2013 Conference Proceedings - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

conceptual understanding, applications, and problem solving ability. Such results suggestcurricula that focus on the development of powerful processes and proficiencies can positivelyimpact student achievement. Research also highlights teachers’ difficulties in conceptualizingand providing students with opportunities to engage in these same processes and proficiencies(e.g., Jacobs et al., 2006).Transition to the Common Core affects not only K-12 instruction, but also university teacherpreparation programs—programs that will produce the next generation of teachers charged withenacting and sustaining Common Core’s vision in their (future) classrooms. Such programsmust provide prospective teachers with opportunities to experience, develop, and implementinstruction and assessments meeting the demands of the Common Core, and opportunities toreflect on the impact of such instruction on their own and their (future) students’ learning.The current report adds to emerging research into teachers’ conceptions of the mathematicalpractices by exploring the following research question: How do prospective middle childhood(grades 4-9) mathematics teachers (henceforth referred to as PSTs) conceptualize exhibitingengagement in the mathematical practices in written work?MethodologyAs part of a recent mathematics methods course, I required PSTs to solve mathematicsproblems (via “problem sets”) related to the six domains of the grades 6-8 content standards(e.g., The Number System). Furthermore, PSTs were requested to solve the problems in amanner they believed would exhibit engagement in the mathematical practices in their writtenwork. The majority of the problems were chosen from standards-based (i.e., reform) sources,such as the Connected Mathematics Project.The course consisted of 16 PSTs and was the second of two math methods courses in PSTs’licensure program (grades 4-9). Data for this report pertains to Problems Sets #4 (domain:Statistics and Probability) and #5 (Geometry), and consisted of PSTs’ written solutions, PSTs’choices for which mathematical practice(s) they believed they exhibited engagement in, andwhat PSTs took as evidence that any given practice had been engaged in. At the time PSTs weregiven the problem sets, their main experiences with the mathematical practices (in relation to thecourse) had involved supporting their images of what engagement in the practices looks likeduring verbal classroom interactions. Such support included viewing and discussing video fromProceedings of the 40 th Annual Meeting of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning 2013 8