Investigating the quality of teacher reflection and the nature of changes in the quality of teacher reflection through critical incidents analysis

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2021-3-31
Yılmaz, Elanur
This embedded mixed methods research is an investigation to explore the current status of teachers’ reflections and the role of the guided reflective practices through critical incidents analysis in the development of teachers’ reflections and their teaching actions. To address this purpose, a multi-case study design is embedded in the survey study. The study involved a sample of 236 teachers from 66 public elementary schools in Ankara that are selected through cluster random sampling. From the sample, ten teachers volunteered to become a study group. This study is carried out between 2017 and 2019 through utilizing multiple sources, including the Vignette-Based Assessment of the Quality of Teacher Reflection Instrument (VBAQTRI), semi-structured interview schedules, reflective journals, video records of reflective discussion sessions, field notes and memos. Descriptive statistics, content analysis, within and cross case analysis are used to analyze the data. Overall, findings of the survey v study suggest that teachers generally relied solely on pedagogical preferences and instructional related issues used to accomplish predetermined objectives. Their reflections are limited to their thoughts about lack of students’ engagement and students’ disruptive behaviors. In the multiple-case study, teachers’ reflections indicated growth over time and as the study progressed deeper reflections are evidenced in reflective discussions compared to the reflective journal writings. This combination of findings highlights that the current status of the quality of teacher reflection is evidence-based, and indicates a significant impact on how teachers engage in guided reflective practices through critical incidents analysis and what they take away from them through empowering their instructional decisions and actions.

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Citation Formats
E. Yılmaz, “Investigating the quality of teacher reflection and the nature of changes in the quality of teacher reflection through critical incidents analysis,” Ph.D. - Doctoral Program, Middle East Technical University, 2021.