is provided by 10 participants who took part in a discussion group, in-depth interviews, and written reflections. All participants are involved in professional conversations for a teacher education program in Wales, in their capacity as either a student teacher, practice tutor, or mentor. Findings highlight that some of the significant elements needed for an effective professional conversation include adequate preparation time for the conversation itself, knowledge of program requirements, and professional teaching standards, along with knowledge about the student teacher’s school context – these can all be described as “hard” inputs, whereas the “soft” inputs include effective listening and questioning skills and being able to offer a challenge to the student teacher. Similarly, outputs of professional conversations can also be recognized as “hard”: effective reflections contributing to progress against the professional teaching standards, and “soft”: collaborative working relationships that are honest and positive with two-way learning for the mentor and the student. It is concluded that the softer skills of questioning and understanding the student teacher’s expectations must be developed effectively for professional conversations in teacher education to have a positive impact on all those involved.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to explore the critical reflection experiences of teachers who took part in effective and ineffective professional learning events. It examined the influence of D.A. Kolb’s reflective observation stage within the experiential learning theory (ELT) framework on teachers’ professional development. Using a qualitative interpretive phenomenological method, the research investigated teachers’ viewpoints, beliefs, and experiences related to various professional development activities to evaluate their effectiveness. Eleven teachers attended the same educational conference. The investigation involved semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group discussion. The interview questions centered around the concepts of enactive mastery and vicarious experiences. Open-ended discussions allowed participants to explore their experiences of professional learning. To highlight emergent patterns, this study employed a phenomenological technique to analyze data and identified critical observations through an inductive coding method using the NVivo software. The study’s findings suggested that the reflective process necessitated time, collaboration, and structure during professional learning sessions. Moreover, having a group of peers was advantageous for critical reflection. They created a learning environment where support was the norm, and dedicated time encouraged self-reflection, which promoted effective growth in teacher development. The researchers found that inquiry-based professional development promoted introspection and facilitated profound learning. The research emphasized that teachers responded positively when professional development facilitators allowed participants time to link their personal experiences to new teaching methods, prompting reflection and collaboration with peers.