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Reflection in Education - 1

Running Head: Attitudes and Perceptions about Reflection

A SURVEY OF TEACHERS CONCERNING ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS ABOUT

REFLECTION IN EDUCATION

By

Michelle Nolan

Submitted to

The Educational Leadership Faculty

Northwest Missouri State University

Department of Educational Leadership

College of Education and Human Services

Maryville, MO 64468

Submitted in Fulfillment for the Requirements for

61-683 Research Paper

Spring 2013

May 3, 2013


ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to analyze the beliefs and perceptions about reflection by

educators. The research contains answers to questions such as “Do teachers have different beliefs

or perceptions of reflection and how it can improve teaching practices?”, “Are the beliefs and

perceptions of reflection different among teachers that teach at different education levels?”, and

“Are the beliefs and perceptions of reflection different between female and male educators?” The

research for the study included conducting a survey anonymously through Surveymonkey.com

and distributing it to a Midwestern school district. The results of the survey were analyzed using

the programs Microsoft Excel and A Statistical Program (ASP). Results point toward a

significant difference in the perceptions and beliefs pertaining to reflection of teachers at varying

levels of education. Training and professional development revolving around reflection are some

aspects of improvement that the school district could consider to improve the outcome of the

analysis findings.


INTRODUCTION

Background, Issues, and Concerns

The profession of teaching is one that promotes lifelong learning both personally and

professionally. Teacher effectiveness in the classroom is vital for increased student achievement

to occur. One process that can aid in the development of teacher effectiveness is reflection.

(What makes, 2010). Regular reflection pertaining to a teacher’s individual teaching practices

can influence the future teaching practices of that teacher. The perception that teachers have of

reflection and the effect it can have on the teaching practices that occur in a classroom is just as

important. While reflection is taught in undergraduate programs around the country, it seems as

though that tool is left by the wayside when teachers enter the world of teaching and are in

charge of their own classroom. Reflection has become a strategy that is forgotten about in the

busyness of a teacher’s schedule and although it is viewed as a way to achieve more

effectiveness, is lacking in classrooms. As reflection is increased in the daily schedule of a

teacher, self-assessment becomes a tool that can be utilized to promote effectiveness. It goes

without saying that some teachers do quick self-assessments as they teach, but they are lacking

the deep self-reflection that is needed for improvement in teaching practices. There are several

factors that can play important roles in the reasoning behind the lack of reflection such as the

shortage of time, lack of training, and the overall perceptions of reflection and its practicality

when utilized in the classroom.

Teaching can be posed as a difficult profession that is not necessarily defined as a “nine

to five” job. In this profession, teachers are expected to accomplish numerous tasks throughout

the day which can range from learning how to run the copying machine in the office to teaching

effective, engaging, and differentiated lessons to a classroom of students. While all these tasks


are imperative for an average school day to run smoothly, teachers also have to engage in

reflective thinking relating to student learning and if their own best teaching practices occurring

in the classroom.

In a rural Midwestern town, a school district, which will be referred as SSD, teacher

perceptions of reflection were surveyed for both elementary and secondary educators. In SSD,

teachers are not necessarily trained in the art of reflecting on their lessons. New teachers that are

hired in the district receive a tour of all the schools in the district during orientation. Also during

this orientation, the necessary paperwork is signed and filed. Professional development

throughout the district is planned by a team that collects teacher surveys at the beginning of the

year. Despite having well planned professional development days pertaining to topics such as

curriculum, rubrics, and MAP testing data, the district is lacking true training and discussions

about the development of self-reflection.

Practice Under Investigation

The practice under investigation is how best to encourage reflection among teachers to

promote more effective teaching practices.

