Review article
https://doi.org/10.31192/np.16.1.8
Teacher education students’ self-reflection on their performance during the visual arts teaching experience
Marijana Županić Benić
orcid.org/0000-0002-7340-3439
Abstract
Self-reflection is one of the most important practices both in teaching and in the professional development of teachers. Examining the students’ ability to self-reflect on their teaching practice is a significant aspect of improving the quality of their teaching, as well as the quality of their initial education. To this end, a qualitative phenomenological study was conducted at the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, during the second semester of the academic year 2016/17. The study attempted to examine the students’ reflections on their teaching experiences in a Visual Arts class. The sample consisted of Primary Education students in their fourth year of study. The participants filled in an anonymous questionnaire with open-ended questions. This paper presents the data received during the analysis of the participants’ answers, grouped in six categories: fears experienced before the lesson, difficulties associated with writing the lesson plan, difficulties experienced while working with the pupils, self-assessment of the efficacy of their teaching performance, potential areas for performance improvement, and parts of the performance the students wanted to change. The most common fear was that there would not be enough time to cover all content and activities. The participants also reported encountering difficulties with integrating theoretical knowledge with teaching practice, e.g. during planning and preparation for the lesson, communicating with the pupils, and using art-specific language in teaching visual arts problems and terms. The obtained data provides insight into the outcomes of students’ self-reflections on their visual arts teaching experiences and the importance of self-reflection for the initial education and professional development of future teachers.
Keywords
higher education quality; reflection; self-reflection; teacher education; visual arts teaching methodology
Hrčak ID:
196234
URI
Publication date:
22.3.2018.
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