Using a video tagging application to support professional development and reflection: a case study of pre-service and in-service teachers

Abstract

Reflection is widely accepted as a vital element of professional development in numerous fields, including teacher education. Advancements in technology have allowed teachers’ reflections to move from memory-based practices to evidence-based practices incorporating the use of audio and video recordings. Despite the value placed on reflection and the current prevalence of video-based observation practices, the use of video for reflection and professional development and its impact on teaching practices remains insufficiently researched. This case study investigates the use of a recently developed video tagging application (VEO) for the development of teachers’ reflective and teaching practices in pre-service and inservice contexts. Data sources include video observation recordings, video tagging information, video-based feedback meetings, reflective essays, and interviews. Qualitative content and thematic analysis are used to uncover how teachers reflect, what they focus on and the affordances and drawbacks of using the video tagging application for reflection. The findings show that VEO is able to act as a catalyst for dialogic reflection and understanding of pedagogy through a) the use of a subject-specific tag set, b) the supervisor observing and tagging lessons using VEO, c) VEO being incorporated into the postobservation meeting with tags shaping the dialogue and d) tags providing further guidance and scaffolding for individual reflection. Additionally, the findings highlight the analytical affordances of VEO as the pre-service teachers were able to focus on a range of subjects in their reflections, reflect in a dialogic manner using the tags and show improvement in their practice. For the in-service teachers, VEO was found to facilitate reflective dialogue by shifting the dynamics of the post-lesson meeting through the affordances of video and the structuring of the tags. This study offers a theoretical contribution to reflection literature with the creation of a reflective framework to analyse video-based written reflections. Expanding the descriptive levels of reflection, analysis with the framework shows that reflection is impactful even when the writing does not show linear improvement and is mainly descriptive. Uncovering this link between reflection and the development of teaching practice has implications for reflective practice, suggesting that analysis of written reflection solely does not offer a full picture of the impact of reflection, and greater emphasis needs to be given to classroom data