Seeing Myself as others See Me: Using video to Support Reflective Practice in Initial Teacher Education with a Cross-Country Cohort

Abstract

Higher education in Australia has seen a large increase in international enrolments in the last two decades, with the number increasing from approximately 48,000 students in 1996 to just under 307,000 in 2016 [1]. International education is considered one of Australia’s ‘super-growth’ areas by the federal government [2] as increasing numbers of international students contribute more university revenue than domestic students – up from 41 in 2011 to 48 in 2015 [3]. In Australia, the majority of so-called ‘international’ students come from Asian countries. In 2015, Chinese students comprised 33 of all international students enrolled at higher education institutions in Australia, and nine of the top 10 countries represented by international students in Australia were Asian countries [4]. While every individual has personal experiences that contribute to our understanding of what it means to be a ‘teacher’ and a ‘learner,’ as cultural diversity broadens, so too does the range of personal educational experiences in the student population. Consequently, a key goal of initial teacher education courses is to assist teacher candidates to reflect on their evolving teaching practice to align their beliefs and practices with the philosophical approaches that underpin the courses they are completing.