Exploring Reflective Practice-Based Learning Through Game-Based Design

This paper proposes a collaborative partnership between practicing and pre-service teachers as a model for implementing science teacher education and professional development. This model provides a structure within which partnerships will work collaboratively to plan, implement and reflect on a series of Science lessons in cycles of action-reflection adapted from Korthagen’s (2001) ALACT model. Issues within Science education, teacher professional development and teacher education are considered in the development of the model which attempts to deepen constructivist approaches to teachers’ professional learning. It attempts to address issues with teacher professional development in the science area and improve professional experience practice for pre-service teachers. The nexus between theory and practice is the focus of the model which hopes to inform both teacher education and professional development for science teachers in the primary sector.

Recent advancements in technology have opened up new avenues for educators to facilitate teaching and leverage more learning access in the digital age. As the demand for computational skills continues to grow in preparation for future careers, both teachers and students face the challenge of developing problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills within an emerging digital landscape. Technology adoption, big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence pose ongoing challenges for both teachers and students in adapting to the changing workforce development landscape. To tackle these challenges, the paper highlights the importance of exploring the implications of learning sciences in classroom teaching, developing a holistic vision for professional development in education, and understanding the complexities of teacher change. To effectively implement these components, it is crucial to adopt design approaches that prioritize student ownership in education and embrace the principles of inclusive education to reconceptualize the teaching practices in education and technology.

The transformative vision of NEP 2020 in developing critical thinking, creativity, innovative pedagogies, and professional development of teachers is very closely aligned with the philosophy of reflective learning. Reflective learning involves the process of thinking and analysing one’s own learning experience for continuous improvement in the future. Reflective learning moves beyond rote or procedural engagement, fostering an adaptive mindset that is responsive to dynamic classroom realities and diverse learner needs. It equips teachers with the ability to question their own pedagogical choices, integrate feedback constructively, and adapt to evolving educational contexts. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are: i) To explore the influence of reflective learning practices on critical thinking, self-awareness, and professional growth among pre-service teachers focussing on Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, and ii) To analyse the role of post-teaching reflection in developing reflective thinking and professional competencies in pre-service teacher education. It is a qualitative research where the case study research design has been followed, and data has been collected qualitatively from 125 pre-service B.Ed students for in-depth analysis, for which written reflections, classroom discussions, and observational records have been analysed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings show that structured reflective learning has significantly enhanced critical self-examination, empathy, creativity, professional awareness, and life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and resilience among the pre-service teachers. Aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the study recommends that reflective learning should be an integral part of teacher education because it is vital pedagogical tool for cultivating reflective, adaptive, and professionally competent teachers. Key words: Critical thinking, Creativity, Reflective learning, Professional development

PurposeA significant research base has increasingly shown that one of the most important factors affecting student achievement in second language classrooms is the teacher. Consequently, over the recent decades, much attention has been paid to teacher-related variables in research. Nevertheless, few studies have dealt with the relationship between teachers' self-efficacy, metacognitive awareness and their professional development in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL). As such, the objective of this study is to test a path analysis model of the variables and specifically to examine the hypothesis that metacognitive awareness mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and professional development.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative correlational design was utilized to validate the research hypothesis. Then, data from 200 EFL teachers who were selected through available sampling was obtained using three questionnaires, namely metacognitive inventory by Cem Balcikanli, self-efficacy scale by Tschannen-Moran and Hoy and teachers' professional development inventory by Soodmand Afshar et al. The Pearson correlation coefficient of self-efficacy (r = 757, p < 0.000) revealed a significant positive relationship with metacognitive awareness, and the Pearson correlation coefficient of metacognitive awareness (r = 0.848, p < 0.000) showed a significant positive relationship with professional development.FindingsThe results showed the hypothetical model of the relationship among the research variables as well as verifying the mediator role of metacognitive awareness by multiple regression and path analysis. Then, the implications of metacognitive awareness, self-efficacy and professional development were put forward.Originality/valueThe majority of research on teacher professional development has focused appropriately on its relationship with components such as management training, teacher practice, reflective practice and academic achievement. In this line of research, the investigation of the potential links among self-efficacy, professional development and metacognitive awareness as interacting variables is scarce. More substantially, no prior exploration has been conducted concerning the mediating effect of metacognitive awareness in association with English teachers' self-efficacy and professional development.

