“Because I Know How to Use It': Integrating Technology Into Preservice English Teacher Reflective Practice

Source: Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(4). (2009).
(Reviewed by the Portal Team)

The current paper examines the role of technology in preservice teacher reflection.
Situated in informal reflection (Shoffner, 2008), preservice English teachers’ choice of a specific technology medium for reflective practice is examined for satisfaction with their choice and understanding of that medium’s influence on their reflection.

To explore preservice English teachers’ views on the integration of technology into reflective practice, the author administered midsemester and end-of-semester evaluations in the methods course in fall 2006, spring 2007, fall 2007, and spring 2008. Both evaluations focused on the preservice teachers’ views of the technology medium chosen for their informal reflection journal.
Fifty-eight preservice English teachers completed one or both of the midsemester and end-of-semester evaluations.

Fifty-five of the preservice teachers were undergraduates completing an English Education major leading to a bachelor’s degree and secondary English teacher licensure.
Three preservice teachers were postbaccalaureate students seeking secondary English licensure only or licensure in addition to master’s degrees.

The integration of technology into reflective practice encourages teacher educators to consider the use of different forms of technology in preservice teacher reflection.
As explored in this article, preservice English teachers hold specific views on the technology medium used in their reflective practice. Those views hold implications for both technology use and personal reflection.
The emphasis on choosing an “easy” technology medium indicates that preservice English teachers preferred to use known forms of technology when completing the informal reflection assignment.
By chosing a medium with which they were comfortable, the preservice teachers could focus on the reflection rather than the technology.

The author is encouraged to stress two main points arising from the study.
1. Preservice English teachers need more opportunities to use various technology media for authentic purposes during teacher preparation.
2. Reflection is an accepted component of teacher education, and the integration of reflection and technology offers teacher educators an authentic way in which to engage preservice teachers in reflective practice and technology use. The potential for technology use to influence reflection in specific ways encourages teacher educators to consider the integration of reflection and technology as an area for further study.

Reference
Shoffner, M. (2008). Informal reflection in pre-service teacher reflection. Reflective Practice, 9(2), 123-134.