Using critical incidents and E-Portfolios to understand the emergent practice of Japanese student-teachers of English

Abstract

This paper argues that resolving cognitive or emotional conflicts experienced in practice can promote student-teacher development and bridge the theory-practice divide. Critical incident (CI) writing in ePortfolios is introduced as a means for student-teachers to record conflicts experienced and what was learned from them. Ten student-teachers of English from a Japanese university did a 2-week teaching practicum at three Thai secondary schools recording their CIs in an ePortfolio. Using the CI technique, we identified the teaching concepts and techniques which emerged and discuss the implications for teacher learning. Lastly, we introduce an ePortfolio design to better bridge the theory-gap divide.