Mathematics teacher learning to notice: a systematic review of studies of video-based programs

Abstract

Teacher noticing has become increasingly acknowledged as a fundamental aspect of teacher professional competence. Teacher education scholars have examined how the development of noticing might be supported both in initial teacher education and in professional development. In mathematics teacher education, several studies have explored the use of video as a supporting tool for teacher noticing. It remains unclear how this body of work builds on the various theoretical perspectives of noticing prevalent in the literature, thus broadening our understanding of noticing. Furthermore, the field has not examined systematically the extent to which research has leveraged the affordances of digital video technologies, and whether scholars have employed different research methods to answer questions that are critical to teacher educators. This survey paper reviews studies published in the last two decades on programs centered on mathematics teacher noticing that used video as a supporting tool for teacher learning. Thirty-five peer-reviewed papers written in English were identified and coded along three dimensions: (1) theoretical perspectives; (2) use of video technologies; and (3) research questions and methods. This review summarizes important findings and highlights several directions for future research. Most studies involved pre-service teachers, and only a few centered on in-service teachers. Developers of the large majority of programs took a cognitive psychological perspective and focused on the attending/perceiving and interpreting/reasoning facets of noticing. Few studies used video-based software and few studies used grouping, and even fewer used randomized grouping. Evidence of program effects on responding and decision making, and on instructional practice, is limited and should be extended in the future.

Measuring pre-service teachers’ noticing competencies within a mathematical modeling context – an analysis of an instrument

“…Van Es et al (2019) analyzed video-based learning environments for teachers and identified five intended goals for the use of videos, which are not distinct: "developing specialized content knowledge for mathematics teaching, learning to systematically reflect on instructional practice, improving both the quality of mathematics instruction and teachers' noticing practices for teaching, and developing a professional vision of ambitious teaching" (p. 26). In a meta-study, which was not limited to the noticing context, Santagata et al (2021) identified two types of activities, which involve watching videos, from a noticing perspective: "selective attention and knowledge-based reasoning" (p. 120). For an overview of video-based studies that foster noticing competencies, see Santagata et al (2021) or Llinares and Chapman (2020).…”

“…In a meta-study, which was not limited to the noticing context, Santagata et al (2021) identified two types of activities, which involve watching videos, from a noticing perspective: "selective attention and knowledge-based reasoning" (p. 120). For an overview of video-based studies that foster noticing competencies, see Santagata et al (2021) or Llinares and Chapman (2020). Amador (2019) reports that if noticing is used as a pedagogical tool, it is often also used as an analytical tool in the same project.…”

“…In a meta-study, Stahnke et al (2016) concluded that most studies in the area of noticing focused on perception, many on interpretation, and fewer on decision-making. Most studies (reviewed in a meta-study by Santagata et al, 2021) used videos as prompts, especially videos of other teachers' classrooms. However, combinations of different prompts are also possible.…”

“…The framework by Jacobs et al (2010) and the Learning to Notice framework (van Es, 2011) are often used but are also regularly modified to match the specific needs, underlying conceptualizations, and research goals, which makes a comparison of data difficult (Amador, 2019). In general, the majority of studies used qualitative approaches and examined how and to what extent noticing competencies develop (Santagata et al, 2021). By contrast, as a quantitative large-scale study, TEDS-FU used video vignettes and cognitively oriented items to integrate both approaches (Kaiser et al, 2017).…”

Development of Prospective Teachers’ Noticing Skills Within Initial Teacher Education

“…A wealth of empirical studies point out that teachers' professional noticing can be promoted through specific programs in initial teacher education or professional development (Star & Strickland, 2008). Recently, many video-based programs, which aim to foster teachers' professional noticing, were developed and show considerable progress of prospective and practicing teachers' noticing, particularly concerning the attending and interpreting/reasoning facets of noticing (for a literature survey see Santagata et al, 2021). It is not an unexpected result that specific intervention activities, which offer--at least prospective--teachers the chance to use their academically acquired knowledge in learning environments, promote professional noticing, especially, when they are supported by video-based activities.…”