Prospective Primary Mathematics Teachers’ Learning from On-line Discussions in a Virtual Video-Based Environment

Source: Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Volume 13, Number 2,
177-196. (April 2010).

The purpose of this study was to investigate how participation and reification of ideas about mathematics teaching are constituted in on-line discussions when prospective primary mathematics teachers analyzed video-cases about mathematics teaching.

Prospective teachers enrolled in a mathematics methodology course participated for 4 weeks in two virtual learning environments that integrated the analysis of video-clips, on-line discussions and writing essays about key aspects of mathematics teaching.

Three aspects were considered relevant to explain the prospective teachers’ learning:
the way in which the theoretical information was used to frame and to interpret the events from mathematics teaching;
the characteristics of engagement with others participating in the on-line discussions and
the role played by prospective teachers’ beliefs.

Possible reasons for the importance of these features include the specific questions posed in on-line discussions and the use of video-clips of mathematics teaching.

These findings are considered useful in designing virtual learning environments and the kinds of tasks through which the understanding of mathematics teaching and learning-to-notice skills can be developed.