Reflections in the Educational Leadership Internship: Bridging Theory and Practice

The present study explores how graduate students in an educational leadership program in the United States constructed reflections during an internship. An archival review of students’ assignments for a class was conducted. A constant comparison analysis which used grounded theory was carried out. Findings suggest there were two major typologies of reflections. For one group, reflections were centered around summarizing, showing appreciation, and offering buzzwords for improvement; a small group centered on capacity for change, showed discontent, and offered an alternative to current practices. Findings suggest reflections in education are of questionable value, and students would be better served by developing reflective capabilities using research methods. A review of the literature compares findings with previous research and theoretical perspectives. There is a discussion and recommendations to improve the reflective process for teachers and educational leaders.