UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' REFLECTION OF

TEACHING AND LEARNING

LAILATUL ZURAIDAH KAMARUDIN

FPP 2003 14

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS' REFLECTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

By

LAILATUL ZURAIDAH KAMARUDIN

Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

September 2003

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DEDICATION

To all reflective practitioners

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Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate ofUniversiti Putra Malaysia in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS REFLECTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

By

LAILATUL ZURAIDAH KAMARUDIN

September 2003

Chairman: Ghazali b. Mustapha Ph.D.

Faculty: Educational Studies

Reflective practice has been introduced in practicum for pre-service teachers for the

purpose of evaluating teaching strengths and weaknesses. In many instances

however, pre-service teachers did not reflect on their lessons and therefore, they were

unable to seek alternative ways in improving their teaching. A few factors

contributed to the problem. Among them was a lack of guidance from either the

supervising lecturer or the cooperating teacher. Another reason was due to the lack of

explicit instructions as to how reflections should be written.

Using a qualitative case study, observations on pre-servIce teachers' classroom

teaching were carried out, semi-structured interviews were conducted and weekly and

daily reflections were analyzed.

Findings revealed that the pre-servIce teachers reflected on seven categories of

teaching knowledge. Six of the categories were to Shulman's (1987) categories of

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teaching knowledge and one was similar to Hanipah's (1999) 'Awareness of Self as

Teachers'. Another category "Working Principles in Teaching" emerged from the

data of this research.

This research in particular focused on reflection-on action in English Language

teaching. In future, more research should be conducted on reflection-on-action in the

teaching of subjects such as Mathematics and Science. In addition, research on

reflection-in-action should be carried out to seek how pre-service teachers resolve

matters while teaching.

Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk Ijazah Master Sains

REFKLEKSI GURU PELATIH DALAM PENGAJARAN DAN PEMBELAJARAN

Oleh

LAILATUL ZURAIDAH KAMARUDIN

September 2003

Pengerusi: Ghazali Mustapha, Ph.D

Fakulti : Pengajian Pendidikan

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Amalan refleksi telah diperkenalkan dalam praktikum guru pelatih bertujuan untuk

menilai kebaikan dan kelemahan pengajaran mereka. Walau bagaimanapun, amalan

refleksi tidak dijalankan secara terperinci terhadap pengajaran yang telah dijalankan.

Akibatnya, mereka tidak dapat menilai pengajaran mereka dan justeru itu tidak dapat

mencari altematif yang sesuai untuk pengajaran yang telah dijalankan. Antara punca

masalah dalam amalan refleksi adalah kekurangan bimbingan dari pensyarah atau

guru pembimbing. Ketiadaan arahan yang eksplisit tentang bagaimana refleski patut

ditulis merupakan salah satu penyebab kepada kurangnya amalan refleksi di kalangan

guru pelatih.

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Dengan menggunakan kaedah kaIJan kes, pemerhatlan telah dlJalankan terhadap

pengaJaran guru pelatIh sebelum temuduga separa struktur dlJalankan DI sampmg

ItU, anahsa terhadap refleksl hanan dan telah dlJalankan

Hast! kaJlan mendapatl bahawa refleksl guru pelatIh mengandungl tUJuh kategon

pengetahuan mengaJar Enam danpadanya adalah berdasarkan pengetahuan mengaJar

yang dlsarankan oleh Shulman (1987) manakala kategon "Pengetahuan Dm SebagaI

Guru" adalah berdasarkan pengetahuaa yang dlsarankan oleh Hampah (1999)

Kategon "Pnnslp PengaJaran" adalah kategon yang wuJud has II dan kaJIan 1m

Slgmfikan kaJlan 1m adalah amalan refleksl telah memben pe1uang kepada guru

pe1atlh belaJar dan pengalaman Menuhs refleksl berdasarkan pengalaman adalah

amalan pentmg dalam memngkatkan kemahuan mengaJar

Selam danpada pengaJaran Bahasa Inggens, aJlan terhadap refleksl berdasarkan

pengaJaran perlu dlJalankan untuk subJek Matematlk dan Sams DI sampmg 1tu,

kaJIan tentang refleksl dalam pengaJaran perlu Juga dIJalankan untuk mengetahUl

seJauh mana guru pelatIh menyelesaIkan masalah semasa mengaJar

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the name of Allah, the most gracIOus and the most mercIful Alhamduhllah, wIth

