The Technologies of Reflection: Designing Flexible Systems to Support the Development of Professional Expertise

Abstract

How might we design technology-based learning systems that efficiently and seamlessly scaffold the development of expertise in professionals' practice? This study addresses this question through a Grounded Theory analysis of the online commenting behaviors of a professional learning community and residency-based teacher education program at a large research university. In this study, a group of 20 novices and expert teachers used a novel Video-Based Online Commenting System (VBOCS) to comment on videos of teacher practice. The study draws on a multi-method examination of the video comments left by novice and expert teachers that illustrate the technology's capacity to support the metacognitive and reflective development of professional practice. In testing the ecological validity of the theory, this study uses statistical analysis and theoretical design prototyping to present further possibilities for the development of software that supports professionals as they grow in the context of practice.