Rising to the Challenge - What Practicing Teachers Learned from a Video-Enhanced Reflective Professional Development Project
Abstract: Video has been used in both pre-service teacher education and in-service professional development (PD) for over decades. However, little is yet known about the psychological effects of the use of video on teachers in terms of how they feel about cameras being put into their classrooms and what concerns they have regarding the security of their personal privacy. This qualitative research was to study the experience of 32 teachers from three schools during a video-enhanced reflective PD project. We explored the challenges the teachers faced, the lessons they learned, as well as their concerns and anxieties. Upon the completion of the PD project, the participating teachers: 1) developed a deep understanding of video-enhanced reflective practice; 2) saw the importance of collaboration among teachers in learning new skills for lesson planning, teaching, and reflection; and 3) were more confident in continuing using video reflection as a sustainable PD practice.