HIS blessmg and HIS gUIdance, thIS thesIS has finally materIahzed My speCIal thank s

goes to my husband, Azhar b Abdul LatIff for hIS encouragement and support m my

purSUIt for k nowledge Not forgettmg my daughters, Syahirah and Syazana who m

theIr mother's absence, learned the meamng of mdependence and self-rehance

My gratitude goes to Dr Ghazah Mustapha for hIS time, patIence and comments,

Without whIch thIS thesIs would not materIalIze To Dr Shamsuddm Ahmad, thank

you so much for the time spent m Impartmg mvaluable k nowledge on qualItatIVe

research Your comments were deeply appreciated To Dr Shameem Rafik -Galea,

thank you for the mspmng conversatIOns we had, you boosted my confidence m

carrymg out thIS research

To my respondents, thank you so much for the support you have proVIded though you

were busy with the practIcum WIthout your support, thIS research mIght not be

pOSSIble

My appreCIatIOn goes to my SIsters, meces and nephews who had gIven me the

emotIOnal and materIal support dUrIng my Stillt III campus Your contrIbutIOns and

support could not be repatd With money May Allah Bless You

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Finally, to anyone out there who had by chance or design contributed in someway or

another to the thesis, I would l ike to say thank you. Final ly, any shortcomings are but

my oWIl.

Thank You.

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I certify that an Examination Committee met on 25 September 2003 to conduct the final examination of Lailatul Zuraidah Bt Kamarudin on her Master of Science thesis entitled "Pre-Service Teachers' Reflection of Teaching and Learning" in accordance with Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Act 1980 and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Regulations 1981. The Committee recommends that the candidate be awarded the relevant degree. Members of the Examination Committee are as follows:

Arshad Abd Samad, Ph.D. Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman)

Ghazali Mustapha, Ph.D. Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Shams uddin Ahmad, Ed.D. Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Shameem Rafik-Galea, Ph.D. Associate Professor Faculty of Moden Languages and Communication Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

AMSHER MOHAMAD RAMADILI, Ph.D. ProfessorlDeputy Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: 04 DEC 2lm

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This thesis submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science. The members of the supervisory committee are as follows:

Ghazali Mustapha, Ph.D Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Shamsuddin Ahmad, Ed. D. Lecturer Faculty of Educational Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

Shameem Rafik-Galea, Ph.D Associate Professor Faculty of Moden Languages and Communication

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

AINI IDERIS, Ph.D. Professor/ Dean School of Graduate Studies

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date: f? JAN �04-

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DECLARA TION

I hereby declare that the thesIS IS based on my origmal work except for quotations and citations, which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted for any other degree at UPM or other institutions.

LAILATUL ZURAIDAH KAMARUDIN

Date .3 . IJ . Cl3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICA TIONS ABSTRACT ABSTRAK ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS APPROVAL DECLARA TION LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONIGLOSSAR Y OF TERMS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

II

Background of Research The Need for ReflectIve PractIce Teacher EducatIOn and Reflective Practice The PromotIOn of ReflectIve Practlce In Teacher EducatIon Reflective PractIce In PractIcum RatIOnale of the Research Statement of the Problem Research QuestIOns SIgmficance of the Research LImitatIOn of the Research DefimtlOn of Terms

REVIEW OF RELA TEDLITERA TURE IntroductIOn ReflectIve Practice m General The Development of Reflective PractIce PerspectIves on ReflectIOn ReflectIOn In the EducatIOn Context ReflectIVe PractIces In the MalaYSIan Context Research In PromotIng ReflectIve Practices In TeachIng The Importance of Reflective Practice In Teacher EducatIOn Strategies In Promotmg ReflectIve PractIce Element of ReflectIVe PractIce

