Using cognitive diagnosis to guide workshop design: A preliminary study of examining novice mathematics teachers’ knowledge of dialogic teaching

Abstract

Teacher knowledge assessment has received little attention in professional development programs. This study addresses this gap by utilizing cognitive diagnosis to guide the workshop design and examine the differences in novice teachers' knowledge of dialogic teaching. The study involved 45 Chinese secondary mathematics teachers who participated in a knowledge-based workshop. Pre- and post-tests demonstrated a significant improvement in teachers' knowledge. Cognitive diagnosis analysis revealed that around half of the participating teachers sufficiently comprehended the concepts of “elaborating,” “reasoning,” and “thinking with others.” The study underscores the potential of cognitive diagnosis as a design strategy to support teachers’ professional growth.