How preservice teachers' beliefs and assumptions about diverse students change through their reflection on a study-buddy program

In this study, the pre-service teachers participated in a study-buddy program and were required to write, as reflective journal entries, what they knew about their study-buddy and to analyze each of their study-buddy’s ’s dilemma and possible solutions to dilemmas. The pre-service teachers’ writings of case dilemmas were then analyzed for assumptions they made about their study-buddy. The results of the study yield information about the nature of pre-service teachers’ assumptions of students they taught, and thus contribute to the development of expert teachers. In addition, this study illustrates how required assignments such as reflection and participation in a study-buddy program can be useful tools in teacher education programs, creating opportunities for self-reflection and exercising complex problem solving in “ill-structured” settings.