Cogmtlve Element

Page 2 3 5 7 9

11 17 18 19

20 20 26 27 29

31 32 34 35 36 38 39

42 42 43 46 47 50 51 53

57

60 63 63

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m

CrItIcal Element Teacher NarratIves EmotIOnal Element

Steps Into InqUiry Levels of ReflectIOn

Van Manen's Levels of ReflectIvIty Hatton and SmIth's ReflectIve WrItmg

The ReflectIOn's Content RIchards and Ho's Framework for ReflectIOn Hampah's CategorIes of Teachmg Knowledge

TheoretIcal Framework Stage 1 Stage 2 COGAFF Taxonomy ReflectIOn - On -ActIOn

Summary

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IntroductIOn

Instrument Development Research DesIgn

Research Respondents Samplmg CrIterIa

Data CollectIon PIlot IntervIew

Methods of Data CollectIOn SemI Structured IntervIew Teachmg ObservatIOn Journal

Data AnalYSIS Vahdity and RehabIhty

Internal ValIdity External Vahdity

RelIabIlIty

Summary

66 68 69 70 74 74 7 5 76 76

78

80 8 1 82 8 5 88

90

9 1 9 1 92 97 99 100 10 1 102 103 106 10 5 107 109 III 1 12 1 14 1 14

1 15

1 1

IV FINDINGS IntroductIOn The Respondents Fmdmgs Awareness of Self as Teacher

Seen Aspect of self as Teacher Teachers' ArtIculated Alms and Comm Itments

1 1 7 1 1 7 117 1 1 9 122 122 1 25

Workmg Pnncipies m Teachmg 1 28 Teacher PreparatIOn 128 EstablIsh Rapport 129 Teacher AccountabIhty 130 Mamtam Order and Dlsclplme 1 30

General Pedagogical Knowledge 1 32 Lesson P lannmg 1 32 TIme Management 1 43 Contmgency Plan 145 StructurIng ActIVIty 1 47 Teachmg Techmques 1 50 Types of ActIvItIes 1 52 Teachmg AIds 1 5 7

Knowledge o f Students and TheIr Charactenstlcs 160 MotivatIOnal Aspects of How Students Learn 1 60 Students' BehavIOurs 1 62 Managmg Students' BehavIours 1 64 Students' LIkes and DIslIkes 1 70 Intel lectual Abi lIties and Learnmg Styles 174 Knowledge of Students' Background 1 76

Pedagogical Content Knowledge 1 78 Knowledge of EducatIOnal Contexts 1 8 1

School 182 Teachers 183 Cooperatmg Teacher 1 84 SupervISlng Lecturer 186 Parents 186

Curnculum Knowledge 187 Knowledge of EducatIOnal Ends 1 89 How Do Pre-ServIce Teachers Reflect on Teachmg and 1 9 1 Leammg

OescnptIVe WrItmg 1 92 Descnptlve ReflectIOn 1 98 DIalogical ReflectIOn 202 CrItIcal ReflectIOn 207 AffectIve ReflectIOn 209

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V

How DId The Respondents Overcome Problems m Wntmg 2 1 4 ReflectIOns

Summary 2 1 9

SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION 220 Summary 220

Practlcum 220 Benefits of Reflective PractIce 22 1 Problems Related to ReflectIve Practice 222 TheoretIcal Framework 223 ObjectIves of ReflectIve Practice 223 Research QuestIOn 224

Research Method 224 The Respondents 225 Methods of Data CollectIOn 226 Data AnalYSIS 226 Validity and ReliabIlity 227

Major FmdIngs 227 Awareness of Self as Teacher 228 WorkIng PnncIples m TeachIng 229 General PedagogIcal Knowledge 230 PedagogIcal Content Knowledge 232 Knowledge of Learners and Their CharactenstIcs 234 Knowledge of EducatIOnal Context 235 Curnculum Knowledge 236