This paper deals with debriefing for game-based learning. Using a design-based research methodology, our goal consists of modeling debriefing and helping teachers to implement debriefing into their teaching practices. This model has been tested during experimentations carried out in upper secondary classes (15–17 years old) in Switzerland. Four game-based courses using the game “Programming Game” have been analyzed. In this paper we focus on the debriefing phase. In order to identify how knowledge is processed during the debriefing, we used an annotation software for categorizing interactions between the teacher and the students. Results show that practices differ among teachers regarding debriefing and that the processing of knowledge (named institutionalization) is not fully performed.

Implementation of Multimedia-assisted Collaborative Game-Based Learning to Improve Competitive Spirit and Problem Solving Ability in Literacy Learning for Elementary Students. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of collaborative game-based learning assisted by multimedia in improving the competitive spirit and problem solving skills of literacy learning for elementary school students. Methods: A quantitative research approach was used, with an experimental research design. The specific design was a one-group pre-test post-test design. The research subjects consisted of 30 grade 4-6 students from an elementary school in Surabaya. Data were collected through pre- and post-test assessments to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Findings: The findings revealed that the implementation of multimedia-assisted collaborative game-based learning had a significant positive effect on students' competitive spirit and problem-solving abilities. By integrating game elements with team-based collaboration, this approach enhanced students' literacy skills while fostering critical, creative, and analytical thinking. The collaborative nature of the games allowed students to engage in healthy competition, which not only boosted their motivation but also improved their teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, students developed negotiation skills and learned how to work cooperatively to achieve common goals, which are vital social competencies. Conclusion: In conclusion, the implementation of multimedia-assisted collaborative game-based learning proved to be an effective strategy for enhancing students' competitive spirit, problem-solving skills, and literacy development. The approach, by combining game elements with collaborative efforts, effectively promoted critical thinking and enhanced social skills, making it a promising educational tool for elementary school students. This study suggests that game-based learning, supported by multimedia, can be an engaging and effective method to improve both cognitive and social outcomes in literacy education. Keywords: collaborative learning, game-based learning, literacy learning, competitive spirit, problem solving skills.

The present paper aims to illustrate the reorganization of two post-graduate courses, “Museum Education. Theoretical aspects” and “Advanced Studies in Museum Education” promoted by CDM (Center for Museum Studies) - Dept. of Education at Roma Tre University, carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to analyze the education strategies adopted in terms of museum professionals development to face the Covid-19 museum and universities 2020 Italian lockdown.The results emerging from the quantitative evaluation of the module “Museum and Social Networks”, taking into consideration the activities and digital tools proposed, show the efficacy of the courses reorganization, in terms of transverse and professional skills development in university students, critical thinking and collaboration in particular. Moreover, the data analysis give useful indications in term of university online lectures, laboratory activities and practices in e-learning mode, evaluation tools and methodologies aimed at solliciting professional development of in-training museum educators in university learning context.

In our informational society, the progress leaded by the new technologies demands quick changes and the schools needs to adjust and reform their politics and educational approaches promptly. The professional development of teachers is the most important tool for adapting and improving the education to the continuous changes. Boosted by the high evaluation criteria of the teachers, a lot of professional developments programs have emerged in training institutions and organizations, adding more pressure on Romanian teachers. As a direct effect, teachers perceive the professional development as another source of stress and frustration in their work, because they feel that such programs are ineffective and time consuming. Some of the programs have received an official or informal recognition. Unfortunately, a lot of these programs lack quality, producing only slight effects and spending lots of resources and time. Our intervention highlights the importance of online professional development, which can be a platform for creativity and innovation, emphasizing good practices. In the past years, the research about the professional development in online learning environment has kept growing. Most of papers only describe the programs, without offering a clear evaluation on the impact of the respective programs on the teachers' current practices. Our proposal shows the need for empirical research that provides program models for online teacher training and objective criteria, in order to estimate which kind of program can offer better support for creativity and changes in teacher's practices. Based on the empirical research, the online training programs can become a way to exploring new patterns of collaboration and creative teaching. Recommendations for future research on the influence of online learning environments in the professional teacher's development are offered.

