Rangkuman Reflective Practice

How Do I Know What I Think I Know?

Teaching Reflection to Improve Practice

Introduction
Reflection is defined as systematic inquiry for the purpose of improvement of
practice. This type of reflection develops over time as a habit of mind and cannot be
established by a few exercises or lessons (Ryan 2005). Therefore, teacher educators interested
in teaching and promoting teacher reflection need to devise or adopt ways of setting
assessment tasks and learning activities through which to impart the elements of reflection
that will provide teachers with new viewpoints, fresh understandings, and useful ideas that
translate into daily practice.

The Problems
 Reflection as Mere Recall
The need for teachers to be reflective practitioners is often emphasized in
teacher education courses because “reflection is a critical underpinning of growth and
learning” (Ryan 2005, n.p.), not merely a desirable trait but a necessity for good
teaching. Although reflection in education has been defined in various ways (Winch et
al. 2015), the result of all that discussion has remained clear:
… we aim to help our students become reflective educators [which] means that their
knowledge of teaching is never conclusive; it must be “subjected to careful
reconsideration in light of information from current theory and practice, from
feedback from the particular context, and from speculation as to the moral and ethical
[and political] consequences of their results (LaBoskey 1994, p. 9).” (LaBoskey 2004,
p. 828)
But how many teacher educators urge their preservice or practicing teacher education
students to be reflective without providing modeling, strategies, techniques, or
scaffolding which offer adequate and appropriate depth to the reflections? A common
method to encourage reflection is simply to have teachers write a reflective piece after
their teaching activities or placement. The analysis and interpretation of the subject or
content of those reflections usually emphasize providing answers rather than the
processes of reflection.
 Reflection in Isolation
In describing professionals as they taught others, Schön divided teachers’
actions into reflecting-in-action and reflecting-on-action (Schön 1983). The former,
sometimes called reflexivity (Ryan 2005), occurs while the teaching is happening, the
latter after the teaching has ended. These distinctions have been useful to describe and
study how teachers act as professionals, but there has been some criticism of Schön’s
characterization of reflection including that it isolates reflective practice and “that it
leaves out the ‘social dimension’ of learning” (Kotzee 2012, pp. 5–6). Consequently, a
 teacher may end up performing reflective introspection rather than reflective
engagement with others in analyzing teaching and learning experiences.
 Reflection as Resolution, Not Inquiry
Because reflection has often been considered a solitary activity, the fuller,
richer effects of being a reflective teacher may escape notice. Indeed, many teachers
would claim that they are already reflective because, after teaching a class, they
consider how the class progressed, how the lesson played out, and how the students
responded. But at that rudimentary level of reflection much can be overlooked.
Learning to probe, solicit, listen, and self-direct in order to arrive at new (and deeper)
understandings of practice may require something more than a brief review of the day.

Teaching Reflective Practices

This section details methods used in graduate courses to foster reflective thinking.
Teachers are engaged in action research as a core tool to deepen reflective practice. One of
the primary questions posed in these courses is, "How do I know what I think I know?" This
question is revisited through multiple stages, from research question development to data
analysis and conclusion writing. Reflective practice becomes integral to their teaching
mindset, reinforced by collaborative discussions and peer support.
This section discusses reflective practices in teaching, focusing on four graduate
courses in education that help teachers analyze and improve their teaching methods. Three
courses revolve around action research projects, where teachers reflect on their teaching to
improve, while the fourth course focuses on analyzing student and teacher work. The courses
encourage varied forms of reflection to foster growth, collaboration, and a deeper
understanding of teaching practices.
 Action Research as Reflective Practice
The action research as reflective practice in a Master’s Project for teachers. It
emphasizes the importance of questioning knowledge with "How do I know what I
think I know?" throughout the project. Teachers engage in reflective inquiry at every
stage from developing research questions to analyzing data and forming conclusions.
Through action research, teachers engage in investigative dialogues with
peers, sharing and questioning ideas, which enriches their understanding and
stimulates deeper reflection. This collaborative reflection helps them grow as
educators.
 Peer Discussion to Reflect Through Questioning
The peer discussion as a reflective practice in action research through the
Master’s Project Question (MPQ) review. In this process, teachers present their
evolving research questions to peers and teaching assistants for discussion. These
sessions, lasting 20-30 minutes, encourage deep reflection on the meaning and focus
of their research questions.
 Protocols to Structure Reflective Conversation
The use of protocols to structure reflective conversations among teachers in
the Master’s Project. These protocols foster critical reflection by guiding discussions
on research questions, data analysis, and teaching practices. Teachers are introduced
 to tools like the Collaborative Assessment Conference Protocol and Interrogating the
Slice Protocol to facilitate collaborative analysis of student work.
Protocols are used to develop habits of reflection through repeated practice,
such as analyzing research articles multiple times. This helps teachers internalize
reflective behaviors, as highlighted by Kaasila and Lauriala (2012).
 Peer Debriefing for Reflection
The importance of peer debriefing for teachers to reflect on their teaching
practice. It highlights that peer debriefing allows teachers to discuss their experiences
and receive feedback from trusted colleagues, which helps them analyze their
teaching more effectively. Peer debriefing is compared to having a critical friend, with
benefits such as improving listening skills, fostering deeper analysis, and reframing
issues for better understanding. It emphasizes that true reflection requires planned,
structured opportunities rather than spontaneous discussions. Examples provided
include teachers gaining new insights through peer discussions about student work,
leading to clearer comprehension and improved teaching methods.
 Listening to Reflect
The challenge of teaching teachers to be reflective practitioners. It emphasizes
the importance of providing various ways for teachers to practice reflection. Protocols
are used to structure conversations, allowing the teacher to share an issue and then
listen to reflections from others. This method promotes active listening, helping the
teacher concentrate on feedback without focusing on immediate responses or
explanations. The technique is often applied in classroom exercises and reinforced
through repetition, enhancing teachers' reflective and listening skills over time.
 Developing Different and New Perspectives Through Reflection
The importance of developing new perspectives through reflection in teaching.
It highlights that different perspectives shaped by culture, gender, history, etc.—yield
different results in education. One effective method is the Multiple Perspectives
Protocol, where teachers adopt different personas and roles, such as students or
principals, to view educational issues from diverse angles. The exercise encourages
creative thinking and social reflection. Another protocol, Peer Analysis of a Data Set,
promotes diverse interpretations of research data, helping teachers see issues from
different vantage points and fostering collaborative analysis.
Conclusion
To foster true reflective practice in teachers, educator training should shift from
merely seeking answers to nurturing curiosity and teaching methods of reflection. This
approach requires new mindsets and skills, enabling teachers to embrace the evolving nature
of teaching and learning. By doing so, they will continuously improve their practice and
engage in critical self-inquiry, asking, “How do I know what I think I know?”