Written journal to promote reflective thinking among pre-service teachers

Abstract

Journal writing is a common practice for pre-service teachers to reflect on their learning and teaching experiences about the course in the campus. Dewey (1933) believed that thinking is natural but that reflective habits of mind needed to be taught. This study aims to investigate the use of written journal to promote reflective thinking by the pre-service teachers. The case study was conducted among the twenty pre-service teachers who carried out a micro-teaching session in a childrens literature course. A content analysis was carried out on the reflective journals written by the pre-service teachers. The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers employed five strategies of reflective thinking such as identifying, associating, analysing, assessing and decision-making in their written journals. It is recommended for teacher education to establish learning and teaching environment and promote a shared practice among the peers that facilitate reflective thinking.