Analyzing the Impact of Video Representation Complexity on Preservice Teacher Noticing of Children’s Thinking

Abstract

Despite the growing research base on preservice teacher noticing of children's mathematical thinking in video, few, if any studies consider the complex nature of the video representations themselves. Drawing from cognitive load theory, we developed a rubric to code the complexity of the salient teaching and learning events captured in video, and analyzed the relationship between video complexity and preservice teacher (n = 233) noticing. Results indicate that two categories significantly highlight children's mathematical thinking and two categories significantly mask children's mathematical thinking for preservice teachers. We discuss the implications of these results for the design of our instructional platform and other video-based learning environments used in preservice teacher education settings.

Video Complexity: Describing Videos Used for Teacher Learning

“…This process of highlighting and masking elements of video relates to the complexity of the video, which then can be applied to making content selections for video clubs. Differences in video influence teachers' opportunities to notice (Superfine & Bragelman, 2018). Such differences can be thought of as those aspects of video which affect cognitive load or how much information teachers must process as they view video content.…”

“…Considering intrinsic and extraneous load factors in this way can guide video clip selection to enhance teacher noticing in video clubs. Superfine and Bragelman (2018) describe in detail various categories of video complexity related to cognitive load. The material being learned comprises the intrinsic load, based on the interactivity that occurs (Superfine & Bragelman, 2018;Sweller, 2003).…”

“…Recently, Superfine and Bragelman (2018) provided a lens through which videos could be characterized to connect the complexity of visual and auditory elements of video with teacher noticing. Superfine and Bragelman (2018) argue that cognitive processing is associated with the intrinsic load complexity of video, meaning the depth of enacted task, clarity of children's thinking, teacher participation, and moments of children's mathematical thinking. They also argue that extraneous load dimensions are important to consider, including moments that are not focused on children's mathematical thinking, meaning peripheral audio or visual inclusions in the video.…”

“…Beisiegel et al, 2018), and found that videos "are not all created equal in terms of the teaching and learning interactions that are made visible to the viewer" (p. 14). Superfine and Bragelman (2018) argue that additional consideration should be given to the characteristics of videos that are used to support teacher learning. This recommendation is in accordance with Sherin, Linsenmeier, and van Es (2009) who studied features of video clips that promoted mathematics teachers' discussions.…”

“…We focus on the intrinsic and extraneous load characteristics (i.e. Paas, Renkl, & Sweller, 2003;Superfine & Bragelman, 2018;Sweller, van Merriënboer & Paas, 2019) of video and also consider other complexities of videos, such as whether or not the same students appear in more than one clip and whether or not multiple representations or solution strategies are apparent in a video club. In addition to building from Superfine and Bragelman's work with video complexity, we considered video characteristics in comparison to how long particular videos were discussed during a video club.…”