Teachers Sense-Making Strategies While Watching Video of Mathematics Instruction

Source: Journal of Technology and Teacher Education. 17 (1), p. 7-29.

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of video for teacher education and professional development. This increase is accompanied by widespread recognition that to be beneficial, video must be used in activities that induce particular modes of inquiry. However, little is known about how teachers typically watch video. The present study examines the use of five strategies that teachers use for making sense of classroom instruction that they have watched on video. The participants were 15 middle and high school mathematics teachers who watched four 3-8 minute clips of instruction and described what they had just viewed. Results indicate that teachers employ a variety of sense-making strategies while interpreting classroom video. Implications for teacher research and professional development are discussed.