Reflective practice as a tool for teacher education: a comparison between individual and peer reflection of Iranian EFL teachers

Although research on teacher reflection has substantially grown in the past decades, little is known about how reflection could be integrated in teacher education programs. The current study explored the potential of reflection as a tool for teacher education among Iranian EFL teachers through the use of individual and peer reflection. Data were collected before, during, and after the teacher education program from semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The analysis of the data showed that while the teachers were not adequately familiar with the principles of reflection before the course, they gradually learned how to use the course content for their personal reflection and use in their classes in relation to their individual and peer reflection. After the course, the teachers showed great interest to be exposed to alternative teacher education programs and learned to situate their course learning within their own engagement in reflective practice. The study provides implications for teacher educators regarding how to include individual and peer reflection approaches in pre-service and in-service teacher education programs so that teachers could become more reflective in their teaching practices.