Investigating preservice teachers’ feedback to students’ mathematical solutions

ABSTRACT

Teachers require support in developing the pedagogical skill of interpreting students’ mathematical thinking and providing effective feedback that promotes learning. However, there is a lack of research assessing the quality of feedback based on teacher noticing in mathematics classes. This study analysed 20 preservice teachers’ (PSTs) feedback approaches through two perspectives: mathematical alignment and the responsiveness of feedback to students’ mathematical approaches. The findings indicated alignment of the focused mathematical concepts/processes in noticing and feedback. PSTs paid more attention to mathematical accuracy than the strength or potential of students’ strategies. Furthermore, there was a relationship between the complexity of student solutions and PSTs’ depth of noticing and the cognitive demands of feedback.

KEYWORDS:

• Mathematics teacher education
• noticing
• responsive feedback
• addition and subtraction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).