Supporting student teachers’ reflection through assessment : The case of reflective podcasts

Abstract

Reflection is a key learning objective of teacher education, yet little is known about the ways in which it could be supported through assessment. In this case study (N = 14), we examine the potential of a novel assessment task—reflective podcasting—in supporting first-year student teachers’ reflection. We analyzed student group podcasts and corresponding student reflections and found that the task engendered reflection. Three theory-driven dimensions were constructed to emphasize the unique nature of podcasts for student reflection: experientiality, authenticity, and communality. We encourage factoring these dimensions into assessment designs that seek to foster student reflection.