EFL teachers' reflective practice via online discussions

Abstract

This study investigated EFL teachers‟ participation in reflective practice oriented (RP-oriented) online discussion forums. More specifically, it explored the reflection types (reflection-in, reflection-on and reflection-for-action) instructors engaged in. To this end, the study explored RP-oriented online discussions utilized in a methodology course by nine experienced English as a foreign language teachers who were students in a master‟s program in teaching English as a foreign language at a foundation university in Ankara, Turkey. The data were collected through three different instruments: a background information questionnaire, RP-oriented discussions and interviews. All the qualitative data were analyzed according to Boyatzis‟ (1998) thematic analysis.Initially, each participant‟s data were printed out and examined to discover the themes that naturally emerged. After that, the emerging themes in the initial analysis were color-coded and related to three sensitizingconcepts, specifically a) reflection-on-action b) reflection-in-action and c) reflection-for-action. The findings of the study revealed that in RP-oriented discussion platforms participants engaged in a) reflection-on-action by considering their past experiences both as learners and teachers, b) reflection-in-action by sharing their beliefs and teaching practices c) reflection-on-action by defining their intentions on reshaping their future practices as well as providing suggestions for their institutions. Considering these results, this study challenged the results of studies that have investigated the use of reflective practices in online-asynchronous discussion platforms and provided further directions in identifying successful utilization of RPoriented online discussions in in-service teacher education.