How Physical Education Teacher Education Matters: Exploring the Situatedness of Reflection

Abstract in English

The purpose of this thesis is to advance understanding of how contextual factors shape student teachers’ reflections during practicum, and to develop methodological and analytical approaches for empirically studying such situated reflections. This purpose was pursued through four studies: one conceptual and three empirical.

The conceptual study outlines a theoretical framework for understanding and analyzing situated reflections by examining the anatomical structure of reflections and describing their constituent parts. The three empirical studies investigate how various contexts in the practicum courses of Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) influence, or can influence, student teachers’ reflections in different ways.

This thesis builds on the ontological notion that all reflections are situated. Consequently, it is more relevant to explore the direction of student teachers’ reflections, and what such orientations indicate for future actions, than to examine the essence of reflections in relation to predefined categories.

The findings show that contextual factors influence the orientation of student teachers’ reflections in multiple ways. For example, traces of the cultural values and habits of different school placements were evident in the student teachers’ reflections; mentor teachers’ guidance shaped how student teachers made sense of their practicum experiences; and the way language was used in practicum tasks directed student teachers to focus on specific aspects of teaching situations and framed the concept of reflection with varying purposes.

These results contribute to teaching practice in PETE by offering considerations for educators when supporting student teachers’ reflective processes. The results also contribute new knowledge to the research field by addressing the relatively underexplored area of situated reflections.

In conclusion, the thesis argues that cultivating reflective practitioners requires teacher educators who continually exercise reflective educational judgment. Teacher educators need to consider what is essential in the art of teaching and guide student teachers toward these aspects when encouraging them to reflect.