Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the reflective practice as a process of continuing professional Development (CPD) implemented in different parts of the   government primary schools of Pakistan recently. Case study design was adopted for a single school as it aims to understand the perceptions of primary school teachers about reflective teaching practice with the help of enriched data using semi structured interview. For data analysis content analysis method was applied and analysis was presented thematically for clarity and vividness. It was revealed that most teachers perceived reflective teaching as a helpful tool in improving professional capacity, valuable to share reflective practice with colleagues, constructive in receiving guidance in professional development and useful for assessing self-skills and considered its role in identifying developmental needs of their skills and prospective training.  It is suggested that primary school teachers should engage in reflective practice on regular basis and should be provide internet facilities at school to strengthen their knowledge of using creative applications of reflective practice.  

Key Words

Teacher Education, Reflective Practice, Self-Assessment

Introduction

In today’s educational world the complexity of teaching requires teachers to inquire their teaching practices to improve their teaching skills and to boost learner’s performance. For this purpose, reflective teaching gains the attention of the people as a powerful movement in teacher education (Taole, 2012). Reflections play a key role in teaching improvement. Because the nature of practice is such that improvement can only be brought depending on how the practitioner understand the self-concept and the nature of the practice (Calderhead, 1987). Reflection enables teachers to understand their experiences and to form a practice of continually learning from those experiences and analyze those practices to reframe in broader perspective (Kayapinar, 2013). In this way teachers may engage in reflective practices, using a reflective attitude to their practice as a means of continuous professional growth (Reis-Jorge, 2007).

In order to improve the quality of teaching at primary level schools, provincial Elementary & Secondary Education Departments of Pakistan, with the joint efforts of Education Sector Development Program (ESDP-GIZ) implemented a model program of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in different parts of the country. Similarly, the CPD Program was implemented in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in the year 2010-2012 under the title “Integrated In-Service Teachers’ Training & Supervision” in 176 schools of district Abbott bad and Peshawar. The program results revealed   improvements in teacher performance and student’s success. The outcomes of this implemented program were fruitful (PITE).

After planning department of Elementary & Secondary Education KPK established a CPD unit at PITE in Oct, 2015, and support it at all levels to implement the program. In late 2015 this unit started work and implemented CPD in the district of Mardan.   CPD is now a regular part of the department and implemented every year to 2-new districts. In 2017 in the program of CPD the districts of   Malakand and Karak were also included. (PITE).  




Aims of the CPD Program are

To update teacher’s skills for effective teaching and to promote students’ learning through: Increasing teachers’ understanding of 2006 curriculum and its pedagogical beliefs, preparing teachers to enhance their skills through regular self- reflective practice and peer learning as well Supporting teachers’ professional development with the help of external supervisor (PITE)

Literature Review

The concept of reflective practice in teacher education was introduced by Dewey. Who was a notable master theorist of reflective thinking (Lyons, 2010)? Dewey  (1933) originally defined reflection as the “active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends” Dewey distinguished reflective thought from random ‘stream of consciousness’ which is thought that we experience on an continuing basis (Cimer, et al., 2013). For Dewey (1933) the function of reflective thought was to transform the condition of obscurity, doubt, conflict, and disturbance into a clear, coherent, settled, and harmonious one (Lyons, 2010). For Schon (1983) Educators constantly need to inquire their classroom activities to find the gaps existing between theory and practice and to explore the prospects for skill growth. Reflective practice comprises recounting, telling, studying and assessing one’s own views, principles, norms, philosophies, movements and practices (Iqbal, 2015). Similarly, Usage of reflective practices realized teachers to implement styles based on student centered teaching approaches and mainly concentrate on the feedbacks of their actions. Reflective practices change the teacher’s choices for selecting teaching strategy and teaching materials in line with the subjects. This practice enables the teachers to present the content in segments for easy learning and understanding of the students Moreover, this practice motivates teachers to be well prepared as they have to teach to so many students (Roadman, 2010).

