Practice-Based Learning: Examining Learning Goals in Discussions and Enactments of Practice

• In Event: 53.059 - Understanding Preservice Teachers' Developing Core Practices

Abstract

To support teacher candidates (TCs) in enacting responsive, high quality practice, a recent practice-based approach focuses on pedagogies of enactment and core practices. This qualitative case study examines participation of seven TCs in an elementary mathematics methods course using this kind of practice-based approach. The purpose is to understand how learning goals were reflected in how TCs worked on the core practice of facilitating a productive mathematical discussion. Findings indicate a learning cycle embedded with both pedagogies of enactment and core practices supported TCs in changing their practice. TCs became more responsive to student thinking as they deliberately worked to facilitate discussions centered around learning goals. TCs changed how they talked about and used learning goals to guide instructional decisions.

Author

• Elizabeth Hartmann, University of Fukui