Video-stimulated recall (tạm dịch là Kỹ
thuật kích thích hồi tưởng qua việc sử dụng videoVSR) được hiểu là một kỹ thuật kích thích hồi tưởng trí
nhớ qua việc sử dụng video. Với kỹ thuật này, đối
tượng nghiên cứu được xem lại đoạn băng ghi hình lại
các hoạt động của mình nhằm hỗ trợ, gợi nhớ cho đối
tượng nghiên cứu về suy nghĩ của mình trong một tình
huống liên quan đến vấn đề nghiên cứu. Kỹ thuật này
đã được sử dụng trong một số nghiên cứu trong giáo
dục và một số lĩnh vực khác. Tuy nhiên, việc ứng dụng
kỹ thuật này trong việc hỗ trợ giáo viên phát triển khả
năng phản hồi về việc dạy-học trên lớp còn rất ít, đặc
biệt ở các nước châu Á và ở Việt Nam. Bài viết này báo
cáo về một nghiên cứu của tác giả trong việc ứng dụng
kỹ thuật VSR với 04 giảng viên tiếng Anh tại 04 trường
đại học công lập trên địa bàn Hà Nội. Phương pháp thu
thập số liệu là phỏng vấn, quan sát và phỏng vấn ứng
dụng kỹ thuật VSR. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy việc
ứng dụng kỹ thuật VSR mang lại kết quả khả quan
trong việc hỗ trợ giáo viên phát triển khả năng phản hồi
trong quá trình dạy-học. Tuy nhiên, do ảnh hưởng của
một số yếu tố về văn hóa, xã hội, người sử dụng kỹ
thuật này phải rất linh hoạt và cần có sự chuẩn bị kỹ.
Bài tham luận cũng đưa ra một số chia sẻ và gợi ý để
sử dụng kỹ thuật này hiệu quả nhất.
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NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG KỸ THUẬT KÍCH THÍCH HỒI TƯỞNG KÝ ỨC
BẰNG VIDEO TRONG DẠY-HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
Nguyn Thanh Nga
Trường Đại học Sư phạm Nghệ thuật Trung ương
Tóm t
t: Video-stimulated recall (tạm dịch là Kỹ
thuật kích thích hồi tưởng qua việc sử dụng video-
VSR) được hiểu là một kỹ thuật kích thích hồi tưởng trí
nhớ qua việc sử dụng video. Với kỹ thuật này, đối
tượng nghiên cứu được xem lại đoạn băng ghi hình lại
các hoạt động của mình nhằm hỗ trợ, gợi nhớ cho đối
tượng nghiên cứu về suy nghĩ của mình trong một tình
huống liên quan đến vấn đề nghiên cứu. Kỹ thuật này
đã được sử dụng trong một số nghiên cứu trong giáo
dục và một số lĩnh vực khác. Tuy nhiên, việc ứng dụng
kỹ thuật này trong việc hỗ trợ giáo viên phát triển khả
năng phản hồi về việc dạy-học trên lớp còn rất ít, đặc
biệt ở các nước châu Á và ở Việt Nam. Bài viết này báo
cáo về một nghiên cứu của tác giả trong việc ứng dụng
kỹ thuật VSR với 04 giảng viên tiếng Anh tại 04 trường
đại học công lập trên địa bàn Hà Nội. Phương pháp thu
thập số liệu là phỏng vấn, quan sát và phỏng vấn ứng
dụng kỹ thuật VSR. Kết quả nghiên cứu cho thấy việc
ứng dụng kỹ thuật VSR mang lại kết quả khả quan
trong việc hỗ trợ giáo viên phát triển khả năng phản hồi
trong quá trình dạy-học. Tuy nhiên, do ảnh hưởng của
một số yếu tố về văn hóa, xã hội, người sử dụng kỹ
thuật này phải rất linh hoạt và cần có sự chuẩn bị kỹ.
Bài tham luận cũng đưa ra một số chia sẻ và gợi ý để
sử dụng kỹ thuật này hiệu quả nhất.
Abstract: Video-stimulated recall is a technique in
which the participants are invited to watch video-
recordings of particular events in which they are
involved to stimulate their thinking. The use of the
stimulated recall technique has grown in popularity
particularly in studies of teachers’ beliefs and practices.
