Capturing Quality Practice: Annotated Video-Based Portfolios and Graduate Students’ Reflective Thinking

Abstract

Purpose

To explore annotated video-based portfolios and the communicative practices embedded in this technological mediation as a means for teacher candidates to construct pedagogical knowledge and develop self-examination skills leading to a deeper reflection on practice, greater perceived value of the reflection process, and the ability to identify specific behaviors for improvement.

In this chapter, we present the development of an online graduate practicum course in a Masters in Reading program, and the supportive measures put into place so students could reflect on their own and others’ practice within a video-based portfolio construction.

Findings

Observations indicate course members’ discussion regarding teaching follows a clear progression: the importance of teachers’ management of materials, space and time; developing their ability to discern patterns in student behavior; and a growing recognition of the impact teacher talk and habits have on their students. To support practicum students’ progress, we have developed a set of assumptions to guide talk about practice during annotation and discussion of video, as well as ways of using talk effectively during a video lesson.

Practical implications

We share this glimpse into the design of our practicum course as a means to make transparent the support systems developed so students could capture and discuss quality practice within the context of their own work with a student. We hope sharing our journey will provide others engaged in this work with a common language and lens for discussion about quality, resulting in positive outcomes for students.

Citation

Alley, K. and King, J. (2015), "Capturing Quality Practice: Annotated Video-Based Portfolios and Graduate Students’ Reflective Thinking", Video Reflection in Literacy Teacher Education and Development: Lessons from Research and Practice (Literacy Research, Practice and Evaluation, Vol. 5), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2048-045820150000005020