Helen Boulton – helen.boulton@ntu.ac.uk Dr Alison Hramiak – a.hramiak@shu.ac.uk

1. Developing reflective practitioners through the use of blogs: a collaborative approach to learning communities Helen Boulton – helen.boulton@ntu.ac.uk Dr Alison Hramiak – a.hramiak@shu.ac.uk

2. Overview • Background and context • Phase 1 overview • Phase 2 overview • What we did – methods of data collection • The findings from the two institutions • The analysis – reflection and development

3. The Main Messages: • Development of deeper reflection, and much broader reflective practice • Development of reflective practitioners • Sharing of reflections and personal development • Developing a community of practice for reflection • Increasingly independent reflections

4. Phase 1 overview • Phase 1 of this research focused on determining if blogs could provide a setting for reflective practice. • Responses from trainee teachers from a variety of subject backgrounds across the 2 universities identified that the use of blogs did assist them with their own development as reflective practitioners. • This research was presented at the ALT-C Conference, Sept 2008.

5. Phase 2 overview • Did the 'bloggers' from the first phase of the research - now in their second year of teaching – continue to blog. Inhibitors and enablers. • A comparative analysis was conducted using data from interviews from both HEIs. • Reflective theory used to help to understand the responses in terms of the change in attitude to reflection between their training and actual teaching. Linked to theories of communities of practice (Wenger, 1998) and to socio constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978).

6. Background • 1/3 time in university and 2/3 time in schools on two separate placements • SHU and NTU collaborated over last 18 months in the use of reflective diaries with Education students using a web log (blog) • Private blogs for self-reflection on professional development – accessed by lecturers during the year to provide feedback on reflections • Small action research case study, data collected included blog transcripts, interviews with trainees and questionnaires

7. Phase 2 methodology andmethods • A follow up of the data collated from phase 1 using face to face or phone interviews with the ‘bloggers’ from the cohorts at both institutions during their first term as NQTs. • Interviews/telephone conversations were semi-structured. Same questions were asked in the same order of each participant, with some flexibility for recording of additional comments.

8. Cont., • The questions asked centred around their use of blogs for reflection during their first year of teaching, and whether or not they used blogs in their own teaching with their pupils. • Approximately 30% of the initial cohorts was interviewed in this way. Interview data was analysed looking at similarities and differences between the trainees within an institution, and also comparing the responses between the institutions. • An additional 38% completed the on-line questionnaire

9. Data Collection - over both phases • Two sets of blogs collected for each cohort in each institution • Statistical data on number and dates of entries • Trainees interviewed at the end of the year • Analysis based on literature review – thematic approach • Questionnaire

10. Analysis of data • Thematic analysis of blog transcripts – (Oti and Clarke 2007) • Development as a reflective practitioner • Emerging professional identity as a teacher

11. Findings – did we strike gold?

12. Findings • Reflective practice entries variable – from descriptive to truly reflective. Improves towards the end of the second placement. Some are very good at this by the end of the course – critical, reflective, analytical and evaluative. • Evidence of development as professionals within transcripts • Builds up through both placements –a definite progression seen

13. Findings cont., • All interviewees said they continued to reflect on their practice in their NQT year (57% weekly and 43% monthly). Only two used a blog to do this. • One student had shared his blog with this year’s cohort. • A variety of means for reflection were given. • Many mentioned that a lack of time during their working week meant that refection was often done in the most convenient way, either by annotating lesson plans, or verbally discussing with colleagues when there was a break in teaching. • .

14. More findings... • Only one respondent said they were using blogs for teaching - new for the current year. • 67% were intending to develop this within their curriculum in the next 12 months. 50% indicating that they had either trained colleagues in how to use blogs, or had been asked to run a training session within their school. • When asked about the inhibitors in moving this forward, responses included that the pupils were not up to it, or the schools infrastructure or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) could not support it.

15. Yet more findings... • School firewalls would not permit the use of a blog ‘[..]but because of firewall settings it will not be easy including it in our planning as this might not work’. • One teacher using blogs in teaching was very positive about it. Using blogs for KS4 and 5 classes (14-19). 10% of their marks are for their blog. • He said that they do not find reflection easy to do. Also using pod casts with some KS3 (12-13) classes "…the kids love it, it's sexing up IT in the curriculum"

16. Even more findings • In terms of cascading the use of blogs with their peers and colleagues in schools, only the 'digital champion' was positive about this, as he was tasked with looking at new technologies and best practice of IT within his group and from there cascading his findings to the rest of the department. • The rest of the respondents had neither used blogs with their own pupils, nor had any plans to do so, and this was the same for the use of them with their colleagues

17. Overall the Findings... • Enablers were... • Opportunity to use an online tool for reflection that can be accessed from anywhere. • Cost. • Privacy. • Sharing.

18. Inhibitors were... • Real life. • Access. • Lack of training.

19. Time... • Time - an inhibitor and an enabler. • During the course an enabler. After the PGCE trainees did not have the (as much) time to reflect. • Reflection is a requirement of both trainees and NQTs – important in both phases of this research • Trainees have more time for reflection during their training, compared with when they were teaching.

20. Main Messages: • Development of deeper and much broader reflection and reflective practice - development of increasingly independent reflective practitioners • Reflection not as high a priority for qualified teachers as it was when they were trainees. NQTs reflected either verbally straight after lessons, or on hastily written notes on lesson plans. • Reflection using blogs was only a feature for one teacher, the rest of the participants indicated that they did not use blogs for their reflection or in their teaching.

21. More main messages... • Blogs - a useful tool by which to record reflections and development as teachers. Clear enablers and inhibitors identified through the research. • Avoidance of duplication of effort is essential.   • Trainees did not have the same (as much) amount of time for reflection once qualified – priorities. • Disappointing that few (1 from each cohort interviewed) were using the blog tool in their teaching.

22. References • Divintini, M., Haugalokken, O., & Morken, E. (2005). Blog to support learning in the field: lessons learned from a fiasco. Paper presented at the Fifth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT). • Oti, J., & Clarke, R. (2007). Dyslexia and online writing: Student teachers experiences of writing about themselves in a public forum. Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association Annual Conference. • Vygotsky, L. 1978. Mind in Society The Development of Higher Psychological Processes (1st ed.). London: Harvard University PressWenger, E. 1998. Communities of Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

23. Any Questions?