Effect of E-Portfolio-Based Reflection-Enhancing Tasks on Female Saudi Student Teachers’ Development of Reflective Practice With Respect to Lesson Planning and Teacher Research

Abstract

This study was an attempt to develop student teachers’ level of reflection as a result of having a blended teaching practice course. More specifically, its aim was to develop their reflection and performance by having them engage in certain reflection-enhancing tasks in an online e-portfolio during the practicum. To achieve this goal, the study was conducted using 8 student teachers in a practicum course offered at Imam Mohammed ibn Saud Islamic University. This study addressed the research question: How does engaging EFL student teachers in e-portfolio-based reflection-enhancing tasks affect their level of reflection as it pertains to lesson planning and teacher research? El-Okda’s (2009) rubric for assessing reflection was used to evaluate the participants’ reflection-enhancing tasks using descriptive statistics. The findings of this study suggest that the participants understood and learned to reflect through participation in reflection-enhancing tasks with respect to lesson planning and teacher research. The recommendation that a reflection component with a framework of assessment should be incorporated into teaching methods courses and teacher preparation programs is presented.