Conceptual Underpinnings of the Study

“Research promotes reflective teaching as an important distinguishing strategy between

experienced and novice teachers and is a critical tool for developing teacher knowledge”

(Lowery, 2003, pg. 23). Self-reflection is a vital component of teaching which can play an active

role in how teachers design lessons and establish effective teaching practices. Without the

practice of reflective teaching, teachers cannot create a baseline for self-improvement, learn from

mistakes made, and go on to promote “best practices” in their classrooms. When self-reflection is

implemented by teachers, the depth and quality of reflection topics increases greatly causing


confidence and increasing knowledge about the learners in the classroom, the content they are

teaching, and the teaching practices that they are utilizing in their rooms (Lowery, 2003). In turn,

not only can educators thrive from self-reflection practices, but students can as well.

Reflective teaching can also have an impact on student achievement. While teachers

practice reflective teaching, they are adapting their lessons to better suit each learner’s needs.

Self-reflection by the teacher can allow the teacher to see how his or her teaching style can affect

whether or not the learners in the classroom understand the concept that is being taught.

Practicing reflection on a regular basis has several benefits that aid a teacher in teaching using

his or her “best practices.”

Statement of the Problem

There is a lack of training and knowledge about the benefits of regular occurring

reflection by teachers. The district mission of SSD is to “nuture, inspire, challenge, and

encourage every student by providing the education to become a productive member of society.”

In order for the district to uphold its mission statement, teachers are expected to continually

improve in their teaching practices. Professional development days are spent learning different

strategies to use in the classroom and different tools that can aid in differentiating instruction for

the students in the room. However, despite the sources that the district takes advantage of in

regards to training the staff and personnel, there is a lack in training when it comes to

incorporating different types of reflection into each teacher’s routine.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to gain knowledge about teachers’ perceptions pertaining to

reflection. The information gained will be used to brainstorm ways to promote reflection


amongst the teachers in the district and also to develop different types of professional

development activities that will aid in increasing teacher reflection.

Research Questions

RQ1: Are there differences in how various teachers perceive the impact that reflection has on

teaching practices?

RQ2: Is there a significant difference between elementary, middle, and secondary educators’

beliefs about reflection and how it can help improve teaching practices?

RQ3: Is there a significant difference between male and female educators’ beliefs about

reflection and how it can aid in improving teaching practices?

Null Hypothesis

NH2: There is no difference of perceptions between elementary and secondary educators in

regards to reflection and teaching practices.

NH3: There is no difference of perceptions between male and female educators in regards to

reflection and teaching practices.

Anticipated Benefits of the Study

The results from the study will inform administrators of differences in perceptions of

reflection amongst the SSD staff. It will aid in the understanding that training and professional

development to promote reflection to support teaching practices in the district which is vital.


REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Reflection in education was championed early on by the American philosopher John

Dewey. Dewey believed that reflection was an important process that all educators should

participate in to achieve behaviors and actions that benefit both the teacher and the learner in the

classroom and dissipating the monotony of daily routines and procedures (Grant & Zeichner,

1984). Several other researchers have added to the idea of reflection, but none stands out as

strong as Dewey’s three characteristics of reflection which include open-mindedness,

responsibility, and wholeheartedness (Cook, 1998).

In order to become a reflective teacher, a teacher must first approach any ideas or tasks

with an open mind. While the idea of tradition has a strong-hold on the routines and procedures

that most schools participate in, a reflective teacher approaches those with an open mind and

thinking about ways to participate in these activities differently than what the school has done in

the past. In reflecting, the teacher understands that there are different methods that can be used to

still get the task accomplished and is open to ideas and suggestions for improvement or tactics to

make completing a task better. The next prerequisite for reflective action according to Dewey is

responsibility. According to Grant and Zeichner (1984), “As a reflective teacher you are aware of

your actions and their consequences. You are aware that your teaching behavior should not be

conditioned merely by the immediate utility of an action.” A teacher makes choices throughout

the school day for their learners in the classroom. It is a teacher’s responsibility to make the

appropriate choice when it comes to teaching, in order to adapt the lesson for your each of your

learner’s needs and not necessarily the most convenient option at the time. The final

characteristic that is important for a reflective teacher to possess is that of wholeheartedness.

Teachers that truly reflect are continuously and actively reflecting on their behaviors and


teaching practices in the classroom. Convenience does not play a role in a reflective teacher’s

passion and beliefs about teaching (Grant & Zeichner, 1984).

