Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector

This PhD thesis examines the reflective practices of English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It explores their understanding of reflective practice, its significance in professional development, the prevalent strategies within various dimensions of reflection, and...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: ZOELFAKAR, SOHA (author)
Published: 2023
Online Access:https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/2435
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1862980613844238336
author ZOELFAKAR, SOHA
author_facet ZOELFAKAR, SOHA
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Dr Tendai Charles
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv ZOELFAKAR, SOHA
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2023-11-21T11:36:06Z
2023-11-21T11:36:06Z
2023-09
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv 20182027
https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/2435
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv en
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 20182027
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv Thesis
description This PhD thesis examines the reflective practices of English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It explores their understanding of reflective practice, its significance in professional development, the prevalent strategies within various dimensions of reflection, and factors influencing their engagement. The research further delves into the impact of demographic factors on ELT teachers' perceptions and the support they receive for continuous reflective practice. It also investigates how reflective practice is represented in official institutional documents within the UAE education sector. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study uses both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques to comprehensively address the research objectives. The findings reveal a broad recognition among UAE's ELT teachers of reflective practice's importance for their professional development and its potential to enhance their teaching effectiveness. However, the extent of their engagement in various reflective practices differs, ranging from regular to sporadic or limited involvement. This variability is influenced by factors such as institutional support, time constraints, access to professional development resources, and individual teaching and learning beliefs. This study identifies the reflective practices and strategies most commonly used by ELT teachers in the UAE and explores their application across different teaching contexts and levels of experience. The research also examines whether demographic variables, such as age, gender, teaching experience, and native language, influence ELT teachers' perceptions of reflective practice. Moreover, it investigates teachers' perceptions of the support they receive for ongoing reflective practice and professional development, identifying the forms of support they believe would best facilitate their growth. Finally, the study analyses the extent to which official documents, policies, and guidelines in the UAE education sector promote and support reflective practice and the strategies outlined for its implementation among educators, including ELT teachers. This research contributes to the understanding of reflective practice within the context of ELT in the UAE. It provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and teacher trainers seeking to enhance reflective practices, professional development of ELT teachers, and thereby improve the quality of English language teaching in the region. Keywords: reflective practice, reflective teaching and learning, professional development, ELT/TESOL education
id budr_ff9e8bbbebca59bf62b2ac6f3f933927
identifier_str_mv 20182027
language_invalid_str_mv en
network_acronym_str budr
network_name_str The British University in Dubai repository
oai_identifier_str oai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/2435
publishDate 2023
publisher.none.fl_str_mv The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository_id_str
spelling Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education SectorZOELFAKAR, SOHAThis PhD thesis examines the reflective practices of English Language Teaching (ELT) teachers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It explores their understanding of reflective practice, its significance in professional development, the prevalent strategies within various dimensions of reflection, and factors influencing their engagement. The research further delves into the impact of demographic factors on ELT teachers' perceptions and the support they receive for continuous reflective practice. It also investigates how reflective practice is represented in official institutional documents within the UAE education sector. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study uses both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques to comprehensively address the research objectives. The findings reveal a broad recognition among UAE's ELT teachers of reflective practice's importance for their professional development and its potential to enhance their teaching effectiveness. However, the extent of their engagement in various reflective practices differs, ranging from regular to sporadic or limited involvement. This variability is influenced by factors such as institutional support, time constraints, access to professional development resources, and individual teaching and learning beliefs. This study identifies the reflective practices and strategies most commonly used by ELT teachers in the UAE and explores their application across different teaching contexts and levels of experience. The research also examines whether demographic variables, such as age, gender, teaching experience, and native language, influence ELT teachers' perceptions of reflective practice. Moreover, it investigates teachers' perceptions of the support they receive for ongoing reflective practice and professional development, identifying the forms of support they believe would best facilitate their growth. Finally, the study analyses the extent to which official documents, policies, and guidelines in the UAE education sector promote and support reflective practice and the strategies outlined for its implementation among educators, including ELT teachers. This research contributes to the understanding of reflective practice within the context of ELT in the UAE. It provides valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and teacher trainers seeking to enhance reflective practices, professional development of ELT teachers, and thereby improve the quality of English language teaching in the region. Keywords: reflective practice, reflective teaching and learning, professional development, ELT/TESOL educationThe British University in Dubai (BUiD)Dr Tendai Charles2023-11-21T11:36:06Z2023-11-21T11:36:06Z2023-09Thesisapplication/pdf20182027https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/2435en20182027oai:bspace.buid.ac.ae:1234/24352023-11-21T23:00:39Z
spellingShingle Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
ZOELFAKAR, SOHA
title Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
title_full Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
title_fullStr Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
title_full_unstemmed Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
title_short Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
title_sort Investigating Reflective Practices and their Impact on English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: An Explanatory Case Study in the UAE Education Sector
url https://bspace.buid.ac.ae/handle/1234/2435