An Application of Mezirow’s Critical Reflection Theory to Electronic Portfolios

Abstract

In this study, the authors developed a framework for the analysis of teacher reflection in standards-based e-portfolios. Using NVivo, the authors analyzed the written arguments of 127 students, as they provided rationales for why their chosen artifacts represented specific teaching standards. In total, 656 rationales yielded 1,427 statements when categorized using Mezirow’s types of reflection. The findings indicate that subjective reframing, in general, and narrative critical self-reflection on assumptions and epistemic critical self-reflection on assumptions, in particular, are well represented in the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) teacher education program as evidenced by approximately 50% of the overall statements represented by these two types of critical self-reflection. As well, Mezirow’s taxonomy appears to be a sound theoretical framework to represent reflection in teacher education.