The increasing integration of digital tools into teaching presents opportunities to enhance interactivity, flexibility, and student-centeredness for science education. However, for these opportunities to be fully realized, teachers need to develop the necessary competencies and positive beliefs to effectively incorporate digital media into their pedagogical practices. Therefore, offering high-quality professional development (PD) is essential. Such programs provide teachers with hands-on training, strengthen their self-efficacy, and support student-centered teaching strategies, including the reflective use of digital media. Our ministry-funded project LFB-Labs-digital has developed empirically based PD programs in student labs across different subjects. For this context, a design-based research (DBR) approach was conducted within an interdisciplinary quality management (QM) to aim at analyzing specific success factors and barriers of these PD programs. Hereby, we collect data from regular web-based discussions and short follow-up interviews with PD facilitators about their PD programs as well as incorporated observations. The evaluation framework was aligned with established criteria for effective PD, allowing for a systematic analysis of key success factors and necessary modifications. Our findings highlight several key factors for the success of PD programs in student labs. Identified success factors including technical support, curricular alignment, flexible formats, hands-on orientation, peer support and structured reflection opportunities that help teachers critically evaluate and adapt digital strategies to their teaching practice. These factors must be balanced against persistent barriers such as technical and organizational barriers as well as teachers’ heterogeneous digital competencies. Facilitators emphasize the need for PD programs that address diverse teacher needs while maintaining coherence in content delivery. By integrating multiple perspectives—facilitators, and systematic observations—this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how student labs can function as effective PD environments and provides concrete insights for scaling up and optimizing digital competency acquisition across subjects.

Reflective practice is widely recognized as an essential component of teacher professional development (TPD), and journal writing is an effective way to enhance teachers’ engagement in it. This study explores how in-service English teachers perceive and implement reflective practice, and how it contributes to their professional growth. Despite its importance, few studies have systematically examined how experienced teachers reflect on their English teaching. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research analysed six weeks of reflective journals written by six in-service English teachers with 7–26 years of experience, employing thematic analysis. It also incorporated open-ended survey responses from over 180 teachers, analysed using multiple response analysis (MRA) to triangulate and complement findings. Five key focusing areas emerged: (1) evaluating teaching, (2) approaches and methods, (3) theories of teaching, (4) self-awareness, and (5) cross-cultural communication. Survey results confirmed the significant role of reflection in TPD, and revealed after-lesson individual reflection was the most common practice. The study offers insights into how experienced English teachers reflect on their teaching practices and how such reflection supports their professional development, providing practical implications for future TPD initiatives.

The Training Programme for Teachers’ Professional Development on Problem Solving is an interdisciplinary endeavour settled in a cross segment of three disciplines: educational science, psychology, and management science. Scientific inquiry on educational science provides the suitable theoretical background for teaching and teachers’ competencies; teachers’ thinking; teacher education and professional development.

The purpose of our overall research agenda is to develop and evaluate a methodology for the assessment of teachers in which experienced teachers, serving as judges, engage in dialogue to integrate multiple sources of evidence about a candidate to reach a sound conclusion. The project that provides the venue for this research agenda is the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), which is developing a portfolio assessment system to assist participating states in making a decision about teacher licensure. To develop the theoretical foundation necessary to support and evaluate such dialogic and integrative assessment practices, we turn, in part, to the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics, as a complement to psychometrics. In this article, we characterize and assess the processes in which judges, trying out an integrative approach to portfolio evaluation for the first time, engage as they collaboratively construct and document their conclusions, and we locate this work in the larger research agenda. The premise of this project, which is being carefully evaluated in the course of inquiry, is that these integrative practices cannot only lead to an epistemologically sound evaluation of teaching but also promote an ongoing professional dialogue of critical reflection on teaching practice. Current calls for reform in the professional development and practice of teachers consistently highlight particular themes—that successful teachers integrate complex evidence about their students’ learning and the context in which they work, that they engage in ongoing critical reflection about their own teaching practices, and that they work as members of active learning communities (e.g., Darling-Hammond, 1995; INTASC, 1992; Lieberman, 1990; Little, 1993; Lord, 1994; Meier, 1995; NBPTS, n.d.; National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, 1996; Richardson, 1990; Tyack & Cuban, 1995). Consistent with this reform effort is the movement toward performancebased licensing and certification of teachers and the preparation of accomplished teachers to serve as judges for these assessments (INTASC, 1995; NBPTS, 1994). These are important steps toward bringing assessment practices in line with the goals of reform. As important as these steps are, there exists a substantial disjunction between the assessment practices teachers typically engage in as judges or readers in large-scale assessment and the goals of the current reform movement. While psychometric theory has advanced to accommodate the evaluation of complex performances (e.g., Cronbach, Linn, Brennan & Haertel, 1995; Wiley & Haertel, 1994; Mislevy, 1994), conventional procedures for evaluating these performance assessments typically have individual readers working independently, scoring one exercise at a time, blind to the candidate’s performance on other exercises. To reach a decision about certification, these independent scores are algorithmically combined and compared to a cut score predetermined by a

