Independent Learning And Reflective Thinking Of The Future Teachers

Abstract

The paper aims to achieving an exploratory and correlational study between independent learning and reflective thinking of the future teachers. For the substantiation of this study, analysis of the specialized literature were made. The independent learning involves a high level of self-awareness, the development of cognitive and metacognitive abilities and, in the same time, it involves the self-regulating personal effort to learn (Ștefan, 2010). Reflective thinking, on the other hand, has benefits for learning as it assists in integrating theory with practice, promotes intellectual growth because it is cyclical rather than linear, develops skills that makes students more confident, more independent and fosters responsibility and accountability (Kuiper and Pesut, 2004). Thus, basing on the theoretical data as mentioned above, the aim of this study is to identify the level of the development of independent learning and of the reflective thinking of students, as future teachers. Also, we identify existing correlations between independent learning and reflective thinking. The sample of subjects involved in this study is comprised of students in pre-service teacher education (N=212), which are studying the program for teacher training (I-st year). To measure independent learning we used the shortened version of the AILI questionnaire (Elshout-Mohr, Van Daalen-Kapteijns, Meijer, 2004). On the other hand, reflective thinking was measured by QRT questionnaire (Questionnaire for reflective thinking, Kember et al., 2000). Data obtained were statistically descriptive analyzed by calculating means, and Pearson r correlation coefficient.