The most powerful, durable and effective agents of educational change are actually the teachers’ proficient skills in self-developing and reflective practice (Sellars, 2012). Teaching and reflection are practices that need regular revision (Pearson, 2012) and for this reason both are considered to go hand in hand. These statements make a sense that reflection play a vital role in teachers’ efficiency, and to improve student performance (Alger, 2006; Pearson, 2012) This views of teachers calling for a continually reflective approach to their profession, to renew their teaching styles constantly (Ghaye, 2011). The changing needs and tasks placed on teachers require them to be reflective in order to respond properly to their varying positions (Killen, 2007). Similarly, Essuman (2015) recommended that workshops on reflective teaching, learning and writing should be integrated into pre- and in-service teachers' training courses. Guidance should be provided to the teachers for developing skills in reflective writing, and learning and in-service teachers should be introduced with the need to establish the culture of reflection in their regular practice.




Purpose of this Study

The purpose of this study was to know about the perceptions of government primary in-service school teachers about reflective practice as implemented in primary level schools as a program of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for in-service teachers’ professional development in different parts of Pakistan.

Methodology of the Study

Discussion

The interpretations of primary school in-service teachers perceived positively reflective teaching, and considered reflective practice as a significant strategy for evaluating self-skills for professional development and for learning new ideas of skill improvement. The teacher participants interpret that reflective teaching helps teachers in understanding of student needs that how to create an effective learning environment for the students. It is revealed that teachers have a positive attitude towards reflective practice, either on their own or with colleagues, which shown that primary school teachers promote collaborative reflective practice to have better results, and stressed that trust is essential for effective collaborative reflective teaching practice. They further explained that guidance plays a fundamental role in teachers’ reflective practice because the feedbacks from the head teacher or from supervisor provide significant help in reflective teaching practice. The primary school in-service teachers found this reflective practice helpful in self-analysis in order to develop professionally. So, it can be said that the interpretations of government primary school teachers revealed enough knowledge of reflective teaching practice and this practice is perceived as effective means for skill development and improvement. The interpretations of primary school teachers clearly revealed the importance of reflective practice for improving teaching practices at primary level schools. Almost all the teacher participant responses indicated positive attitude towards reflective practice and considered its role in skills improvement and in identifying the gaps between theory and practice.

Conclusion

I would like to conclude the aspects that had been found after the analysis. There are four conclusions can be described in this study. They are as follows:

• Regarding the primary school teachers’ interpretations of reflective practice, it can be concluded that all the primary school in-service teacher participants perceived reflective teaching as a helpful tool in improving professional capacity and building of new insights in their practices.

• Regarding reflective practice with colleagues it can be concluded from data analysis that the primary school in-service teachers give value to share reflective practice with colleagues and considered this practice more effective than alone practice of reflection. They promote joint reflective practice.

• Regarding guidance the interpretations of teacher participants concluded that the primary school teachers give immense value to the guidelines received from the head authority i.e. from the head teacher and from the supervisor, and considered its constructive role in teachers’ professional development. The teachers implement the ideas of the head authority whenever and wherever they need it.   

• Regarding self-analysis the interpretations of teacher participants concluded that the primary school in-service teachers found reflective practice useful for assessing self-skills and considered its role in identifying developmental needs of their skills. The teachers get deep insights about their practice and outcomes because of reflective practice.

Recommendations

• I would like to suggest that all primary school in-service teachers of Pakistan who have ever practiced reflective teaching to do it continuously, not only as implemented officially   but should adopt reflective teaching strategies continuously in their career in order to   keep update self-skills. 

• Primary school teachers in Pakistan should be able to utilize the results and follow-up supervision to encourage active, creative, and innovative learning and to keep update self-skills. 

• Video recording is the best tool for self-analysis in this way it is recommended that primary school teachers in Pakistan should use to record self-practice in order to identify more easily the needs to be improved.

• Media is the best source of sensitizing and creating awareness among teachers about reflective teaching techniques for professional development. It is suggested that education department should highlight the importance of reflective teaching through electric and print media. The teachers should be sensitized through different means. Once this practice is fully initiated, the teachers of all levels will develop a strong approach towards self- reflective practice which will no doubt positively affect the teaching learning process in school.

• It is suggested that internet facility should be provided to the primary school teachers in Pakistan because this will enhance teacher’s knowledge   through learning of new reflective applications available on different websites.

• It is recommended that primary school teachers of Pakistan may be provided opportunities to engage in reflective practice with the efficient foreign primary school teachers of the developed countries like America and Europe to be updated and qualified like them.

References

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