The purpose of this study was to explore the reflective thinking process of the kindergarten teachers and to investigate the effects of the kindergarten teachers' reflective experiences on reflection level and teaching ability. The research questions ...
The purpose of this study was to explore the reflective thinking process of the kindergarten teachers and to investigate the effects of the kindergarten teachers' reflective experiences on reflection level and teaching ability. The research questions for this study were as follows.
1. Does the reflective thinking experiences influence on reflection level of kindergarten teacher?
2. Does the reflective thinking experiences influence on reflection level of kindergarten teachers' teaching ability?
3. What are the kindergarten teachers' reflective thinking?
Ten kindergarten teachers were participated. Five of them were in control group and others were in experimental group. For collecting data, their teaching in the classroom were videotaped and they were asked to write journals for two weeks. Furthermore, experimental group were asked to write journals and self-reflective thinking about their teaching for sixteen weeks. And they were also supervised about their teaching using the video tapes with the supervisor and colleagues.
The findings in this research were as follows. The study found that the reflective thinking experiences had effects on the level of teachers' reflection. The reflective thinking experiences also have effects on teaching ability among kindergarten teachers. Futhermore, self-reflective thinking with supervisor intervention using videotapes were effective for the reflective thinking of the teachers. The third finding was that the outside program of kindergarten have an effect on teachers' reflective thinking, but the tensions were different by the responsibility of position of teacher. The kindergarten teacher has showed the process of reflective thinking during the reflective supervision with colleagues and the researcher-recognizing the source of reflective information, trying to practice the decision, and fixing the action. There were some differences between experience teachers and novice teachers, in using the source of reflective information. Experienced teacher seemed to use more reflective informations than others. The teacher used the reflective information as sources in terms with their knowledge about self, children, pedagogy, curriculum in class and social context.
Results of this study suggest that reflective thinking could promote the level of reflection and the teaching ability. Further researches were necessary in this area.