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Using Critical Incidents to Reflect on Teacher Educator Practice

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Reflective Theory and Practice in Teacher Education

Part of the book series: Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices ((STEP,volume 17))

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is twofold – first, to examine the ways in which critical incident identification and analysis can reveal more about the sophisticated complexity of teaching and, second, to provide an exemplar of reflective practice inquiry in teacher education based primarily on experience and reflection (Dewey J, How we think: a restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process. Henry Regenry Co., Chicago, 1933). In this chapter we examine the influence of using critical incident identification and analysis to reflect in and on our practice as teacher educators. Critical incidents were defined as incidents in our practice as teacher educators that caused us to pause and reflect on our work and were collated during an intense period of institutional change. Using self-study methodology, we collated and analysed 32 critical incidents and identified key themes including: the tensions evident in institutional and personal expectations, contrived versus organic collaboration and valuing the teacher as a researcher. In this chapter, we highlight the way the combination of a reflective inquiry lens, a research methodology (self-study of practice) and custom-designed strategies and tools highlights the practicalities and powerful influence of reflective practice.

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Notes

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    denotes pseudonym.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia

    Robyn Brandenburg & Sharon McDonough

Authors
  1. Robyn Brandenburg
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  2. Sharon McDonough
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robyn Brandenburg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Federation University Australia, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

    Robyn Brandenburg

  2. California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA

    Kathryn Glasswell

  3. Australian Catholic University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia

    Mellita Jones

  4. Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Josephine Ryan

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© 2017 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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Brandenburg, R., McDonough, S. (2017). Using Critical Incidents to Reflect on Teacher Educator Practice. In: Brandenburg, R., Glasswell, K., Jones, M., Ryan, J. (eds) Reflective Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. Self-Study of Teaching and Teacher Education Practices, vol 17. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3431-2_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3431-2_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-10-3429-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-3431-2

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