How Pre-ServIce Teachers Reflected On TeachIng and 237

LearnIng DeSCrIptIve WrItIng 237 DescnptIve ReflectIOn 238 DIalogical ReflectIOn 239 Cntlcal ReflectIOn 239 AffectIVe ReflectIOn 240

How Pre-ServIce Teachers Overcame Problems In 240 Wntmg ReflectIOns? ImplIcatIOns 242 ImplIcatIOns for Research In Teacher EducatIOn 245 ConclUSIOn 246

Summary 247

BIBLIOGRAPH Y 249 APPENDICES

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A Reflective Questions for Semi-Structured Interviews A- I Transcripts of Semi-Structured Interviews A-2 Weekly Reflections A-3 Daily Reflections B Sample Coding for Categories C Teaching Observation Checklist D Approval Letter

BIODATA OF THE AUTHOR

257 260 281 283 284 294 296 299

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LIST OF TABLES Table I Richards and Ho's Framework for Reflection

Table 2 Hanipah's Categories of Teaching Knowledge

Table 3 Respondents' Profile

Table 4 Categories of Teaching Knowledge

Figure 1

Figure 2

LIST (OF FIGURES Theoretical framework for Reflection

Reflective questions

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NPE

PTE

KPLI

ABBREVIATIONS

National Phi losophy of Education

Philosophy of Teacher Education

Kursus Perguruan Lepasan ljazah

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

ThIS chapter dIscusses the background developments m teacher education m

MalaYSia It explams the need for reflective practices by teacher educators and

teachers m MalaYSia It also outlInes the ratIOnale and ObjectIves of the research

In the last decade, pre-servIce teacher educatIOn m MalaYSIa has emphasIzed a more

school-based approach m teacher educatIon ThIS approach emphasIzes on pre­

servIce teachers' personal mvolvement m classroom teachmg and leammg contexts

In domg so, It IS beheved that they would be ennched m tenns of content and

pedagOgical knowledge and SkI lls One of the techmques employed m the

enhancement of teachmg expenences IS reflectIve practIce A lthough thIS practIce IS

at ItS mfancy m teacher educatIOn, It has been conSIdered as one of the avenues that

enable pre-servIce teachers to bUIld teachmg knowledge based on theu personal

expenences m school

Background of Research

Teacher EducatIOn and Pnmary and Secondary school reform are conSIdered

sIgmficant polICIes m educatIOnal development m MalaYSia ThIS IS due to the

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country's rapId growth economIcally, socIally and culturally As such, the objectIves

of educatIOnal reforms are geared towards meetmg the natIOn 's aspIratIOns of

prodUCIng skIlled and dIsCIplIned workers, fused by strong moral and ethIcal values

WIth an economy that IS competItIve, strong and reSIlIent by the year 2020

In lIght of thIS development, the Government has taken pOSItIve measures towards

realIZIng thIS VISIon One of them IS m ImproVIng pnmary and secondary educatIOn,

WIth emphasIS on an mtegrated curnculum, whIch IS a step towards human

development (Mmistry of EducatIOn, 1991) In addItIOn, steps were also taken to

Increase the supply of teachers at the pnmary and secondary levels partIcularly III

subjects such as SCIence, MathematICs and EnglIsh

The modus operandI of educatIOn reform m MalaYSIa IS based on the Five Year

development plans, whIch exp lICItly states the educatIOnal programmes m the

succeSSIve five-years In each five-year penod, numerous strategIes and plans

pertamIng to the educatIOn system m MalaySia are mapped and Implemented

In the Seventh MalaYSIa Plan Penod (1996-2000), the mam objectIve of teacher

educatIOn was to mcrease the supply of qualIfied teachers In the pnmary and

secondary levels, partIcularly m MathematIcs, SCIence and the EnglIsh language In

lIght of thIS development, the Teachers' EducatIOn DIVISIon of the MInIStry of

EducatIOn reVIewed ItS teacher educatIOn cUITIculum and co-cuITIculum components

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so that they are current and are able to fulfil l the natIOn's demand for teachers The

