Scheduled for Poster Session: Research on Teaching and Instruction in Schools and Higher Education, Thursday, April 10, 2008, 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Promoting Preservice Teacher Reflectivity: VanManen May Represent a Viable Model

Kristy Ballard and Ron E. McBride, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

From Dewey (1933) to the present, reflectivity continues to be an important component of teacher education (Richardson and Placier, 2001; Lee, 2005; & Davis, 2006). Van Manen (1977) stated that teachers should be concerned with making educational actions visible to others and be able to apply a variety of techniques to effectively reach predetermined objectives. He developed a model of reflectivity in which each level is sequential; one must meet the needs of each level before proceeding to the next. Little information exists that specifically addresses where or when changes in reflectivity might occur. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to: (a) apply Van Manen's model to outcomes of specific strategies (e.g., written assignments) and supervisory practices (e.g., interviews) to examine levels of and changes in reflectivity among preservice physical educators during their student teaching period; and (b) to assess the applicability of Van Manen's model to a preservice physical education setting. Five physical education majors enrolled in a student teaching experience volunteered to participate. Five web-based written assignments were selected and analyzed using Van Manen's model of reflection. Additionally, two interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and subjected to content analysis. For both written and interview data, each assignment or question was read and assigned a level of reflectivity – technical rationality (TR - level one), practical action (PA – level two), or critical reflection (CR – level three) from Van Manen's model. While little evidence of increases in reflectivity occurred from the interview data, two participants recorded practical action (level 2) and three participants recorded critical reflectivity (level 3) in the written assignments by the end of student teaching. The shift from level 1 to level 2 or 3 are similar to Fuller's (1969) Developmental Concerns Theory and support Pultorak's (1993) and Ellsworth's (2002) assertions that students can increase reflective thinking when fostered and encouraged to do so in preservice programs. This study found that combining available resources (i.e., web-based assignments, supervisors) with Van Manen's model, we can assess reflectivity levels in a pre-service physical education setting. Findings also indicate that Van Manen's model is applicable to a physical education setting and can provide a vehicle for applying quantitative measures to qualitative responses.
Keyword(s): assessment, measurement/evaluation, pre-service/student

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