However, there is little discussion on the utilisation of
video-stimulated recall to encourage teachers’
reflective thought in the classroom, especially in Asian
countries. The present study investigated whether
stimulated recall could facilitate and
encourageVietnamese EFL teachers’ reflective
practices in real-world context. The paper is drawn
upon the findings of our research incorporating video-
stimulated recall as a research technique in stimulated
recall interviews in order to explore Vietnamese
teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding learner
autonomy. Data, which included interviews, videotaping,
and observation, were collected with four EFL teachers
with at least 5 years of experience at four universities in
Hanoi, Vietnam. Findings show that the technique
produces a maximum opportunity for reflective thought
for the teachers involved. However, attention should be
paid to develop creative and flexible solutions to the
challenges that teachers may face due to the cultural
influence on the reflective process. The article
concludes with a summary of implications for future
research and practices.
Key words: video-stimulated recall, reflection,
language education, Vietnamese teachers, higher
education
VIDEO-STIMULATED RECALL
IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY
INTRODUCTION
Researchers have recognised stimulated recall
as a valuable technique for exploring the
reflections on decision-making processes,
especially for capturing teacher thought in the
classroom (Calderhead, 1981). While previous
research has explored the use of video stimulated
recall (VSR) technique as a research technique
(Dempsey, 2010), there is a lack of research that
explores the potential benefits of using VSR in
promoting teachers’ reflection. This paper draws
on the author’s use of video-stimulated recall
interviews in her PhD project on exploring
teachers’ beliefs and behaviours regarding learner
autonomy in Vietnamese education contexts. This
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716
article offers an account of incorporating
stimulated recall technique for the practice of
teacher reflection in teaching. It first discusses the
potential benefits of utilising video stimulated
recall technique in teaching; and then presents
implications for successful implementation of this
technique in helping teachers promote their
practice of reflection.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Stimulated Recall Technique
Since Bloom (1953) first described stimulated
recall (SR) as a research technique in psychology,
SR has also been used extensively in teaching and
learning research (Dempsey, 2010; Theobald,
2011) typically to explore teachers’ cognitive
processes while reflecting on their teaching
following a teaching episode. While Bloom used
audio recordings in his original study, video
recordings are now commonly used in SR
research (Lyle, 2003). Video-stimulated recall
(VSR) then is a research technique in which
participants view video-recordings of themselves
participating in a particular event, e.g. a lesson.
The video acts as a prompt to help individuals
recall their thoughts in relation to their observed
actions as much as possible as they occurred
during the event observed (Calderhead, 1981;
Dempsey, 2010; Theobald, 2011). It is posited that
video technology provides a form of scaffolding
that allows for self-analysis of observed
behaviours by providing a graphic stimulus for
individuals to measure what they perceived they
did to what they observe themselves doing.
Video-simulated recall (VSR) has been used in
a variety of ways. For example, VSR has been
used to explore the instructional and
organisational practices of elementary school
teachers and the beliefs that guide their practices
in their classrooms (Hoffman, 2003).VSR
techniques have also been used for scaffolding
student-teachers’ developing practices (Rich &
Hannafin, 2009) and to support classroom
teachers’ professional development and teaching
practices (Stough, 2001). For example, Stough
(2001) investigated whether VSR could facilitate
the reflective thoughts of special education
student-teachers in real-world contexts. In this
study, Stough (2001) compared the effectiveness
of VSR on two groups. The intervention group
received additional training that would assist them
to reflect on classroom interactions or supervision
consultations while on school practicum whereas
the control group did not; both groups however
engaged in VSR sessions. Stough found that
student-teachers from both groups became
comfortable with the VSR technique but those
from the intervention group became more quickly
familiar and comfortable with the technique, they
seldom relied on prompts from the researchers for
recall when observing themselves on video, and
they readily and prolifically expressed their
thoughts concerning the targeted teaching
sequences.
While there are benefits of using VSR as a
research technique, there are some limitations that
should be considered. Previous research, for
example, Gass and Mackey (2000) posited that
one cannot assume that research participants can
articulate their internal processes of an event as
these behaviours are observed after the fact. That
is, there is a distance of time and place between
when the observer recalls their thoughts about
their behaviours and the time and place of the
actual event. Further, Gass and Mackey suggest
that individuals, in their recall, may very well
create explanations of their actions whether or not
these can be justified rather than engage in deep
reflection on their actions. Lyle (2003) concurs
that an individual may, in fact, be reacting to or
describing their feelings to what they currently see
or hear instead of recalling the thoughts or
feelings they had at the time of an actual episode
or interaction. Another concern is whether tacit
knowledge can be verbalised (Calderhead, 1981).
In this, teachers’ behaviour may be automated and
thus difficult to access and explain at a conscious
level, particularly after the event. Thus, it is
important to acknowledge the distinction between
the recall of an event and reflection on an event
and what it is individuals are being asked to do.