While the reflective teacher possesses all of the attributes mentioned previously, he or she

also recognizes that reflection has a definite process. The steps in the process can be defined

from Cook in Teacher Reflection in Learner-Centred Education as “(1) observing oneself as a

teacher, (2) thinking about the observed experience to gain understanding and meaning of what

is happening and (3) applying the insights gained to the future teaching experiences” (pg. 2).

When a teacher participates in the process, it is taking action to better the teaching practices

occurring in the classroom. While this process has definite steps that need to be taken in order for

your thinking to be reflection, the ways to reflect can vary from teacher to teacher.

For some teachers, reflection can come as an easy task to complete while teaching. For

others, reflection is more of a difficult task because they assume that there are several detailed

steps that must be taken before their “simple thoughts on how the lesson went in class today” are

considered reflection. In some districts, a framework for reflection has been established to aid in

teachers’ attempts at reflection of their own teaching practices. One of the techniques to use in

the reflection process is to practice journaling as a means to reflect on teaching practices. Some

teachers have the ability to reflect deeper when writing their own thoughts down. In some of

these frameworks, the method of videotaping a lesson is a technique that teachers can use to

reflect on a lesson. The reasoning behind this practice is to understand that while a teacher is

teaching, there is the chance that the teacher may not remember every detail of the lesson when

trying to reflect. When the technique of videotaping is used, the teacher has the opportunity to

view the lesson that he or she taught several times and watch their own teaching practices from a

students’ point of view. Another method to achieve quality reflection is to have peers observe


your teaching and take notes. This method allows for teachers to disassemble the barrier of

avoiding giving constructive criticism to their peers. After the observation takes place, having

both teachers sit down and reflect on the lesson that was observed can aid in the overall

reflection process. The same type of process can occur with the acting administration in a

teacher’s building. All of these practices can encourage the overall practices of reflection of a

teacher.

“A critical element to professional growth may well be the ability to identify what you

did well, what you could do better, and how to make that improvement- in other words,

reflection” (Hindman & Stronge, 2011, pg. 1). While most teachers have some ability to

complete either the formal or informal format of this critical element, providing the opportunity

to receive training on how to reflect properly could have the potential to increase overall teacher

effectiveness in the classroom. Pre-service teachers have the opportunity to experience reflection

while working in different practicum settings and completing different areas of coursework to

obtain their degree. While this reflection process can seem vital at the time, these pre-service

teachers don’t usually get to put their changes to lessons into practice as often as a regular

classroom teacher would. As these pre-service teachers enter the profession, the process of

reflection can be lost in the shuffle of requirements that can come for a new teacher such as

orientation, professional development days, getting a classroom ready, and planning lessons. The

opportunity to train new teachers in the reflection, both formal and informal, process can have

benefits for a school district.

“Teachers need to gauge and strengthen their ability to reflect on their teaching by

establishing self-reflective habits in the classroom” (What Makes, 2010, pg. 3). In order to

strengthen a teacher’s reflective practices, the teacher has to be able to put into practice the


reflection process and utilize it on a regular basis. By having administrators in school districts

plan for professional development days that offer information and training on how to reflect

properly and what to do with the knowledge that a teacher gains after reflecting, the

administration is illustrating that reflection is a valuable that can be used to improve teaching

practices. Other than providing training, districts can also implement ideas such as evaluations of

self. The idea of evaluating one’s self can occur daily and can be formal or informal. Through

this type of reflection, a teacher can evaluate his or her own teaching practices with the use of a

“comprehensive framework” provided and not have to wait until being evaluated by his or her

administration (Mielke & Frontier, 2012, pg. 2).

