Biofeedback as Part of Pedagogical Self-Reflection

Abstract

The subject of this paper are the results of a research survey in which we were examining how teachers' skin conductivity changes based on feelings they experience during a pedagogical micro-performance. Through a follow-up questionnaire and interview, we were verifying how they are aware of this experience, how they interpret it, how they cognitively work with it and how they use it as a basis for other pedagogical activities. Feelings are created as an immediate response (reaction) to a current situation. As for our case, it depends on how teachers feel during the micro-performance, whether they suffer from stage fright in front of their colleagues, experience anxiety or fear, or whether they keep relatively calm. The resulting experience is also influenced by past experience, temperament, interests, goals, thought processes and current mental state. Our research survey is based on the fact that emotions involve measurable physiological changes, for example, a change in skin conductivity, which, if they are measured, inform teachers what they experience during a performance. The fact that teachers are aware of how they feel during this activity influences the course of their other actions and the quality and intensity of subsequent experience. The abovementioned mental phenomena merge with each other and change teacher's attention, focus, motor responses, including subsequent body physiological responses. Based on the research survey, we concluded that the character of a GSR (Galvanic skin response) curve is dependent on a personality type, temperament; it is related to self-confidence, pedagogical experience and emotivity.