The Use of Reflective Journals in Outcome-Based Education During the Teaching Practicum

Abstract

This paper investigates the use of reflective journals as a learning tool in the training of future English teachers via the outcome-based education system. At the onset, the concepts of outcome-based education serve as the research framework. Based on the journal entries of three teacher trainees who underwent a twelve-week teaching practicum in a suburban school in Klang, Selangor, the research explores evidence of learning through an outcome-based education programme. The evidence is then scrutinized further by matching it to the concepts of outcome-based education. Three major categories which represent the concepts of outcome-based education serve as references in the analysis. The categories are 1) what the participants know, 2) what the participants can actually do with what they know and, 3) the participants’ confidence and motivation in demonstrating what they know (Guskey, 1994; Kirk & Welborn, 1992; McNeir, 1993). Data are qualitative in nature as they come in the form of written narratives. The data analysis adopts the Constant Comparative Method (Wellington, 2000). This paper is expected to enlighten not only trainees but also trainers on how to manipulate reflective journals in training future English teachers via outcome-based education.