Fostering Critical Reflection through Technology: preparing prospective teachers for a changing society

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Abstract
Reflection has been defined in a variety of ways but what seems missing from much of the literature on reflective practice is a theoretical/conceptual framework linking ends and means. The study discussed here was designed to investigate if computer conferencing can be used to foster the development of critical reflection in prospective teachers. Models of adult development provided the guiding theoretical/conceptual framework. Students participated in a structured computer conference that provided them with opportunities to become aware of their own taken‐for‐granted assumptions, acknowledge the validity in perspectives different from their own and reflect on the consequences of the choices they make. Findings suggest that characteristics of computer conferencing make it uniquely suited to generating the kinds of discussions that allow students to begin to develop the habits of mind and dispositions that lead to critical reflection. But findings also suggest that critical reflection cannot be developed in one class with one exercise alone. It is essential to structure programs that incorporate this goal throughout and to assess the degree to which our programs are accomplishing this aim.

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