Social software for reflective dialogue : questions about reflection and dialogue in student teachers' blogs

• This article presents a study of 57 Swedish pre-school student teachers' experiences and achievements in using blogs for reflective dialogue over the course of 2007–2008. In order to examine the extent to which students engaged in reflective dialogue, text analyses of their blogs were carried out. Furthermore, 13 narrative interviews were conducted to illuminate students' understanding of reflection, and to establish what circumstances influenced their engagement inreflective dialogue. The framework developed by Kreber and Cranton (2000) was used to analyse the blogs in order to determine the level of reflection, while that of Gorsky and Caspi (2005) was used to illuminate students' engagement in dialogue. The article presents a discussion of the circumstances in which students engaged in reflective dialogue. Furthermore, it illuminates the relationship between engagement in dialogue and level of reflection. The importance of students' understanding of reflection, social interaction, and the methods of assessment are highlighted. 

Keyword

teacher education; educational blogs; dialogue; reflection; social interaction

pedagogiskt arbete

educational work

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)