Another strategy that can have an impact on the aspect of reflection is to involve peers in

discussions. Through participating in professional conversations with peers, teachers can gain

knowledge their own reflection practices (Mielke & Frontier, 2012). This also provides teachers

with the opportunity to have a peer come and evaluate them in the classroom setting and then

discuss and reflect on what that peer observed. Participating in conversations with peers and

reflecting on teaching practices can provide some scaffolding for new teachers in the profession

and invigorate new ideas in teachers that have been teaching for many years. When paring up

novice teachers and experienced teachers to reflect on teaching practices, both types are gaining

support that is needed to avoid burning out that can occur in the teaching profession (Stansbury

& Zimmerman).

There are obvious assumptions of differences that can be concluded while looking at

reflection and different sub-groups involved in the teaching profession. As previously

mentioned, pairing novice and experienced teachers together can benefit both types of teachers.

One assumption based on that paring is that some experienced teachers do not actively


participate in regular occurring reflection of their teaching practices. For some teachers, this

assumption could be considered true, however, most veteran teachers have the ability to engage

in critical self-reflection more easily due to the amount of years he or she has been participating

in this method. “For beginners who have not developed the habit of reflecting on their own

teaching, the veteran may model self-reflection: identifying a problem and proposing and

analyzing for the beginner a variety of solutions” (Stansbury & Zimmerman).

While there are other assumptions pertaining to reflection such as a difference of attitudes

on reflection between men and women, as well as the assumption that teachers from different

levels of education such as elementary, middle, and secondary have different attitudes on the

benefits of reflection, there is little research completed to reinforce these assumptions. Due to the

lack of research on the differences of attitudes on reflection between men and women, it seems

as though there are none. Both genders can be seen as valuing reflection and understand that the

process of self-reflection can increase teacher effectiveness. There is also insufficient research on

the difference of attitudes on reflection for varying levels of teachers such as elementary, middle,

and secondary teachers. Although the amount of reflection needed between these different

groups might vary, the overall process of reflection would be the same.

The factors that vary between the different levels of education explored can play a major

role in the reasoning behind the lack of reflection in education overall. “Many teachers are

already overburdened with so many demands on their time outside of the classroom that they

really have no room to entertain the idea of reflecting on their own teaching” (Farrell, 2004, pg.

5). The lack of time, the everyday busyness of a teacher, and the forgotten task of reflection can

all be influences to the deficiency of self-reflection by teachers. While the general process of


self-reflection may not change based on the varying education level that teachers teach in, the

amount of time that could be used for the reflection process could vary by education level.

Elementary level teachers have the opportunity to focus their time on reflecting how one

set of students handled a different teaching technique, while middle and secondary level teachers

have to focus reflecting on more than one set of students, depending on the number of different

class periods they teach. This task of reflecting on several different class periods can be very

time-consuming, causing teachers to avoid completing the full process of reflection. Teachers

also to have to account for all the tasks that they have to accomplish throughout the day such as

grading papers, entering grades in a gradebook, making copies, attending meetings,

corresponding with parents, and writing lesson plans. These are just a few examples of tasks that

are included on a daily “to-do” list for teachers. If teachers aren’t setting aside specific time to

self-reflect within their busy schedules, then the task will be pushed back until it is forgotten. By

the time the process of reflection occurs, a teacher could have forgotten specific details of a

lessons and aspects of the lesson that went right and wrong.

Self-reflection is a vital process that can invigorate a teacher’s best practices in the

classroom and promote effective teaching throughout all subject areas being taught. The history

of self-reflection has developed over the years and has become a vital component of teacher

preparation programs. While the process of self-reflection in districts around the nation may not

be exactly the same, the overall concept is still effective in improving teaching practices in the

classroom. Despite the different factors effecting the completion of regular occurring reflection,

if opportunities are presented for teachers to reflect on the day’s lessons, teachers are likely to

take advantage of them, grow professionally, and become a more effective teacher.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The research design was non-experimental and utilized a one-time survey. The set alpha

level for all the research conducted was 0.25. There were two independent variables identified

through the research. One independent variable that could be identified was the gender of the

teacher, either male or female. The second independent variable was identified as the grade level

in which the teacher taught, which could have been elementary, middle, or secondary level in the

SSD. The analysis of results will illustrate the differences of reflection perceptions between

elementary, middle, and secondary teachers. The perceptions of reflection for both male and

female teachers in SSD will also be analyzed for differentiation. The investigation will measure

the outcomes of several dependent variables which include the number of training hours each

teacher has accumulated, if the teacher felt the training hours helped with personal teaching

practices, if the teacher would attend a future training session, if the teacher reflects often, if the

teacher seeks advice from others in the profession, if the feedback that was provided by other

teachers was helpful, and if with more training reflection could become a valuable tool for the

teacher to utilize often. The chi-square analysis test will be run using the data collected through

the survey.

