Implications and future research

This study has both practical and theoretical implications. Practically, the study suggests ways in which the video application VEO can be used as a tool for reflective practice, especially in learning reflection skills and guiding that learning. It also shows how video-based reflection should not be applied, what kinds of obstacles might be implied and solutions on how to manage them. The greatest implication of the study is that it has shed light on the ways in which student teachers are guided in their practicum periods and the aims and theoretical basis of supervision. Bringing a new reflection tool, a video application, to our teacher education programme has challenged the thinking of those supervisors who have been following a model based

on supervisor feedback. Using a video application, such as VEO, requires a learner-centred approach, with student teachers first analysing their videos (see also Körkkö et al., 2019). Thus, a video application is well suited for the purpose of promoting the reflection activity of student teachers. The role of the supervisor remains important, but this role has to be different when video viewing is applied. Student teachers have to take responsibility for their learning and analyse their teaching from a new perspective. Supervisors who are used to applying more traditional approaches have to rethink their role when video is used as part of the supervision process.

In future, it would be relevant to study more closely individual beliefs and attitudes towards using video for reflection: What kinds of beliefs do student teachers and supervisors have about the use of video in general? Why are some student teachers and supervisors excited about the use of video and others not? This information would be beneficial because individual beliefs impact how new learning tools are implemented (cf. Janssen, Kreijns, Bastiaens, Stijnen, & Vermeulen, 2013). It is important to have supervisors’ opinions because they are key to implementing new reflection tools in the teacher education programme. If supervisors do not support a new tool, it cannot be presumed that student teachers would consider that tool meaningful for their learning.

Supervision can have different goals, all of which are important and can be addressed in different phases of the teacher education programme and according to student teachers’ personal phase of development (cf. Jyrhämä, 2002). However, in all supervision, the main focus should be on promoting the learning of critical reflection skills. Supervision cannot be based only on analysing student teachers’

actions. Therefore, based on the results of this study and previous studies on video-based reflection (Arya et al., 2014; Tripp & Rich, 2012a, 2012b), I highly recommend continuing the use of VEO. This does not mean that previous reflection tools or ways of supervision have to be abandoned. As different tools have both advantages and disadvantages, they can be used simultaneously. This is now the case in our teacher education programme. The challenge is to find a combination of reflective activities that support learning – activities that take on a critical stance. Supervisors and student teachers would benefit from using reflection frameworks and models that guide reflection. The holistic model of learning and guiding reflection developed in this study can work as such a model. However, this model has not been empirically tested, and future research needs to be cognisant of this. Additional research could aid in modifying the model and creating new reflection frameworks.

Based on the experiences from this study, I think that using a video application in peer reflection is something that needs to be developed and studied more in the future. In particular, it would be important to explore what kind of peer reflection forms are most successful in the context of video-based reflection. Reflection is already being discussed with student teachers during their teacher education studies.

However, besides providing external guidance, it is useful to further highlight the

levels of reflection and indicate to student teachers what kind of feedback is helpful for professional development. This is important because video offers a new approach to giving feedback.

Theoretically, this study widens the background of teacher education by adding a holistic approach to teacher learning (Korthagen, 2004, 2017) in research on teacher reflection, especially video-based reflection. To my knowledge, many reflection frameworks developed so far (Kolb, 1984; Liakopoulou, 2012; Schön, 1983) are highly theoretical and, therefore, mainly ignore the emotional and motivational sides of teaching. Previous research has not connected video studies of teacher learning to the holistic approach. In relation to the holistic approach, the theoretical background of the teacher education programme is enriched with social cognitive views of learning, which consider the role of efficacy, motivation, concept and self-confidence in learning (Bandura, 1977, 1997). These issues may remain hidden in supervisory discussions, and therefore, it is important to recognise their existence and the positive or negative ways in which they may affect student teachers’ learning (cf.

Komulainen, 2010; Pickle, 1985). Theoretical insights are included in the holistic model of learning and guiding reflection developed here. The model emerged from theory and empirical findings and serves as a guide for reflective practice.

Research on video-based reflection in teacher education is increasing, and we are discovering more and more about how to effectively use video for teacher learning.

Wang and Hartley (2003) stated that connections between video and reflection and video and professional development need to be studied in greater detail. This study provides information about student teachers’ learning through video; however, many questions remain unanswered. It would be important to conduct further studies on, e.g. how different elements of video applications affect teacher professional development. This could help us understand how the various benefits of video applications can be applied. Learning from video is affected by many contextual issues, such as how reflective practice is organised. The results can vary depending on the presence or lack of external guidance and the type of setting (individual or group reflection) (Kleinknecht & Schneider, 2013). Therefore, conducting more research with varied conditions would increase our understanding of the phenomenon. In my own work context, I would like to study the use of the VEO app over the course of the whole teacher education programme in order to see how student teachers learn to use the app, how their attitudes develop and how they benefit from using the app in their reflection and professional development. Besides other study assignments, student teachers’ portfolios would be a valuable source of study to ascertain whether video-based reflection has any impact on their reflection over time. I want to guide student teachers to take more advantage of the educational literature in their portfolios. Moreover, teacher educators’ professional development has gained little scientific interest, and therefore, it needs to be addressed more carefully in the future (Dinkelman, 2011; Williams & Ritter, 2010).