Variations in prospective teachers’ levels of noticing students’ mathematical thinking based on narrative writing

Abstract

This study explores variations in prospective teachers’ (PTs’) noticing of students’ mathematical thinking based on narrative writing within the context of a practicum course. The research involved eight PTs, each of whom produced ten weekly narratives throughout the course duration. Most PTs displayed noticing abilities within the average range, with a tendency towards moderate levels, particularly in mixed and focused noticing, as per van Es’s (2011) framework. At the mixed noticing level, PTs predominantly focused on their instructional approaches while also considering learners’ reasoning, albeit with a general perspective. They often made evaluative comments without delving deeply into the specifics that would strengthen their analyses. In contrast, at the focused level of noticing, they dedicated more attention to the specifics of learners’ mathematical reasoning and offered interpretive insights. They cited specific instances and interactions to support their evaluations, demonstrating a more detailed and nuanced engagement with the classroom dynamics. The findings also reveal three distinct profiles of variation in noticing among PTs underscoring the complexity of enhancing noticing skills over time. While profile 1 (average to high levels of noticing) and profile 2 (low to moderate levels of noticing) showed more variation, profile 3 demonstrated a more stable pattern at the moderate levels. These variations might be a result of the bidirectional relationships that exist between the skills of noticing. It could also stem from the events that PTs based their narratives on, affirming that enhancement in noticing is an iterative, context-sensitive process influenced by classroom context and situation awareness.