Exploring TESL trainee teachers' reflective practice experiences through the use of facebook group discussion

• Main Authors: Ariffin, Natasha, Mohamed Razali, Abu Bakar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Horizon Research Publishing 2020
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/88916/1/ABSTRACT.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/88916/; https://www.hrpub.org/journals/article_info.php?aid=10366

Teaching reflection has been practiced through a variety of mediums, such as the use of teaching logs and diaries, blog sites, online forums and chat sites, and more recently social networking sites, like Facebook. However, the use of social networking websites, such as Facebook, has received little attention, even though a handful of studies have also reported on its many benefits for reflection of teaching practice. Therefore, this study explored the experiences of three trainee teachers from a teacher education institution in Selangor who were undertaking Diploma in Teaching (Teaching of English as a Second Language) on their use of Facebook group discussion platform to reflect on their teaching practices. This study adapted a qualitative approach which includes semi structured interview and document analysis of their Facebook group discussion platform in reflecting their teaching practicum experiences. Based on the findings, it was found that trainee teachers showed high interest in using Facebook in an academic setting. Due to certain features in Facebook that provided a systematic and structured organization of notifications, Facebook caters as a supportive virtual platform in promoting reflective practice as it provides moral support during teaching practicum session and it was able to create solidarity among them.