Delving Into Teachers’ Development Through Portfolio Reflections: Case Studies of Three Teachers

As part of longitudinal research on the role and scope of portfolios in teacher education programs, this study employs a case study approach to systematically examine the portfolio contents and reflections of three teachers enrolled in an advanced professional development master’s degree program in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rebecca Fox, Stephen White, Julie Kidd, Gail Ritchie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Georgia Southern University 2008-01-01
Series:International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Subjects:
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/vol2/iss1/12
Description
Summary:As part of longitudinal research on the role and scope of portfolios in teacher education programs, this study employs a case study approach to systematically examine the portfolio contents and reflections of three teachers enrolled in an advanced professional development master’s degree program in education; the three teachers were purposely selected as representative of the teachers in our program. Specifically, we examined the written reflections submitted in their program portfolios and transcripts from their exit presentations to identify connections to program learning outcomes and to gain insight into the scope and nature of the change of the teachers during the program. We sought to identify influences that program experiences had on their growth and their teaching practice. We contend that by thorough and systematic examination of portfolio contents, and in particular teachers’ reflections included in the portfolios, programs can gain insights into teachers’ learning, practices, and critical reflection which, in turn, may be used to inform program decisions.
ISSN:1931-4744