Developing reflective practice in Initial Teacher Education: A collaborative approach to toolkit design

This Praxis Scholarship project explored the pivotal role of critical reflection in shaping the professional development of student teachers throughout their PGCE. A review of literature informed the evaluation of widely used reflection models and methods, alongside the skills, attributes, and barriers that influence effective reflective practice. Using a mixed methods design the study drew on qualitative and quantitative data gathered from an online survey, during two workshops, student teachers’ written reflections, and during the collaborative process of the creation of two new models and supporting resources. The findings highlight how the student teacher / teacher educator partnership reveals areas of the PGCE programme that could be refined to strengthen reflective practice. Conversations with others were reported as being significant for student teachers, yet using a combination of approaches is particularly effective. Reflecting on practice is viewed as an opportunity to ‘see what works‘ / ‘to improve’, however, finding time to reflect can be challenging. Key features necessary for reflective models to be effective were identified and informed the co-creation of two new reflective models to be piloted with student teachers. The project outcomes include a renewed understanding of the purpose of critical reflection, co-constructed reflection models with supportive prompts, and an interactive toolkit to enhance and sustain reflective engagement for all PGCE partners.