This study compares the views of teachers and professional development facilitators about effective professional development (PD). We analyzed interviews with 72 teacher participants and 23 PD facilitators involved in nine science and mathematics PD projects. The teachers' themes for characterizing effective PD included classroom application, teacher as learner, and teacher networking. Similarly, the PD facilitators discussed effective PD as having classroom application and experiences for teachers as learners. In addition, PD facilitators shared the need to develop collegial relationships with teachers and improve teacher knowledge. These views correspond to some of the standards and recommendations described in policy and research documents on effective PD. Criteria of effective PD in these documents that the participants did not mention included: (1) challenging teachers' content and pedagogical content knowledge with transformative learning experiences, (2) encouraging teacher leadership for sustained support, and (3) focusing on student learning by instructing teachers on how to use student data to inform their teaching practice. Our findings have implications for designing PD that reflects the criteria of standards-based reform.

Purpose While it is particularly important that professional programs help teachers become members of a community of practice, especially in crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lack of research about strategies to effectively encourage the development of a community of practice and to support teachers’ transformation of their way of teaching. Thus, this paper aims to report on lessons learned from a blended professional development (PD) program for elementary and middle school teachers in Japan focused on computer programming education. In particular, the authors explored how application of the creative learning principles in the blended teacher PD may have helped to nurture a community of practice among teachers in Japan, and how the creative learning principles may be a valuable framework for designing online or blended teacher PD to support teachers’ transition into emergency remote education. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports on the lessons learned from two iterations of blended teacher PD situated within a larger design-based research project on applying creative learning pedagogy in teacher PD. Creative learning is a learning approach focused on engagement in personally meaningful projects by tinkering with materials and learning from peers. A total of 26 teachers and coaches participated, all of whom work in elementary or middle schools across Nagano prefecture in Japan. Participant experiences were evaluated based on a pre-survey and a post-survey conducted before and after the in-person kick-off camp; observation notes taken; a final report submitted by each teacher; a debrief meeting at the end of the program; and semi-structured interviews with three selected participants after the program concluded. For this paper, the authors focus on two participants who fully and actively engaged in the program, and they introduce their stories to highlight the outcomes from the PD. Findings The results highlight how a blended PD designed to support creative learning of teachers provided teachers with opportunities to gain help from other teachers and cultivate their expertise. The results also illustrated that how a community of practice emerged from the PD program, providing teachers with moral support when they tried new lesson designs. This paper offers several recommendations for designing professional learning experiences for instructional designers and professional developers that incorporate remote learning technologies. Originality/value While an increased number of studies have shown the values of online and blended communities of practice for teacher PD, there are still limited insights on different strategies to support teachers in transforming their teaching practices. They generally do not provide teachers with opportunities to continue learning with and from one another beyond the program itself. This study examined the teachers’ experiences in a unique PD that implemented a creative learning approach into a blended learning environment for teachers.

Structured classroom observation protocols provide instructors with data about their teaching practices, but instructors may not meaningfully engage with those data without guidance. To facilitate instructor reflection, educational developers from the Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) and educational researchers from STEM departments across three campuses collaborated to design and implement a novel faculty professional development program that would promote reflection on teaching using instructors’ Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS; Smith et al., 2013) data—a program we call data-informed professional development (DIPD). The program involved faculty completion of/participation in a teaching reflection, structured classroom observations from two course sessions, at least one meeting with CTL staff, an exit interview, and an opportunity to update their original teaching reflection. Through qualitatively coding the post-DIPD exit interviews, we found that instructors primarily reflected on their COPUS data with a desire to increase student engagement. Instructors also described being more open to making small changes to their courses, feeling supported to make changes to their teaching, and feeling that there was an important element of community-building in the DIPD program. And finally, instructors described how the DIPD experience was beneficial for promoting reflection on teaching practices, but the meeting portion was critical–providing data from the structured observations alone was not sufficient for a variety of reasons. Our study can serve as a teaching professional development model for how educational developers and education researchers can collaborate to prompt instructors to critically reflect on their teaching practices using structured observation protocols.