Study Group Description

The study group that was used in the investigation consisted of 163 educators from one

high school, one middle school, and four elementary schools in SSD. Out of these schools, 73

teach at the elementary level, 36 teach at the middle level, and 47 teach at the secondary level.

There are also 7 educators that teach in more than one level throughout the district. These


educators have varying years of experience and attended a variety of teacher education

preparation programs to have a career as an educator.

Data Collection and Instrumentation

A survey was distributed through Surveymonkey.com to all 163 teachers in the SSD. The

survey contained specific questions pertaining to the topic of beliefs and attitudes on self-

reflection. Within the survey, two descriptive items that participants to identify the gender of the

respondent and what their level of teaching was. After responding to these questions, the survey

continued on to questions followed with items pertaining to how many years a teacher had been

teaching and how many hours of in-service or pre-service had been accumulated relating to

training in self-reflection. The remaining questions could be responded to by a range of answers

that varied from strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. For six working business

days the survey remained open for educators to respond. In total, 38 elementary, 14 middle, 24

secondary level teachers responded. There were also 4 teachers that responded as working in

more than one level in the SSD. The responses to the survey were then translated to an excel

spreadsheet and recoded as numbers for statistical analysis purposes.

Statistical Analysis Methods

A Statisical Package (ASP) software was used to analyze data collected from the survey.

A chi-squared analysis was conducted using the survey data. In addition, Microsoft Excel was

used as a tool in the recoding process of the collected research data.


FINDINGS

Survey data was collected to address the research question focused on teacher perceptions

of the impact of reflection on teaching practices. A total of 162 surveys were dispersed and 84

(51.8%) district teachers responded to survey. Of those 84 who responded, 14 male and 70

female teachers chose to participate. Again of the 84 teachers who responded, 38 elementary, 18

middle school, 24 secondary, and four teachers who were identified at teaching at more than one

level completed the survey. Another piece of descriptive data gathered shows that 22 study

participants report having taught one to five years, 20 report having taught between six to 10

years, 16 report having taught for 11 to 15 years, 12 teachers have taught for 16 to 20 years and

only 14 teachers have been teaching for 21 years or longer. These factors will be discussed as

other survey results are addressed.

When asked about their hours of professional development related to reflection, all but

one of the 84 participants provided responses to the question which asked the participants to

respond with how many hours he or she has accumulated either in-service or pre-service using

self-reflection to improve their teaching practices. Based on responses, 13 teachers, or 15.5%,

claimed to have zero hours of training in regards to self-reflection. Next, 34 teachers, or 40.5%,

responded by saying they had one to five hours of training. This was the largest percentage of the

participants’ answers. Sixteen teachers, or 19% claimed to have 6 to 10 hours of training. Only 7

teachers, or 8.3 %, answered saying they have 11 to 16 hours of training in self-reflection.

Finally, 13 teachers, or 15.5%, responded saying that they had accumulated more than 16 hours

of training in regards to self-reflection and how it can aid in improving teaching practices.

To address the research questions, several chi-square analyses were conducted. Findings

presented in Tables 1-7 help to address Research Question #2: Is there a significant difference


between elementary, middle, and secondary educators’ beliefs about reflection and how it can

help improve teaching practices?