Teachers’ reflection
Reflection has been essentially conceived as a
“cyclical and recursive process that at least
Chin lc ngoi ng trong xu th hi nhp Tháng 11/2014
717
includes problem-solving which coincides with
awareness-raising in order to construct
professional knowledge” (Marcos & Sanchez
&Tillema, 2011, p. 22).The notion of teacher
reflection has been discussed widely in teaching
practice (Marcos & Sanchez &Tillema, 2011).
Killen (2014) stated that:
No matter how well you teach, there is always
room for improvement. One way to continually
improve is to adopt a systematic approach to
learning from your day-to-day teaching
experiences. By looking at how you teach,
thinking about why you do it that way, and
evaluating how well it works, you can identify
your strengths and target things to improve. This
process is referred to as critical reflection and it is
a vital part of effective teacher planning,
decision-making and teaching” (p. 111)
The practice of reflection is said to provide
teachers with several benefits including
scaffolding teachers’ critical thinking, providing a
source of knowledge construction in teaching,
promote teachers’ self-regulation (Marcos &
Sanchez & Tillema, 2011). Killen (2014) stressed
that “experience alone is insufficient for teachers’
professional growth; but reflection on experience
can be a powerful tool for improving teaching” (p.
117). Hence, teachers’ reflection is believed to be
the “key strategy” in many professional
development programs (Marcos & Sanchez &
Tillema, 2011).
Killen (2013) classified reflection into two
main kinds: reflection-on-action and reflection-in-
action. The first kind of reflection refers to
teachers’ reflection on their teaching as it happens
and the latter refers to teachers’ reflection on their
teaching after it has happened (Killen, 2013). It is
also important to pay attention to the depth of
teachers’ reflection (varying from non-reflective
to highly reflective) and the nature of the things
they reflect on (varying from technical to ethical
issues). The literature contains many suggestions
for ways in which teachers, or teachers education
students can learn to reflect on their teaching, on
themselves as learners and on education in general.
It is found that stimulated recall and collegial
reflection increases self-reflection, and the
stimulated recall is useful in assessing and
understanding their teaching practices. However,
there are few studies on how to help teachers
promote the practice of reflection in the teaching
process using VSR.
A different approach to VSR that does not
adhere to building on a cognitive recall model
explores individuals’ perceptions of their observed
cultural behaviours and practices. This socio-
cultural approach allows participants to express
their own understandings of what they observe
about their actions rather than their actual
thoughts and/or feeling for, and during, their
observed behaviour. In other words, rather than
trying to have participants recall what they were
thinking during a particular task, this approach
allows individuals an opportunity to review their
behaviour in a holistic way and so describe their
actions within a relevant context, not as something
isolated as a ‘thinking’ process. It is this socio-
cultural approach that was taken for the current
research which explored Vietnamese English-as-a-
foreign Language (EFL) lecturers’ beliefs about
learner autonomy in a Vietnamese higher
education context.
However, it is critical to note that the possible
tension may arise from utilising SR within both an
Asian (Vietnamese) and Western (Australian)
context. Zhang, Lin, Nokata and Boem (2005)
have suggested that it is common for Asian people
to present ‘desirable’ opinions rather than their
own personal views. This cultural characteristic
presents a methodological issue when using
stimulated recall as this technique relies on the
participants to think reflectively and to articulate
their personal thoughts and feelings. A further
cultural concern of Asian participants in cross-
cultural research is the notion of saving ‘face’.
Face here refers to self-image and feelings (Ho
&Crookall, 1995). In communicating, it is very
important for an Asian person to protect the other
person’s self-image and feelings (face). It may
prove challenging when using VSR techniques for
participants to comment or reflect critically
without losing face. The need to protect self-
image may over-ride the need to provide an
accurate portrayal of thoughts or feelings in
relation to watching oneself on a video.
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718
Participants may believe it more important to
‘save face’, and modify their thoughts and views
rather than present their true views or feelings.
Hence, this study aims to investigate whether
this technique could facilitate teachers’ reflection,
especially with Vietnamese teachers. The
following section details the use of stimulated
recall procedures we have used to obtain data on
teacher cognition.
THE STUDY: Case study: Teachers’ beliefs
about learner autonomy in language education
This paper is drawn upon the findings from our
case study research which was a mixed method
study of Vietnamese EFL University teachers’
beliefs about learner autonomy, and their
subsequent teaching practices in using strategies
to promote learner autonomy. To achieve the
objectives of the research, the researcher
incorporated VSR as a research technique to
collect data on teachers’ beliefs and practice
regarding learner autonomy in their classroom.
