Prekindergarten Teachers\u27 Experiences Using Journals to Reflect on Video Recordings of Their Classroom Instruction: A Phenomenological Investigation

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore prekindergarten teachers’ experiences using journals to reflect on video recordings of their classroom instruction in an eastern Pennsylvania prekindergarten program. Three theories guided this study. Knowles, Holton, and Swanson’s (2015) theory of andragogy framed this study with a focus on the unique attributes of adult learners. Kolb’s (2015) experiential learning theory informed this study with an emphasis on the importance of workplace experiences for individual development. Dewey (1967) and Schon’s (1987) theory of reflective practice examined the process of reflective thought that is initiated by uncertainty that challenges one’s beliefs. The central question guiding this study was the following: How do teachers describe their experiences using journals to reflect on video recordings of their classroom instruction? A purposive sample of thirteen teachers from an eastern Pennsylvania prekindergarten program was recruited for this investigation. A transcendental phenomenological approach, which seeks to investigate a phenomenon openly and recount an episode as it is (Moustakas, 1994), was used to explore teachers’ experiences reflecting on video recordings of their instruction using journals. Participants’ instruction was video-recorded; they viewed the video of their lesson and documented their reflections in a journal. Next, teachers participated in an interview and a focus group to capture the essence of their lived experiences. Data was analyzed using Moustakas (1994) transcendental phenomenological approach. The results of this study may enhance strategies for teacher reflection, an essential component of teacher improvement (Dewey, 1967; Schon, 1987)