Table 1: Chi- Square Analysis of Training Hours Accumulated

Source Elementary Middle Secondary Multiple Chi Sq df p-value

No Response 0 0 1 0

0 hours 6 3 4 0

1-5 hours 17 6 8 3

6-10 hours 3 7 5 1

11-15 hours 4 0 3 0

16 or more hours 8 2 3 0 15.6482 1 0.405812

Sign = or < 0.25

Table 1 pertains to the survey question, “How much training have you had (pre-service or

in-service) on using self-reflection to improve your teaching?” According to the table, there was

no significant difference found between the different levels of teachers and their training hours

on self-reflection. A majority of teachers had between 1-5 hours of training in self-reflection.

Based on the results, the null hypothesis will be accepted.


Table 2: Chi-Square Analysis of Impact of Training Hours


No Response 0 1 1 0

Strongly Agree 5 3 1 1

Agree 25 12 13 0

Disagree 2 0 4 3

Strongly Disagree 0 0 1 0

Not Applicable 6 2 4 0 29.7197 1 0.0129733

Sign = or < 0.25

The survey question represented by Table 2 was, “The training (pre-service or in-service)

I received on self-reflection helped me use self-reflection to improve my teaching.” The analysis

of Table 2 indicates that there was a significant difference (Chi-square= 29.71 and p-value=

0.01) among the different levels of teachers and the idea that the training hours on self-reflection

helped improve overall practice of self-reflection. In this case, the null hypothesis must be

rejected. Overall, the majority of the teachers throughout every level agreed that the training

helped with self-reflection. There were also several that claimed that this question was applicable

to them and could be associated with the lack of training hours that they have received.


Table 3: Chi-Square Analysis Attendance to a Future Training Session


No Response 0 2 0 0


Agree 17 10 16 2

Disagree 11 2 5 0

Strongly Disagree 2 2 2 1 16.7523 1 0.159155

Sign = or < 0.25

Table 3 represents the survey question, “If a training session on self-reflection was

offered, I would be likely to attend the session.” In response, teachers had several opinions to

share. While a majority of the teachers agreed with the statement from the survey, there were

also a few teachers that disagreed or strongly disagreed. Table 3 displays the significant

differences A chi-square test was conducted (Chi-square= 16.75 and the p-value=0.159) to assess

any differences among the levels of teachers and the response of attending a session on self-

reflection. Given the p-value of 0.175, the null hypothesis must be rejected due to the significant

differences that were found among the responses.

Table 4: Chi-Square Analysis of Time Spent Reflecting



Agree 28 6 17 3

Disagree 1 0 2 0


Sign = or < 0.25


Table 4 illustrates the different opinions of teachers based on the survey item, “I often

spend time reflecting on my teaching practices.” Once again, significant differences (Chi-

square= 18.03 and p-value= 0.034) were to be found throughout the different levels of teachers

and their responses to the survey item. Most teachers either strongly agreed or agreed with the

statement from the survey. There were some teachers that responded by disagreeing or strongly

disagreeing; therefore, the null hypothesis must be rejected relating to this survey item.

Table 5: Chi- Square Analysis of Seeking Advice from Peers


No Response 0 0 0 1


Agree 22 8 11 1

Disagree 4 3 6 1

Strongly Disagree 0 0 1 0 26.3861 1 .0094611

Sign = or < 0.25

As indicated in Table 5, the survey item that stated, “I often seek advice about my

teaching practices from other teachers.” received a majority of its results in the areas of strongly

agree and agree. All four levels had a majority of participants agree that they often seek advice

from other teachers. Despite the agreement, there was a significant difference (chi-square =26.38

and p-value =.009) found among responses for this survey item; consequently, the null

hypothesis for this statement must be rejected.


Table 6: Chi-Square Analysis of Feedback from Peers



Agree 18 7 16 2

Disagree 0 0 4 1 18.5501 1 0.004995

Sign = or < 0.25

In Table 6, responses are shown for the survey item that compares data between

the different level of teachers and their beliefs and perceptions about the feedback that they

receive from other teachers. The survey item states, “The feedback I receive from other teachers

has helped me improve my professional practice.” As viewed in the above table, a widely held

opinion was shown in the strongly agree and agree responses. However, despite the numbers,

there was a significant difference (Chi-square = 18.55 and p-value = 0.004) found among the

different levels of teachers and the belief that the feedback they receive from other teachers is

valuable information and can aid in improving teaching practices.

