Examining the Effect of Student Problem Solving on Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge Development

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: Teaching, Teacher Preparation, and Teacher Professional Development in the Content Areas: A Poster Session (San Diego)

Abstract

While previous research has examined what students learn as they agentically solve mathematics problems, less is known about what teachers learn through this process. We use this paper to address this oversight by providing mixed methods analyses of interviews, lesson plans, and video observations of five novice elementary teachers as they taught between six and eight lessons each. Findings reveal that teachers who rely on prescripted approaches developed knowledge related to classroom management and climate. Alternately, teachers who allowed students to agentically solve problems developed a deep understanding of students’ mathematical thinking. This study therefore contributes to extant learning through teaching literature by illustrating how pedagogical choices directly affect what teachers learn within these approaches.

Authors

• Peter Jacob Woods, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Yasemin Copur-Gencturk, University of Southern California

• Sebnem Atabas, University of Southern California