Impact of Jigsaw Collaboration on Preservice Teachers' Development of Specialized Content Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Innovative Pedagogy of Teacher Education and Its Impact on Preservice Teachers

Abstract

Prior studies have demonstrated a close relationship between teachers’ mathematics knowledge for teaching and their students’ academic performance. Collaborative learning is seen as central for teachers to develop their understanding of teaching. However, whether collaborative learning can be useful for developing preservice teachers’ mathematics knowledge for teaching becomes an important question. The present study examined the impact of jigsaw collaboration on preservice teachers’ development of an important part of the mathematics knowledge for teaching, specialized content knowledge. Drawing on video based assessments and reflection data from 118 elementary preservice teachers in an elementary mathematics methods course, it found that jigsaw collaboration exerted a significant impact on preservice teachers’ development of specialized content knowledge for teaching.

Authors

• Guoxiang Wang, Texas Tech University

• Jian Wang, Texas Tech University

• Raymond Flores, Texas Tech University

• Jory Neff, Texas Tech University

• Yuanhua Wang, Texas Tech University