Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Reflective practice is an essential component of initial teacher education (ITE) programs in Australia that supports the development of preservice teachers’ responsive decision-making, planning, and ongoing professional growth. Yet, many preservice teachers continue to produce reflections that are descriptive, superficial, or disconnected from evidence of their practice. In response to this challenge, this study examines how mentor teachers support preservice teachers’ professional learning through reflection on video captures of their own teaching. Applying a qualitative study design, data collected using online surveys with mentor teachers indicate that retrospective video analysis enables mentors to identify pedagogically significant moments for reflection that support evidence-based dialogue. Video functions as a teaching microscope, requiring mentors to adjust the focus, direct preservice teachers’ attention, and scaffold their interpretation of what is observed. However, practical and systemic barriers significantly impact sustained implementation. This study highlights the potential of teacher mentors’ use of retrospective video analysis in ITE to enhance preservice teachers’ reflective practice, offering insights into how this approach can be effectively incorporated and scaled.
Source: Education Sciences
Authors: Allison Byth, Jo Blannin
Institution: Monash University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W7155201024