Student teachers' reasoning while making pedagogical decisions

SUMMARY This study examines student teachers' reasoning when making pedagogical decisions at two stages of the teaching process: the pre-active stage of lesson planning and the post-active stage of analysis of the lesson taught. The sample consisted of 21 student teachers, all with a BA degree but no teaching certificate, already teaching various subjects in secondary schools. The student teachers took a course in pedagogy, during which they gained experience in planning lessons and teaching them by means of peer teaching. Qualitative and quantitative findings were gathered from the student teachers' reflective journals. Findings relate to: (1) the topics figuring in their pedagogical decisions; (2) the arguments used to explain the decisionss; and (3) the range of arguments given for each decision. The importance of the study lies in identifying student teachers' reasoning when planning and teaching lessons, highlighting specific shortcomings, in view of the complexity of teaching situations. The study yielded insights relevant to the educational process.