Table 7: Chi-Square Analysis of Reflection Considered a Valuable Tool


No Response 0 1 0 0


Agree 19 8 19 2

Disagree 8 2 2 2


Sign = or < 0.25

Looking back at Table 7, the final survey question and responses were analyzed. The last

survey item states, “Teacher reflection could become a valuable tool for improving my practice


if I had the opportunity for more training on how to reflect effectively.” Teachers’ responses

were varied from agreeing with this statement to disagreeing with this statement. However,

based on the analysis (chi-square = 20.63 and p-value = 0.055) the null hypothesis was rejected

for this statement.

Overall, based on the Chi-squared analysis of the survey questions asked in the SSD, the

research question asking if there is a significant difference among elementary, middle, and

secondary educators has been found to be true. The null hypothesis was rejected six out seven

times when survey responses were analyzed using the Chi-squared analysis. Based on the results

there were significant differences in the perceptions and beliefs of reflection among different

teachers that teach in different levels throughout SSD.

Research Question #3: Is there a significant difference between male and female

educators’ beliefs about reflection and how it can aid in improving teaching practices?

Table 8: Chi- Square Analysis of Training Hours Accumulated Between Female and Male Teachers

Source Female Male Chi Sq df p-value

0 hours 1 0

1-5 hours 11 2

6-10 hours 28 6

11-15 hours 12 4

16 or more hours 12 1 1.82133 1 0.873273

Sign = or < 0.25

The first survey item asked pertained to the amount of training hours revolving around

reflection that each teacher had accumulated. A majority of the participants responded with 6 -10

hours of training on reflection. The overall consensus was that the teachers had a wide range of


hours accumulated between all of them. Based on the results of the analysis (chi-square = 1.82

and the p-value = 0.87) the null hypothesis between male and female teachers was accepted.

Table 9: Chi-Square Analysis of Impact of Training Hours Between Female and Male Teachers


Not Answered 2 0

Strongly Agree 10 0

Agree 40 10

Disagree 7 2

Strongly Disagree 1 0

Not Applicable 10 2 3.2 1 0.669183

Sign = or < 0.25

According to Table 2, the majority of teachers, both female and male, agreed with the next survey

question, which stated, “The training (pre-service or in-service) I received on self-reflection helped me

use self-reflection to improve my teaching.” Based on the results of the question and the analysis (chi-

square = 3.2 and p-value = 0.669) the null hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference

between female and male teachers beliefs and perceptions about reflection is accepted.

Table 10: Chi-Square Analysis Attendance to a Future Training Session Between Female and Male Teachers


Not Answered 2 0

Strongly Agree 12 0

Agree 36 9

Disagree 14 4

Strongly Disagree 6 1 3.58857 1 0.464539

Sign = or < 0.25


The next survey item to be answered was, “If a training session on self-reflection was offered, I

would be likely to attend the session.” The responses to this survey item seemed to be more widely spread

across the four different options. While a majority of the teachers agreed with this statement, there were

several participants that had either strong agreement feelings or disagreeing feelings. Based on the

analysis of the results (chi-square = 3.58 and p-value = 0.46) the null hypothesis for this survey item will

be accepted. There were no significant differences found between female and male teachers.

Table 11 : Chi-Square Analysis of Time Spent Reflecting Between Female and Male Teachers


Strongly Agree 24 2

Agree 43 11

Disagree 2 1


Sign = or < 0.25

Another survey item was asked to both male and female teachers which made the following

statement, “I often spend time reflecting on my teaching practices.” A large portion of the teachers

strongly agreed or agreed with this statement which means that there were no significant differences in

the responses between male and female teachers. There were few teachers that disagreed. Looking at the

analysis (chi-square = 2.84 and p-value = 0.41) the null hypothesis will be accepted.