The following sections present how VSR was
utilised and lessons drawn from the research.
As Borg (2003) explained, beliefs are based on
evaluations and judgments and inferences of what
people say, intend, and do. An individual’s beliefs
often must be inferred from statements and actions
(Borg, 2003). Therefore, the researcher deemed
that stimulated recall interviews, along with
observations and field notes would be an
appropriate data collection technique to
understand the nexus between teachers’ beliefs
and teaching practices, in relation to learner
autonomy. Learner autonomy is a relatively new
concept in Vietnamese education but one that is
stressed as important for teachers to incorporate in
their teaching. The teachers in this study were
university lecturers who taught English as a
foreign language (EFL). Thus, the study aimed to
explore the teachers’ subjective beliefs without having
a theoretical foundation of learner autonomy.
Data collection for the study occurred in three
phases: an initial interview, three stimulated recall
interviews, and a follow-up in-depth interview.
The purpose of the initial interview was to collect
background information and data about teachers’
espoused beliefs (Borg, 2003) about learner
autonomy. This data was analysed and provided
the framework for video-recorded observations on
teaching activities in the teachers’ EFL classes.
These recordings were the basis for the stimulated
recall interviews (SRI). In the SRI, teachers
watched videos of their teaching practices, and
were asked to discuss their thinking and
subsequent behaviours as they carried out their
role in assisting students to be autonomous
learners. Verbal prompts were used where needed
to encourage the participants to reflect more
deeply about what they were watching themselves
doing. The purpose of using SRI in this study was
to gain insight into why the informants chose to
act/teach in certain ways (Calderhead, 1981;
Dempsey, 2010; Lyle, 2003), and so was designed
to bring beliefs-in-actions (Borg, 2003). In-depth
interviews were also carried out on completion of
all the stimulated recall interviews to understand
further possible reasons affecting teachers’
translation of their understanding of learner
autonomy into actual teaching practices. The
following sections describe the use of stimulated
recall interviews in more detail.
It is interesting and critical to notice that the
participants for this study were Vietnamese who
were depicted as shy in communication (Pham,
2008). Such techniques are not generally used in
Vietnamese classrooms for research and so the
researcher explored some limitations when
conducting the trial stimulated recall interview
with the participants in the training sessions. For
example one participant focused on her physical
appearance and rather than recalling the observed
teaching event, while another participant kept
talking about something else not related to the
event. The third participant just described her
activities without further explanation of her
thinking processes while teaching. The fourth
teacher only talked when she was given questions,
otherwise she silently watched her teaching
practices. While participants became familiar with
the method and better understood the requirements
of recalling from the training sessions, the
researcher found that the participants tended to be
passive and dependent. Without prompting from
the researcher, they did not talk about their
Chin lc ngoi ng trong xu th hi nhp Tháng 11/2014
719
teaching when they viewed the videos. Thus, the
researcher decided not to use the pure version of
SRI technique, instead to use some excerpts with a
developed interview protocol for the stimulated
recall interview. Having prepared questions as
prompts is not unusual for SRI protocol (Dempsey,
2010). Such questioning during the viewing of the
videos has been identified as a significant issue,
since inappropriate probing could lead to
additional reflection and analysis (Dempsey,
2010; Lyle, 2003). Therefore, the researcher
developed open-ended probes that would help
participants remain focused on the issue of
watching how they included learner autonomy in
their teaching practices. Samples of the
interviewing questions in relation to viewing
episodes of including learner autonomy included:
What were your thoughts of doing this activity?
What were you thinking when you decided to
do this?
Why did you decide to do that?
As suggested by O’Brien (1993), in order to
record the teachers’ practices, two cameras were
set up in the classroom. One camera was used to
video the teacher and any other major
instructional resources (such as slides, blackboard,
etc.), and the second camera was used to video the
general dynamics of the classroom activities. The
photographs below outline the positioning of the
cameras in the classroom. Camera one was
positioned at the front of the class where the
teacher generally stands to teach the lesson.
Camera two was positioned at the back of the
class to gain an overall sense of the whole
classroom dynamic. During the lessons, the
researcher was the video operator.
O’Brien (1993) stated that “the number of
video lessons is largely dependent upon the
availability of resources, time” (p. 217). In the
current study, sixteen videotapes (including four
dry-run videos and 12 videos for interviews) were
recorded with three lessons videoed with each
teacher.
After each recording, the researcher viewed the
video and developed the interview