International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Volume 1, Number 2, 2007
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Abstract
Exploring Reflective Engagement that Promotes Understanding in College Classrooms
This study investigated student engagement in class discussions in a university-level, literature-based writing class. The research questions were 1) Does multiple-source learning provide a new lens for the observation of reflective teaching and learning practices? 2) Is there evidence that shows that the practices adopted by one teacher actually relied on and fostered this kind of thinking among students, and if so, what were those practices? The participants were 22 university students and their instructor, chosen because of the instructor’s interest in improving class discussions. Data were collected over one semester through videotapes, formal and informal interviews, and class documents and were analyzed using constant comparison. Results showed the instructor facilitated student engagement through probing questions. The instructor’s use of symbolism, metaphors, and experiences within this class were teaching tools aimed not at fostering domain-specific, elaborative, one-right-answer interpretations but rather at recruiting multiple sources for creating multiple cross-domain perspectives.
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Franco Zengaro
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA
fzengaro@mtsu.edu
I am Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Middle Tennessee State University. My research interests are in teacher education, teacher personal and practical knowledge, and issues of cognition in learning and instruction. I am interested in the role of reflective practices in teaching and learning. I am also interested in research dealing with issues of inclusion and social justice in education. I have published articles on education administration, preservice teacher preparation, and the role of sports in society. I have presented research at several national and international conferences.
Asghar Iran-Nejad
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
airannej@bamaed.ua.edu
I am Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Alabama. I am interested in biofunctional science, multiple-source learning, wholetheme education, affect, and self-regulation. I am a Spencer Fellow, Lilly Fellow, the founder of biofunctional science, the founder of wholetheme education, and a founding member of the Multiple Abilities Program in elementary teacher education. I have been the guest editor of special issues of Review of Educational Research 60:4; Educational Psychologist 27:4, Journal of Mind and Behavior 21:1-2, and co-editor, with P. David Pearson, of AERA's Review of Research in Education, Volumes 23 and 24. I have published widely in educational and psychological journals.