THE DIMENSIONS OF REFLECTION: A CONCEPTUAL AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

Year 2005, Volume: 1 Issue: 3, 58 - 78, 01.12.2005

Abstract

In the article, authors identify some of the problems in the present notions of reflective
teaching. The authors argue that none of these conceptions deal with reflection itself in a
reflexive way. They tend to use theories of reflection as a canopy for their own "middle level"
theorizing about reflective teaching. First, the authors consider the development of the term and
some of its popularization in teacher education. Some problems the authors identify are located
in the history of the concept "reflection" and its philosophical underpinnings. Others emerge
from particular applications within teacher education itself. Their critique challenges the
prevalent conceptions of reflection and proceeds to offer new direction for further reconstruction
of the theory and practice of reflective teaching. The final section offers an alternative
conceptualization of “reflection” designed to address many of the concerns the authors raise,
while acknowledging that some will always need to be addressed as a continual process.

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• An earlier version of this paper was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
• Educational Research Association, New Orleans, April, 1988. The present paper benefited from
• the thoughtful and caring comments of Michael Apple and Fazal Rizvi. Authors’ Details
• *Susan Noffke is an associate professor at the department of Curriculum and Instruction in the
• University of Illnois. She has done historical/conceptual work in social studies as well as some
• analysis of her own practice as a social studies teacher educator, both of these with a particular
• eye toward issues of anti-racist education.
• **Marie Brennan is the Dean of Education and Head of School at the University of South
• Australia. Prior to this appointment in 2002, her previous academic jobs were at the University
• of Canberra, Central Queensland University and Deakin Universities. Her research interests
• include policy, education reform, student participation and action research.
• Appendix: The Dimensions of Reflection