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Prospective and In-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Attention to a Rich Mathematics Task While Planning its Implementation in the Classroom

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Abstract

This study explores secondary mathematics teachers’ attention to the three components of Jaworski’s (1992) “teaching triad” (i.e., mathematical challenge, learning management, and sensitivity to students) as they planned a lesson revolving around a rich mathematics problem and assessed pre-designed student solutions for that problem. Written work was gathered from 17 cohorts. Qualitative analysis generated categories. Quantitative analysis revealed that some components of the teaching triad were attended to in both activities, some were not attended to in either activity, and some were attended to in one activity but not in the other. Findings are interpreted in light of theory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics Education, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

    Michal Ayalon

  2. Department of Mathematics, Achva Academic College, Arugot, Israel

    Elena Naftaliev

  3. Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Esther S. Levenson

  4. Statistics Education Unit, The Academic College of Tel Aviv Yaffo, Tel Aviv Yaffo, Israel

    Sigal Levy

Authors
  1. Michal Ayalon
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  2. Elena Naftaliev
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  3. Esther S. Levenson
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  4. Sigal Levy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michal Ayalon.

Appendix: Instructions for the planning activity

Appendix: Instructions for the planning activity

Write a hypothetical plan for implementing the functions problem in class.

  1. i

    List your teaching goals. Explain in detail.

  2. j

    Write full answers, as you would expect to receive from your students.

  3. k

    What difficulties do you think students might expect to encounter?

  4. l

    Imagine you have carried out the task in your classroom:

    • How will you verify that the teaching objectives you have proposed in section I have been achieved? To answer this question, prepare a list of important criteria that you will use to assess student performance.

    • Suggest another mathematics task that will enable you to see whether your teaching goals have been achieved.

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Ayalon, M., Naftaliev, E., Levenson, E.S. et al. Prospective and In-Service Mathematics Teachers’ Attention to a Rich Mathematics Task While Planning its Implementation in the Classroom. Int J of Sci and Math Educ 19, 1695–1716 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-020-10134-1

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