Weekly reflection assignments reshape how teachers see their profession
A study of pre-service math teachers found that structured online reflection exercises significantly strengthened their professional identity in just 10 weeks. The finding suggests that deliberate self-examination could improve teacher retention and performance—a critical concern for schools struggling with educator turnover.
Originaltitel: Exploring the impact of online anticipatory reflection intervention on pre-service math teachers' professional teacher identity development
This study investigates the affordances of an online anticipatory reflective writing intervention on pre-service teachers' professional teacher identity development (PTID). A concurrent mixed-methods design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Participants were 31 pre-service elementary Mathematics teachers. A 10-week intervention was carried out for them to write and share weekly reflections. Within a single group pre- and post-test design, participants' PTID was measured through Early Teacher Identity Measurement (ETIM). Interviews were also conducted to explore participants' perceived experiences with the intervention. The results of ETIM showed that online anticipatory reflective writing had a significant impact on participants' PTID. Additionally, qualitative results revealed that the intervention facilitated pre-service teachers' thinking skills, awareness, and internalization of the profession, and provided them with new perspectives on teaching practice.