Comparing reflective practices of pre-service teachers in Malaysia and Australia: A mixed-methods approach

S. Chee Choy
Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Malaysia
Judith Dinham
Curtin University, Australia
Joanne Sau Ching Yim
Tunku Abdul Rahman University College,
Paul Williams
mme moe Pty Ltd, Perth, Australia

The Malaysian and Australian education systems have centrally driven initiatives that promote teachers' reflection on their educational practice. While focused on improving student learning outcomes, the role of teachers' reflective thinking is contextualised differently in each country. This study investigates how pre-service teachers understand reflective thinking, and the degree to which the policies and procedures in the different educational jurisdictions influence this. Using a mixed methods approach, this study examines the contributions of lifelong learning skills, self-assessment ability, self-belief, teaching awareness and reflective thinking skills in explaining the similarities and differences in reflective thinking practices among pre-service teachers in Malaysia and Australia. We found that while the policy and procedures of the different jurisdictions had some influence, the underpinning educational philosophies and cultural values were more strongly implicated.
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Authors: S. Chee Choy holds a PhD in educational psychology. Her research is about issues pertinent to teacher education and higher education. She is Head of the Perak Branch Campus of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College. Email: choysc@tarc.edu.my Judith Dinham is Associate Professor and Director of Learning and Teaching, School of Education, Curtin University. She is involved in programs and research related to contemporary teacher education. Email: j.dinham@curtin.edu.au Joanne Sau Ching Yim (corresponding author) is a Senior Lecturer at Tunku Abdul Rahman University College, Malaysia. She holds a PhD in social science and is involved in interdisciplinary research including topics on educational technology and teachers' perception. Email: yimsc@tarc.edu.my Paul Williams is the Chief Learning Coach at mme moe Pty Ltd, Perth, Western Australia, and is involved in research into heutagogy, reflection and agency-based learning and the application and impact of these concepts in degree courses, and in the education workplace. Email: paul.williams@mme-moe.com Please cite as: Choy, S. C., Dinham, J., Yim, J. S. C. & Williams, P. (2020). Comparing reflective practices of pre-service teachers in Malaysia and Australia: A mixed-methods approach. Issues in Educational Research, 30(4), 1264-1285. http://www.iier.org.au/iier30/choy.pdf