Integrating technology to facilitate critical reflection and creativity in pre-service teacher development

Abstract

Reflection is known to be at the centre of professional development. This study aims to investigate how trainees are engaged in self-reflection upon their own learning at an experiential training course. A series of face-to-face sessions on teaching reading to young learners is provided and complemented by online asynchronous communication. Data are gathered from pre- and post-session questionnaires, logs from trainees' learning journals, interviews, observation and trainees' work. The triangulated analysis of the collected data reveals that the experiential learning with online interaction is conducive to raising trainees' awareness through critical reflection. It also shows roles that technology plays in trainees' creative thinking in devising unconventional learning activities. The findings of the study further provide implications for pre- and in-service teacher training program development and practice in other contexts.