Reflection on Application of Current and Emerging Technologies for Reflective- Reflexive Practices in the Classroom

1. Nathifa Lennon
Reflexive - Reflective Practices
Reflection on Application of Current and Emerging
Technologies for Reflective- Reflexive Practices in the
Classroom

2. Module Objectives:
1. Investigate pedagogical approaches by using the following
technology tools for content creation or distribution: e.g., RSS (Real
Simple Syndication), wiki, blog.
2. Evaluate strategies for incorporating social learning tools in the
classroom: e.g., social bookmarking, Twitter, Digg, Flickr.
3. Recommend pedagogical approaches for incorporating the
following technology tools that involve multimedia use: podcasting,
digital storytelling
4. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and
clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning,
and creative processes.

3. ELBERT HUBBARD—
“The greatest mistake a man can ever make
is to be afraid of making one”

4. In this module, topics focused on web 2.0 tools and social media
for reflective practice. There was also focus on collaborative
reflection.
Benefits and challenges of educational blogging
Blogging is an activity which has been used for quite some
years. Educationally, blogs can be used in reflections. Its benefits
include that it provides convenience, independence and fostering
of students creativity as posited by Mapuva et al cited in
Boltivets et al (2018). According to Boltivets et al (2018)
blogging also facilitates reading and literacy in students learning
a second language, encourages collaboration and builds
community.

5. What have I learnt?
Benefits and challenges of educational blogging
Collaborative reflection
Prior to this course, I was not aware of collaborative reflection. According to
Daudelin (1996) and Scott (2010) as cited in Prilla et al (2015), collaborative
reflection means communicating shared experiences, critically analyzing them
and drawing conclusions in a group. There is a process in collaborative
reflection containing various steps. The different steps, explained by Prilla et al
(2015) includes areas of describing and sharing experiences, linking
experiences to other experiences of others, linking experience to knowledge ,
giving advice, solutions and drawing conclusions. It must be noted that linking
experiences to knowledge and others leads to a positive outcome in group
collaboration.

6. What have I learnt?
Benefits and challenges of educational blogging
Video Recordings
Video recordings of oneself provides tremendous opportunities to review one’s
work and improve reflection. Li & Peng (2018) justified that reviewing video
recordings gave students the ability to discern their behaviors in their
performance. Moreover, they proved that videos promoted deeper meaningful
reflections.

7. What have I learnt?
Benefits and challenges of educational blogging
Using Web 2.0 Tools for reflective practice
Students' learning styles are better met when they are able to reflect using
different forms of media. Paper based journals as extensively discussed by
Dyment et al(2011) does not allow immediacy, lacks in supporting students as
learners or provides multiple forms in capturing moments to reflect and
prevents quick feedback. Web 2.0 tools however, diminishes the “quality” of
student’s reflection, allows us to make too many edits to initial posts, too
complicated with graphics with little substance on the reflection and having to
feel anxious about private thoughts being displayed publicly.

8. What have I learnt?
Benefits and challenges of educational blogging
Using Social Media in reflective practice
Ong et at (2020) posits that social media provides an effective opportunity for
reflection as current students are digital natives and social media is a familiar
entity in our lives. Ong (2020) has found that social media unfortunately has
made students focused too heavily on activities that happen (reporting) rather
than reflecting. On the other hand, social media provides an affordable and
feasible avenue to students to reflect and engage in collaborative reflection
within their community. With guidance in reflection, using social media can
become an efficient and effective reflection tool.

9. This current method (using this e - portfolio) is blogging and it does provide
the convenience and creativity in reflecting. Collaborative reflection will be
explored in the next module. The present readings gave advice on how it
should be approached. It also gives insight on the ways that I have
facilitated collaborative learning among my own students may be incorrect.
In my classroom, it is a requirement to record sessions. These recorded
sessions can provide some benefit in my reflections. I have not really used
these recordings for reflective benefit. Video recordings allow me to see
how hidden and unknown aspects of my lessons affect my teaching.
Furthermore in the past, I have used social media among my colleagues to
share information about occurrences in my class. It is possible that I can use
this medium for reflection and not simply reporting.
How do my experiences align with the reading?

10. The research has motivated me to allow my students to continue to use web 2.0 tools
and blogging through e-portfolios. Many times, I wonder if it would be beneficial for
them to simply reflect by writing in their exercise books. That action however, will
certainly not meet their learning needs or seek the benefits of e-portfolios. They may
be too young for social media but the benefits of web 2.0 tools provide many
strengths for their use. In addition to using e- portfolios, collaborative reflection allows
students to use each other's experiences to improve their reflections. This however,
must be done using an effective process to describe their experience, refer to other
experiences, provide suggestions and create results as described by Prilla et al
(2015), leading to actions and changed behavior.
In regards to my own reflective practice, video recordings provide a method to create
substantial reflection. As postulated by Li & Peng (2018) video based reflections
provide a dynamic and flexible way to gain experiences and develop skills, a student
centered approach. I can use these recordings, especially those which were
recordings of “difficult” teaching days. These recordings can provide me with insight
on where the antecedent of the difficulty arose.
What can the research and reading change
present behavior or how can it be used?

11. 1. Continue to use Padlet as an e- portfolio.
2. Look into strategies to ensure students are reflecting
effectively on Padlet and not falling into its challenges.
3. Begin steps in class to initiate collaborative reflection.
Start with students sharing their immediate reflections
with each other and allowing discussions.
4. Join social media groups that “reflect” on teaching
experience than reporting teaching methods and ideas.
Engage with the community of teachers on Twitter.
What’s the plan?

12. References
Boltivets, S., Acharya, S., & Santos, A. (2018) Educational blogging: Implications, benefits and challenges to
pedagogical practice. Pyshreg Journal of Psychology. 2 (2) 105 - 114. 10.5281/zenodo.1788720
Dyment, J., O'Connell, T., & Boyle, I. (2011). The Intersection of Web 2.0 Technologies and Reflective Journals: An
Investigation of Possibilities, Potential and Pitfalls. International Journal of Leadership in Education. 3. 137-150.
10.7768/1948-5123.1090.
Li, A., & Peng, T. (2018) Observing “Myself” in the Video: Fostering Reflective Practice in Oral Presentation Training.
Advances in Language and Literary Studies. 9(3) 138 - 144.10.7575/aiac.alls.v.9n.3p.138.
Ong, W.A., Swanto, S., & AlSaqqaf, A. (2020)Social Media as a Platform for Reflecting Practice: Experience of
Malaysian Pre-service ESL Teachers. The English Teacher. 49(3). 105 - 121.
https://melta.org.my/journals/TET/downloads/tet49_03_03.pdf
Prilla, M., Nolte, A., Blunk, O., Liedtke, D., Renner, B. (2015). Analyzing Collaborative Reflection Support: A Content
Analysis Approach. In: Boulus-Rødje, N., Ellingsen, G., Bratteteig, T., Aanestad, M., Bjørn, P. (eds) ECSCW 2015:
Proceedings of the 14th European Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 19-23 September 2015,
Oslo, Norway. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20499-4_7