Promoting Reflective Thinking: Pre-service Teachers' Experience in a Web-based Learning Platform

Josephine Luz S De Leon-Pineda

doi:10.13189/ujer.2020.082653

Abstract

The presence of web-based learning platforms advances instructional strategies that support the development of students’ thinking skills. The study was conducted to stimulate the reflective thinking skills of the students with the aid of web-based learning platform particularly Edmodo. This study aims to cultivate the instructor’s own abilities to develop and implement activities promoting reflective thinking among pre-service teachers and describe the experience of reflection-integrated activities in a web –based learning platform among students. The research employed an action research design. The 24 pre-service teachers (PSTs) who were taking a course handled by the researcher were the respondents of the study. Course materials were given to the students who were required to submit their answers to questions posted in Edmodo. Quantitative data shows that the reflective thinking skills of the PSTs were described as ‘Reflective.’ Qualitative data validated the quantitative results that the activities given to the respondents fostered the reflective thinking of the PSTs. Constant follow-up, considerable time and immediate feedback are essential in tasks using web-based learning platform. The use of a web-based learning platform can be an avenue to promote reflective thinking among students through proper planning, implementation and evaluation of course.

Highlights

As technology creates significant changes in the landscape of education, web-based learning platforms advance instructional strategies that support the development of students thinking skills
Teacher education institution should provide venue and opportunities for pre-service teachers (PSTs) to reflect. These supported the call for teacher education institutions (TEIs) to emphasize reflective thinking and its development should commence even at the early phase of the PSTs’ training
Action research is the appropriate method in the study based on the major goal of the researcher of improving her practice in the use of web-based learning platform as means in developing pre-service teachers’ reflective thinking skills

Summary

Introduction

As technology creates significant changes in the landscape of education, web-based learning platforms advance instructional strategies that support the development of students thinking skills. In the field of education, reflection is said to be a problematic area for pre-service teachers (PST) [3] This is because they often lack required involvement and program and instructional knowledge on which to anchor their teaching reflection. [7] underscored the importance of forming various chances and conditions where reflective thinking can be nurtured rather than limit PSTs to a specific approach It was highlighted the need for PSTs and in-service teachers trainings on the implementation of reflective thinking activities in the classroom [8]. It was stressed that reflection should be vital in all aspects of teacher preparation from content analysis to interactions with children

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