Exploring the Impact of Geospatial Context on Mathematics Preservice Teachers’ Professional Development to Engage Students in Classroom Discussion

• In Event: Examining the role of technology, coaching, and indicators on teachers and teacher professional development

Proposal

Facilitating classroom discussions is a key practice for promoting interactive and equitable mathematics instruction (NCTM, 2014). Novice teachers often struggle to engage students in diverse classrooms due to limited knowledge of community history and culture (Martine et al., 2010). By connecting students' lives to mathematical tasks, teachers foster a learning environment that respects diverse perspectives (Abacioglu et al., 2020). This study uses a mixed-methods approach, including GIS and qualitative analysis, to examine how the spatial context of preservice teachers' (PSTs) field experiences shapes their ability to facilitate productive discussions. It focuses on PST and student demographics, school environments, TEP locations, and neighborhood characteristics, offering insights on optimizing field placements to better prepare PSTs for diverse settings.

Relevance

By using geospatial analysis to examine how spatial and socioeconomic contexts shape preservice teachers' practices, this study provides insights into how GIS can enhance understanding of educational equity. It also explores how students' digital access impacts equitable teaching in mathematics, aligning with the theme of digital transformation in education.



Literature Review

Field experiences are crucial in teacher education, helping preservice teachers (PSTs) engage with diverse environments and understand students’ cultural, social, and economic contexts. Rural placements, combined with place-based pedagogy, help PSTs adapt to local settings (Azano & Stewart, 2015), while community-based learning fosters culturally responsive teaching, enhancing empathy and adaptability (Cooper, 2007; McDonald et al., 2011).

Though many PSTs hold preconceived notions about diverse communities (Bauml et al., 2016), direct interactions often challenge these assumptions and foster positive perceptions (Baldwin et al., 2007). Gaps remain in understanding how experiences in high-needs or rural settings impact PSTs’ ability to engage students effectively.

Cultural awareness and reflective practices are essential for fostering responsive teaching in under-resourced schools (White et al., 2016), though PSTs face challenges in high-poverty urban schools (McKinney et al., 2007). Existing studies focus on specific locales but lack a comparison of broader spatial factors, which this study addresses by using geospatial analysis (Cobb, 2020) to examine how TEP locations and school demographics affect PSTs' development, especially in facilitating subject-specific discussions in mathematics.



How are TEPs and their host schools geospatially distributed?

How does the field placement school environment in diverse neighborhoods shape mathematics preservice teachers’ core practices in engaging students in classroom discussions?

Theory/Context

This study is grounded in Situated Learning Theory, which posits that learning occurs through active participation in a Community of Practice (CoP), where knowledge is acquired in context (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Yuan & McKelvey, 2004). In this framework, PSTs are seen as novices learning from experts through legitimate peripheral participation, gradually moving toward full participation in teaching practices. Spatially diverse host schools serve as the CoP, where PSTs engage with different students and experienced teachers, shaping their core practices for engaging students in classroom discussions.

The study focuses on how neighborhoods, school environments, student and teacher demographics, and internet access during the pandemic influence PSTs’ learning experiences. Specifically, it explores how the environment of host schools shapes preservice teachers' core practices.

The TEPs analyzed are located in the Midwestern U.S. Program A, in a large metropolitan city, had a population in 2022 that was 51.9% White, 28.5% Black, and 11% Hispanic, with a poverty rate of 15.9% and 92.3% internet access. Program B, in a small college town, had a population that was 76.8% White, 10.5% Asian, and 4.4% Hispanic, with a 31.1% poverty rate and 87.8% internet access.



Methods

This study uses geospatial analysis and interviews to examine how the environment and teacher education interact in shaping preservice teachers’ learning experiences. Geospatial analysis via Geographic Information System (GIS) explores the spatial relationships between teacher education programs and their host schools. After mapping these networks, in-depth interviews are conducted to understand how the geospatial contexts of field experiences influence preservice teachers' learning.

GIS data on Indiana Unified School District boundaries, host schools, and teacher education institutions (2022-2023) were retrieved from TIGER/Line Shapefiles (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Racial distribution, child poverty, and internet access data were also analyzed using the 2022 American Community Survey (ACS).

Preservice teachers from two institutions—one in a metropolitan city and one in a college town—were selected for interviews based on their field experience locations. Interviewees include those with placements in Program A’s metropolitan city, Program B’s small city, and one with experience in both settings.



Findings

Based on the GIS analysis, the neighborhoods surrounding the two TEPs and their host schools display distinct demographic and socioeconomic contexts. Program A, in a metropolitan area, is in districts with a diverse racial composition, a higher percentage of Black residents (up to 50%), and significant child poverty rates (16.5%–27.7%). Internet access varies, with subscription rates between 76% and 88%.

In contrast, Program B, in a smaller city, is located in predominantly White districts (96% or more), with lower child poverty rates and higher internet access (82%–88%). These contrasting environments offer insights into how geographic and socioeconomic factors shape preservice teachers' field experiences.

To further explore these dynamics, in-depth interviews with preservice teachers from both programs will examine how different neighborhood contexts, shaped by race, poverty, and technology access, influence their perceptions of diversity, equity, and teaching practices.



Contribution

This study addresses how the geographic and socioeconomic contexts of preservice teachers' (PSTs) field experiences influence their ability to engage students in productive mathematical discussions. It highlights the importance of practicum settings for PSTs' pedagogical growth and the need for stronger connections between TEPs and schools (Cohen et al., 2013; Gaikhorst et al., 2017). By integrating geospatial analysis (GIS) and qualitative methods, the study offers new insights into how the distribution of programs and host schools shapes PSTs' development, particularly in diverse field placements, providing actionable recommendations for teacher preparation programs.

Authors

• Jina Kim, Indiana University Bloomington

• Mihyun Jeon, Indiana University - Bloomington