A collaborative autoethnography study to inform the teaching of reflective practice in STEM |
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| Authors: | Rachael Hains-Wesson Karen Young |
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| Institution: | 1. Student Advancement, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, Australia;2. Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The paper explores a collaborative self-study, autoethnography research project, which aided in informing practice for the teaching of reflective practice in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at an Australian university. Self-report methods were used, because it enabled the collection of a variety of self-awareness data generated processes to help produce insights and understandings. This was achieved by undertaking a systematic approach to the exploration of a critical friendship between two academic support staff members alongside reflections from a recorded, focus group interview with nine STEM teachers. Four self-awareness data generated processes were used: (1) self-reflections; (2) collaborative reflections; (3) reflections on pertinent literature findings and (4) reflections from nine STEM teachers. A thematic analysis of the data was undertaken, which resulted in the discovery of three turning points such as moments of understandings that challenge assumptions and/or lead to new insights. The findings indicated that a STEM-centric, scaffolded approach that utilised the scientific method for reflective practice enabled the development of a shared understanding around teaching and assessing reflective practice for STEM teachers. First, because it boosted self-confidence and second, because it reduced scepticism around reflective practice as a non-scientific form of learning. |
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| Keywords: | Artefact autoethnography reflective practice Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education self-report study |
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