Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge of Algebraic Thinking and the Characteristics of the Questions Posed for Students

Authors

Leigh A. van den Kieboom, Marquette UniversityFollow
Marta Magiera, Marquette UniversityFollow
John Moyer, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

38 p.

Publication Date

4-30-2010

Publisher

American Educational Research Association

Source Publication

AERA Online Paper Repository

Abstract

In this study, we explored the relationship between the strength of pre-service teachers’ algebraic thinking and the characteristics of the questions they posed during cognitive interviews that focused on probing the algebraic thinking of middle school students. We developed a performance rubric to evaluate the strength of pre-service teachers’ algebraic thinking across 130 algebra-based tasks. We used an existing coding scheme found in the literature to analyze the characteristics of the questions pre-service teachers posed during clinical interviews. We found that pre-service teachers with higher algebraic thinking abilities were able to pose probing questions that uncovered student thinking through the use of follow up questions. In comparison, pre-service teachers with lower algebraic thinking abilities asked factual questions; moving from one question to the next without posing follow up questions to probe student thinking.

Comments

Accepted version. AERA Online Paper Repository, (April 20, 2010). © 2010 Leigh A. van den Kieboom, Marta T. Magiera and John C. Moyer. Used with permission

Recommended Citation

van den Kieboom, Leigh A.; Magiera, Marta; and Moyer, John, "Pre-Service Teachers’ Knowledge of Algebraic Thinking and the Characteristics of the Questions Posed for Students" (2010). Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science Faculty Research and Publications. 420.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/mscs_fac/420