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Tools to Promote Reflective Practice

A number of tools have been utilized both in pre-service and in-service

teacher education to promote teachers‟ reflective practices. Even semi-structured interviews were utilized to have teachers engage in reflective practice analyze their beliefs about teaching (Bennet-Jackson, 2010). However, it is important to state that there are other specific tools that can be categorized as conventional tools (e.g. journals, portfolios,) and technology-oriented tools (e.g. electronic dialogue journals, chats or internet relay chats, blogs, online/asynchronous discussions) to enhance

teachers‟ reflective practice.

Reflective Journals

Reflective journals have been used for the purpose of reflection in several fields including business and nurse education, as well as teacher education.

Reflective journals are practical to apply since they are easy to assign and let practitioners share their thoughts and ideas by evaluating their experiences.
According to Gil-Garcia and Cintron (2002), a reflective journal involves

learners in “self-assessment, collaborative critique, self-reflection and goal setting” (p.2). Reflective journals vary in the way that they aid the reflective process. For instance, a journal may become a shared dialogue between a trusted lecturer or mentor teacher in the classroom or it may be used for an individual journey of professional self-reflection and supported by the use of a framework for self assessment at specific times throughout the journal keeping project.

Studies conducted with reflective journals have been found them to be effective in reshaping pre-service teachers teaching practices. For instance,Gil- Garcia and Cintron (2002) stated thatkeeping journals helped student teachers in their practicum modify their teaching practice. In another study of American pre- service teachers, Uzum, Petron and Berg (2014) found similar results. They conducted a study on the first teaching experience of candidate pre-service teachers. The twenty-eight participants majoring in elementary education or special education took part in the study to reflect on their experiences in teaching English as a requirement of their English as a Second Language course. The participants wrote journals to share their classroom experiences. The study indicates that the reflective papers of students helped participants connect their theoretical knowledge with teaching practicality by adapting the lessons for English language learners in varying degrees, primarily in the areas of language and content support.

Some examples of these journal types are response journals, dialogue journals double entry journals, interactive journals or diaries, dialogue journals and personal or narrative journals.