Reflective practice as a process for refining teaching craft through coached reflection on experience¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 review), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Reflective practice, introduced by Schon in 1987, is a critical process for refining one's artistry or craft in a discipline. As the digest defines it, "reflective practice involves thoughtfully considering one's own experiences in applying knowledge to practice while being coached by professionals in the discipline." It was recommended as a way for beginners to recognize consonance between their own practices and those of successful practitioners, and many teacher education programs were subsequently designed around it.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Coaching by professionals in the discipline who help beginners connect their experiences to practice

Constraints¶

• Later researchers cautioned that programs incorporating reflective practice focused on process while sacrificing important content in teacher education

Target Learners¶

• Pre-service and in-service teachers

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Refining teaching craft and artistry through reflection on experience

Claims¶

• Reflective practice yields deeper understanding of teachers' own teaching style and greater classroom effectiveness [+W]
• Peer reflective groups encourage student teachers to challenge existing theories and model collaborative professional development [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Schon's reflective coaching: learning design-like practice through a dialogue of words and actions

Examples¶

• Reflection with Others
• Model Reflection
• Using Reflection for Habit Formation

Key Sources¶

• Ferraro, Joan M. (2000). Reflective Practice and Professional Development. ERIC Digest. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED449120