TOWARDS ENHANCING REFLECTIVE PRACTICE AND NURTURING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE AMONGST NATURAL SCIENCES STUDENT TEACHERS AT A UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The study focuses on reflections by Natural Sciences pre-service students at a university of technology on the development of reflective practice. This development is an ongoing process which starts during teacher education. Specific attention is paid to the self-reflection. Teachers? beliefs about themselves, about learning and its educational relevance and about learners if consistent with their action are vitally important for effective teaching. Grounded in Vygotskian perspective, the overall aim of teacher education program is best conceived as the development of professional identity. The study aims to examine emerging professional identity and how reflective self-evaluation during pre-service training done with the help of reflective activities to nature formation of communities of practice and professional development of students. A convenient sample of forty-eight (48) senior students was used through focus group discussions to collect qualitative data. The data obtained proved the crucial role of teaching practice, communities of practice and reflective activities in the study process of teacher education. The study highlighted the importance of teaching the capacity to be reflective at earlier points of the professional development, so that pre-service students can be more receptive to change throughout their career. Also, the importance of communities of practice in professional development.