Examining Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Noticing Skills

Abstract

The aim of this research is to examine the pre-service mathematics teachers’ noticing skills. Participants of the study were 20 pre-service mathematics teachers. During the data collection process, a video of a mathematics teacher’s teaching the function concept was watched and then the pre-service teachers were asked what they noticed on the video and their answers were taken in writing. The analysis of the data was made using descriptive analysis. The findings of the research showed that in the course video on the teaching of function concepts followed by pre-service mathematics teachers, they noticed the parts related to the teacher rather than the students, and they were paying attention to both general (pedagogical strategies, classroom communication) and specific (specific to function concept) aspects. It was also determined that explanations about what they noticed were often descriptive and evaluative, they rarely made interpretive and reflective explanations. When the levels of noticing of pre-service teachers were examined, it was seen that they were mostly at Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 respectively, and there were no pre-service teachers at Level 4. These results, which seem to be consistent with the results obtained in other studies in the literature, are thought to contribute to the field in terms of identification and development of pre-service mathematics teachers’ noticing skills.