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Abstract
Teacher preparation programs strive to cultivate future educators who can successfully meet the unique needs of todays increasingly diverse student populations. Given the juxtaposition between pre-service teachers (PSTs) who are predominantly white and female (Bitterman, Goldring, & Gray, 2013) and student populations which have recently reached a majority minority (Maxwell, 2014), it is particularly important that PSTs resist temptations to teach the way they were taught and creatively adapt practices to meet the needs of all students (Badiali & Hammond, 2002; Badiali, Nolan, Zembal-Saul, & Manno, 2011; Borg, 2004; Gay, 2000; Lortie, 1975). Although teacher preparation programs emphasize the importance of cultivating reflective practitioners who critically examine and innovatively improve their practices (Grossman, 2008; NCTAF, 1996; 2007; Ostorga, 2006), reflection remains an enigmatic construct and efforts to develop the reflective practice are vague at best (Choy & Oo, 2012; James, 2007; Rodgers, 2002). The two studies included in this dissertation aimed to demystify reflection in order to inform the development of instructional strategies to enhance reflective practice. First, the investigatory study explored the relationship between reflective and creative thinking and commonalities across field experiences that encouraged PSTs to engage I advanced reflection. Results supported the relationship between reflection and creativity, although future research should investigate the interaction between the two processes using different measurement tools to further verify the relationship. Analysis of reflection essays written by students categorized as advanced reflectors revealed the importance of frequently exposing PSTs to field placements that contrast their personal K-12 educational experiences. Second, the applied study investigated the impact of an experimental teacher preparation course designed to enhance reflection through creative teaching strategies. Pre-service teachers enrolled in the experimental course demonstrated more advanced reflective thinking and positive attitudes toward the reflective practice than those in the control group, suggesting that creativity training techniques can be used to guide PSTs throughout the reflective thinking process. Future studies should replicate these instructional strategies to examine their impact on more diverse populations of PSTs, and longitudinal research should investigate the reflective practice as it naturally unfolds when PSTs enter the real world of teaching.