The Reflective Lens - The Effects of Digital Video Analysis on Preservice Teacher Development

Reflection-on-practice has become a critical component of teacher professional development over the past decade. As a result, it is increasingly important for teacher educators to better understand the relationship between reflection and the development of pro­fessional expertise. This study involved a particular kind of self-reflection that utilized video of credential candidates' own teaching as the object of reflection. Reflection on the lesson was facilitated by either mental recall or videotaped lesson analysis. Video analysis is a powerful tool to support the growth of preservice teachers in making the critical connections between theoretical pedagogy and classroom interactions. Video analysis of their own classroom performance can shift reflections from being centered on teacher actions to looking more broadly at teacher and student interactions. The effects of video analysis can persist over time and supported the professional growth of new teachers. The results of this study strongly suggest that professional development activities that target improved reflection-on-practice through the use of video analysis can be effective.