Reflective journaling in mathematics: Insights into the development of future teachers

Abstract

Given their responsibilities and influence on future students, preservice mathematics teachers' preparation is critically important. This research's purpose was to explore reflective journaling for preservice teachers in advanced undergraduate mathematics courses. To accomplish this purpose, 39 preservice teachers enrolled in upper-level undergraduate mathematics courses shared evidence from their semester-long learning journals including self-perceptions as learners and future professionals. Student journals were analyzed using qualitative thematic methods; themes included perseverance through challenge, self-awareness of learning behaviors, building content knowledge, and future teaching connections. Participants perceived themselves as mathematics learners experiencing challenges and successes and as future educators building skills and preparing for the workplace. Findings reveal journaling's particular usefulness for building the mathematical habits of mind and professional mentality of preservice teachers, helping them to begin the transition of their viewpoints from student to teacher. This study has implications for preparing future teachers and designing corresponding undergraduate mathematics courses.

Journaling program development as an effort to improve student literacy skills

“…Melihat dari hasil journaling yang dituliskan oleh peserta didik berdasarkan arahan tim mahasiswa program Kampus Mengajar, maka terdapat peluang untuk mengarahkan peserta didik melakukan journaling dengan tema berkaitan dengan proses pembelajaran di kelas. Hasil journaling tersebut, dapat membantu untuk memulai perbaikan proses pembelajaran, sehingga pelaksanaan proses pembelajaran juga mempertimbangkan perspektif dari peserta didik (Zarestky, & Bigler, 2021).…”

Simulation-based mathematics and social justice activities

“…• therapeutic value, (adapted here to focus mostly on mathematics anxiety) • changes in conceptions of mathematics More themes emerged from reading the data searching for topics repeatedly touched on by all the students. Zarestky & Bigler (2021) refer to the importance of such open coding, noting that if a "study's purpose [is] to explore student thinking, open coding support[s] reliance on the data rather than any preconceptions of what students might or should write about" (p. 57). The additional themes are:…”

“…This shows that they were thinking and evaluating the activity as learners but also as future teachers. In their study, Zarestky & Bigler (2021) too found that "PSTs were evaluating course activities as learners but also as professionals looking for strategies and activities to incorporate into their own future practice" (p. 61).…”