Table 12 : Chi- Square Analysis of Seeking Advice from Peers Between Female and Male Teachers


No Answer 1 0

Strongly Agree 21 5

Agree 37 5

Disagree 10 4


Sign = or < 0.25

The survey item that teachers were asked to respond for Table 5 stated, “I often seek advice about

my teaching practices from other teachers.” There were 14 teachers, both female and male that disagreed

with this statement. Several teachers either strongly agreed or agreed with this survey item. Due to the

responses, the analysis (chi-square = 2.63 and p-value = 0.62) indicates that the null hypothesis pertaining

to Table 5 is accepted.

Table 13 : Chi-Square Analysis of Feedback from Peers Between Female and Male Teachers


Strongly Agree 32 4

Agree 35 8

Disagree 3 2 2.87628 1 0.237369

Sign = or < 0.25

For Table 6, the teachers of SSD were asked to respond to the statement, “The feedback I receive

from other teachers has helped me improve my professional practice.” Looking at the results of the survey

question, there was a distinct difference between the female opinion and male opinion on this question. A

majority of the female population agreed or strongly agreed with the statement. However, the male


population was more widespread across the different options. Based on the analysis (chi-square = 2.87

and p-value = 0.23) of this survey item, the null hypothesis was rejected.

Table 14 : Chi-Square Analysis of Reflection Considered a Valuable Tool Between Female and Male Teachers


No Answer 1 0

Strongly Agree 17 1

Agree 37 11

Disagree 13 1


Sign = or < 0.25

Finally, the last question of the survey stated, “Teacher reflection could become a valuable tool

for improving my practice if I had the opportunity for more training on how to reflect effectively.”

Observing Table 7, the results were more widespread once again. The results show that most of the

teachers either strongly agreed or agreed with the survey item. After completing the analysis (chi- square

= 4.06 and p-value = 0.32), the null hypothesis based on the last survey item was accepted.


CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings through the chi-squared analysis, there were several conclusions to be

made about the research questions from the beginning of the study. The first research question asked if

there were any differences in how various teacher perceive the impact that reflection has on teaching

practices. It was determined that there were not significant differences in the perceptions on the impact

that reflection has on teaching practices. Teachers in the SSD value the practice of reflection and have the

same perceptions about the impact this tool can have on teaching practices.

The next research question asked if there was a significant difference between elementary,

middle, and secondary educators’ beliefs about reflection. Through the analysis of the survey responses,

the null hypothesis for this research question was rejected. The data concluded that there were too many

differences among the responses provided by the teachers in SSD. Due to the increase in significant

differences between the different levels of teachers in SSD, one recommendation is that there is more

training revolving around reflection provided as professional development. Within this professional

development environment, teachers will experience training regarding the different processes that can be

utilized as reflection as well as various aspects of the reflection process that can implemented on a regular

basis to ensure the improvement of teaching practices. Also, this type of professional environment can

invite teachers to share experiences and advice with each other about reflection in order to illustrate the

different processes that can be used.

Finally, the third research question, which asked if there were significant differences between

male and female educators’ beliefs about reflection and how it can aid in improving teaching practices,

was utilized in the chi-square analysis. Despite the previous research question’s null hypothesis being

rejected, the outcome for this analysis was different. Based on the responses from the survey items, the

null hypothesis was accepted for the third research question. There were no significant differences found

between the male and female educators’ beliefs about reflection and how it can aid in improving teaching

practices.


In conclusion, the study of the SSD concluded that the administration has provided training hours

based around reflection in the past for its employees, but the staff could potentially benefit from more

training hours being provided through professional development. Although most teachers are involved in

regular occurring reflection sessions, teachers in the district need more training in the different methods

that can aid in the reflection process such as seeking advice and observations from peers about ways to

improve teaching practices in the classroom. Overall, the district could benefit from vertical team meeting

to help implement conversations between grade levels and even general education levels within SSD to

promote better reflection practices. The final recommendation is for further studies to be conducted

through SSD given the small sample size of this study.


REFERENCES

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