Skip to main content
Article
Using reflective journals for analysing pre-service, early childhood teachers' perceptions of practicum experiences
Issues in Educational Research
  • Zeina Hojeij, Zayed University
  • Lawrence Meda, Zayed University
  • Amir Kaviani, Zayed University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-4-2021
Abstract

This paper reports on the findings of a qualitative study conducted to explore the effects of reflective journal keeping by 30 female pre-service teachers studying at a university in the United Arab Emirates. At the onset of the study, the participants were trained on the principles of reflective journal writing and were asked to write in their journals during and after the completion of their weekly field experience over a period of ten weeks. Through content analysis, the qualitative data collected were analysed and four salient themes emerged from the data, i.e., “teaching using technology”, “constructive learning”, “experiential learning and play”, and “class management”. The data indicate that the teacher-trainees benefited greatly from writing reflectively as an important exercise that can help them develop professionally and ethically in their careers and aid their students to develop a good understanding of the subject(s) taught. The researchers believe reflective journal writing provides both the pre-service and in-service teachers with unique opportunities to examine and improve their teaching and their students' learning experiences. The researchers likewise believe in order to achieve optimal professional and practical results, teachers should be effectively trained by experienced and skilled educators on to how to write in their journals.

Publisher
Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Inc.
Disciplines
Scopus ID
85104189013
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
Yes
Open Access Type
Bronze: This publication is openly available on the publisher’s website but without an open license
http://www.iier.org.au/iier31/hojeij-abs.html
Citation Information
Zeina Hojeij, Lawrence Meda and Amir Kaviani. "Using reflective journals for analysing pre-service, early childhood teachers' perceptions of practicum experiences" Issues in Educational Research Vol. 31 (2021) p. 130 - 148 ISSN: <a href="https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/0313-7155" target="_blank">0313-7155</a>
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/zeina-hojeij/7/