cumculum and co-cumculum activIties further emphasized the development of

qualIty teachers who are not only knowledgeable and InnOvatIve but also hIghly

dIsCIplined, strong motivated and dedIcated

In the recent ImplementatIOn of the EIghth MalaysIa Plan Penod, (2001-2005), the

government acknowledges that knowledge by Itself IS InSUfficIent to bnng about the

development of a progressIve natIOn In hIS address to a convention of master

teachers, the Pnme MmIster, the Honorary Datuk Sen Dr Mathathu b Mohamed,

stressed on the key role that teachers need to undertake m natIon bUildIng He

asserted that teachers are responsible m nurturIng values and good practices among

the younger generatIOns as the future of the country depended on the teachers'

abIlities to mould the characters of theu charges (New Straits TImes, November 14,

2001)

To achIeve thIS obJectIve, several sIgmficant efforts wIll be undertaken so that

POSItIve values are mculcated and remforced through ItS educatIOn and trammg

system One of ItS efforts IS m the mtroductIOn of a new tramIng module for pre­

servIce teachers that stresses on the Importance of ethICS and moral values ThIS

effort IS another pOSItIve step towards mculcatmg a canng culture among teachers

and towards developmg a canng, and persevenng personalIty of ItS future generatIOn

(New StraIts TImes, September 10,2002)

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The incorporation of ethics and moral values in teacher training programmes aims at

improving the quality of teacher education so that teachers have the capacity in

delivering the desired skills and knowledge to their charges.

The foundatIOn for educatIOn system III Malaysia is based on the National

Philosophy of Education (NPE). It encompasses all levels of primary, secondary,

college and university education. The statement in the National Philosophy of

Education states:

l�ducatlOn In Malaysza IS an on-going effort towards further developing the potentzals of the individuals In a hO/zStIC and mtegrated manner, so as to produce indIvIduals who are mtellectually, sprrrtually, emotlOnally and

physically balanced and harmOnIOUS based on a firm belief m and devotlOn to God. Such an effort IS deSigned to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess a high level of personal well­bemg, as well as being able to contnbute to the betterment of the society and the natIOn at large ...

(Ministry of Education 1 982:2)

In the context of teacher education, its curriculum is built on the basis of NPE, whIch

consists of three essential components that is, subject knowledge, pedagogical skills

and values. The three-prong model will further enhance the spintual, emotional and

physical development of pre-servIce teachers in relation to a strong belief in God, the

awareness of self as teachers and theIr moral obligations to SOCIety

In addition, Malaysia's ViSIOn 2020, whIch is the brainchild of the Prime Minister,

Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed envlSloned that by the year 2020, the people of

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MalaYSIa would be "psychologIcally lIberated" and "psychologIcally subservIent to

none" (BaJumd, 1999) ThIs statement ImplIes that an excellent educatIOn system IS

necessary m order to buIld the foundatIOn for a healthy, skIlled, agIle labour force

that Wil l be able to compete successfully In the world market and that also conforms

to mtematlOnai standards of quahty ThIS means that schools wil l be the platform for

nurtunng creatIve thmkmg and leammg skIlls, the essential components for future

manpower needs Thus, teachers are dissemmators of poSItIve values to thelf

charges through CIVICS and Moral / Rehgtous EducatlOn The ImphcatIon IS that

there Will be a ShIft In the role of teachers, that IS, apart from dIssemInators of

knowledge, teachers need to nurture posItIve values of MalaysIa's young generatIOn

so that values such as loyalty and love for the country, good cItizenshIp and respect

for leaders and elders Wil l be transmItted

Such challenges m the development of educatIOn WIl l therefore WItness teachmg as

becommg an mcreasmgly demandmg and challengmg professlOn, as the generatlOns

of young MalaySians Will grow up With a dIfferent set of values and expectatIons

Thus It IS ImperatIve for teachers to eqUIp themselves With teachmg knowledge and

values that would enable them to cope WIth the demands and challenges towards

developIng the future generatIOns

Several challenges have been IdentIfied m the government's purSUIt of meetmg the

deSIred outcome In pre-servIce teacher educatIOn One of them IS towards producmg