Pre-service Teachers' Reflection on Reflective Practices: A Malaysian Perspective

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the use of reflective thinking practices incorporated into classroom teaching by pre-service teachers (PSTs). Firstly, this study investigated the reflective thinking practices used by PSTs to analyse their teaching strategies and approaches in the classroom. Secondly, this study explored the ways PSTs use reflective thinking to analyse their teaching practice. The qualitative method employing semi-structured interviews was used in this study. A sample of 11 female final year PSTs enrolled in Bachelor of Education programmes in a Malaysian university, who had just completed their 16-week teaching practicum that was selected as the participants of this study. The data were analysed using the interpretive approach in order to allow the PSTs to voice their reflective thinking experiences. Analysis of the data yielded seven categories: Opportunities to reflect, Expression of feelings, Teaching awareness, Lifelong learning, Self-confidence, Self-assessment, and Self-belief. Overall, the findings of this study indicated positive perceptions by the PSTs about using reflective practices to help them teach. However, the findings also showed that the reflection carried out by the PSTs favoured the technical and practical levels rather than being able to critically analyse their own teaching process. The results also indicated that the PSTs were not open to negative feedback given by students, as they were looking more towards the popularity factor and acceptance from students than learning from the experience as a whole. A major implication of the present study was that Malaysian PSTs may not know how to effectively use reflective thinking to help them improve their teaching skills at the same time cultivate critical thinking. They seemed to focus more on being evaluated well by their mentors than the learning that occurred during their lessons.