Viewing videos of controversial issues instruction: What influences transformative reflection?

This mixed-methods study examined how and under what conditions pre-service social studies teachers reported transformations to their controversial issues pedagogy. This study was situated in a graduate level, pre-service social studies seminar and lasted for three years. It examined pre-service social studies teachers’ responses to classes that utilized videotaped instruction of an experienced practitioner teaching lessons about controversial free speech. The theoretical framework drew upon enlightened political engagement, and data was derived from the written reflections of 63 pre-service social studies teachers. Findings emphasize that the pre-service social studies teachers were most likely to report pedagogical transformations when reflecting with a peer and when they were free to choose their analytical focus. Also, they were most likely to contextualize these pedagogical transformations within the observed teacher’s classroom, a phenomenon we called ‘transposing’. Implications of this study identify issues about how to teach for pedagogical transformations in controversial issues instruction.