Reflection Cycle: How to Work in Reality

Purpose As Darling-Hammond (1998) indicated teachers learn best by studying, doing, and reflecting, scholars from going back to John Dewey to recent scholars highlight the importance of reflection for successful teaching (Yerrick, Ross, & Molebash, 2005). In fact, there has been enormous proliferation on the nature of reflection in literature; however, little is known about how reflective teaching works in real world. Thus, it is not easy to find possible systematic ways that can help teachers develop their reflective capacity on their own teaching (Goodell, 2000; Mewborn, 2000; Roth, 2003). As part of a bigger project that explored exceptional teachers' reflection in real physical education settings, the purpose of this study was to explore how the reflection cycle (Taggart & Wilson, 1998) works in the teachers' teaching and what roles the cycle plays in improving their teaching. Methods This study was grounded in a social constructivist framework and employed a qualitative research method to conduct a multiple case study (Stake, 1995). In particular, Reflective Thinking Model (RTM) by Taggart and Wilson (1998) was used to facilitate teachers' reflective thinking and to find what their reflective thinking looks like in their teaching. Participants of this study were selected with two criteria: 1) Exceptional teacher (NBC or Teacher of the Year, etc.) and 2) Over 10 years of teaching experience. Major data sources were in-depth interviews and non-participant observations. All interviews and observations were audiotaped and transcribed. Analysis/Results The data were analyzed through the constant comparative method (Charmaz, 2000; Glaser & Strauss, 1967) using computer software for qualitative data analysis (i.e., ATLAS.ti.) as an aid. In order to catch the teachers' real-time reflection, a wireless microphone was used during their teaching, and immediately after teaching, the post-lesson conference (Byra, 1996) was conducted on the spot to help the teachers rethink the teaching moments before they forgot them. Trustworthiness of this study was established by using triangulation in multiple data sources, member check, and peer debriefing (Patton, 2002). Conclusions Data analysis indicated that the RTM played vital roles in (1) making sense of unforeseen events, (2) developing innovative curricula, (3) making “on the spot” decisions, and (4) constructing and reconstructing teachers' identity. Based on the findings, several implications for teacher education programs to improve teachers' reflective capacity were discussed in terms of (1) awareness of reflection-in-action (Schon, 1987), (2) substantial opportunities for reflection such as assigned time, and (3) effect of teachers' identity and context on reflection.