The relationship between reflective thinking and level of teacher development as measured in teachers' stimulated recall interviews

While reflective thinking has received growing attention in the field of teaching and teacher education, most current measures use reflectivity to promote as well as define teachers' professional development. Various models of reflective thinking were reviewed. These models include hierarchical measures with an emphasis in moral ideology, reflection as a problem solving process, and Schon's concept of frame analysis in reflective thinking. A new model (Garcia model) of reflective thinking that incorporates hierarchical, problem solving differences in theoretical frames was developed for this study. As the Garcia model can be used to examine reflection in professional practice in general, it provides a measure for examining the relationship between levels of reflective thinking and stages of teacher development. The Ammon and Hutcheson theory of pedagogical conceptualizations was used as the measure of teacher development to which reflective thinking was compared. The Garcia model of reflective thinking and the Ammon and Hutcheson theory of teacher development were used to test the hypothesis that a positive association exists between reflective thinking and teacher development. Teachers at high levels of development were predicted to engage in high levels of reflective thinking. Reflective thinking was predicted to occur, in qualitatively different ways, at all stages of teacher development. Thirty teachers with Master of Arts degrees from two different teacher education programs were interviewed. Responses regarding reflective thinking in practice, and regarding successful and unsuccessful instructional events were holistically coded and rank ordered for level of reflection and stage of teacher development. Scoring guides are provided for reflective thinking and teacher development. A significant Spearman rank correlation was found between quality of reflection and stage of teacher development. Eight case studies are reported to illustrate the characteristics of teachers at various levels of reflection and stages of development. All thirty teachers interviewed were rated at the second, third or fourth stages of teacher development. All qualitative levels of reflective thinking were represented in the sample. Findings are generally consistent with predictions that higher levels of reflective thinking are associated with more advanced teacher development. Implications for the role of reflection in teacher education are discussed.