Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Characterizing mathematics teacher educators’ written feedback to prospective teachers

  • Published:
Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mathematics teacher educators’ (MTEs’) written feedback is an instantiation of teaching practice and provides information to support the developing understanding of prospective teachers (PTs), yet no research has been undertaken to characterize such feedback. Research on feedback forms, including written feedback, has focused on information provided to learners that draws attention to different components of their performances or understandings, such as elements of the task and processes used to complete it. While no models of feedback or feedback systems prescribe what feedback should contain, factors that researchers have identified as impacting performance or understanding under some conditions have been identified. To explore MTEs’ written feedback as an instantiation of practice and to characterize such feedback, we used a self-study methodology to analyze three MTEs’ written feedback to PTs regarding their responses to students, including the process of attending to and using learners’ mathematics in responses to written work. Findings showed MTEs used some practices described as effective feedback by building on to PTs’ feedback to mathematics-learners. Yet they also provided feedback described as less than effective, such as redirecting PTs to attend to elements in students’ work not addressed by the PTs but perceived by MTEs as important to address. In addition, findings illustrated that MTEs provided little feedback on PTs’ self-regulation. We argue that if MTEs’ written feedback is meant to serve as an instantiation of practice as well as provide information to PTs about their feedback practice, MTEs should explore their feedback so that the model provided operates as they intend.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arts, J., Jaspers, M., & Brinke, D. (2016). A case study on written comments as a form of feedback in teacher education: So much to gain. European Journal of Teacher Education,39(2), 159–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2015.1116513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bay-Williams, J. M. (2013). Field experience guide for elementary and middle school mathematics teaching developmentally (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borko, H., Liston, D., & Whitcomb, J. (2007). Genres of empirical research in teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education,58, 3–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buhagiar, M. (2013). Mathematics student teachers’ views on tutor feedback during teaching practice. European Journal of Teacher Education,36(1), 55–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connelly, F. M., & Clandinin, D. J. (1988). Teachers as curriculum planners. Toronto, ON: OISE Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crespo, S. (2000). Seeing more than right and wrong answers: Prospective teachers’ interpretations of students’ mathematical work. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education,3, 155–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crespo, S. (2002). Praising and correcting: Prospective teachers investigate their teacherly talk. Teaching and Teacher Education,18, 739–758.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crespo, S. (2003). Learning to pose mathematical problems: Exploring changes in preservice teachers’ practices. Educational Studies in Mathematics,52, 243–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, B. (1998). Using research as a stimulus for learning. In A. Teppo (Ed.), Qualitative research methods in mathematics education (pp. 144–155). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ambrosio, B. (2004). Preparing teachers to teach mathematics within a constructivist framework: The importance of listening to children. In T. Watanabe & D. Thompson (Eds.), The work of mathematics teacher educators: Exchanging ideas for effective practice (Vol. 1, pp. 135–150). San Diego, CA: Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, C. (2013). Making sense of assessment feedback in higher education. Review of Educational Research,83(1), 70–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodell, J. (2006). Using critical incident reflections: A self-study as a mathematics teacher educator. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education,9, 221–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, P., Compton, C., Igra, D., Ronfeldt, M., Shahan, E., & Williamson, P. (2009). Teaching practice: A cross-professional perspective. Teachers College Record,111(9), 2055–2100.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research,77, 81–112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, P. (2016). Identifying mentors’ observations for providing feedback. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice,22, 219–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, V., Lamb, L., & Philipp, R. (2010). Professional noticing of children’s mathematical thinking. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,41, 169–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kastberg, S., Sanchez, W., Tyminski, A., Lischka, A., & Lim, W. (2013). Exploring mathematics methods courses and impacts for prospective teachers. In M. Martinez & A. Superfine (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education [PME-NA] (pp. 1349-1357). Chicago, IL: University of Illinois at Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kazemi, E., Ghousseini, H., Cunard, A., & Turrou, A. (2016). Getting inside rehearsals: Insights from teacher educators to support work on complex practice. Journal of Teacher Education,67(1), 18–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitchen, J. (2008). The feedback loop in reflective practice: A teacher educator responds to reflective writing by preservice teachers. Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning,2(2), 37–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kluger, A., & DeNissi, A. (1996). The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory. Psychological Bulletin,119, 254–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LaBoskey, V. K. (2007). The methodology of self-study and its theoretical underpinnings. In J. Loughran, M. L. Hamilton, V. K. LaBoskey, & T. Russell (Eds.), International handbook of self-study of teaching and teacher education practices (pp. 817–869). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lampert, M., Franke, M., Kazemi, E., Ghousseini, H., Turrou, A., Beasley, H., et al. (2013). Keeping it complex: Using rehersals to support novice teacher learning of ambitious teaching. Journal of Teacher Education,64(3), 226–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leatham, K., Peterson, B., Stockero, S., & Van Zoest, L. (2015). Conceptualizing mathematically significant pedagogical opportunities to build on student thinking. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,46(1), 88–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loughran, J. (2007). Researching teacher education practices: Responding to the challenges, demands and expectations of self-study. Journal of Teacher Education,58, 12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loughran, J., & Berry, A. (2005). Modeling by teacher educators. Teaching and Teacher Education,21, 193–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Norton, A., & Kastberg, S. (2012). Learning to pose cognitively demanding tasks through letter writing. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 15, 109–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philipp, R. A., Ambrose, R., Lamb, L. L. C., Sowder, J. T., Schappelle, B. P., Sowder, L., et al. (2007). Effects of early field experiences on the mathematical content knowledge and beliefs of prospective elementary school teachers: an experimental study. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,35(5), 438–476.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pittaway, S., & Dowden, T. (2014). Providing students with written feedback on their assessment: A collaborative self-study exploring the nexus of research and practice. Studying Teacher Education,10, 197–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ritter, J., Powell, D., Hawley, T., & Blasik, J. (2011). Reifying the ontology of individualism at the expense of democracy: An examination of university supervisors’ written feedback to student teachers. Teacher Education Quarterly,38(1), 29–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Samaras, A., & Freese, A. (2009). Looking back and looking forward: An historical overview of the self-study school. In C. Lassonde, S. Galman, & C. Kosnik (Eds.), Self-Study research methodologies for teacher educators (pp. 3–20). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shute, V. (2008). Focus on formative feedback. Review of Educational Research,78, 153–189.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simon, M. (2008). The challenge of mathematics teacher education in an era of mathematics education reform. In B. Jaworksi & T. Wood (Eds.), The international handbook of mathematics teacher education: The mathematics teacher educator as a developing professional (Vol. 4, pp. 17–29). Rotterdam:Sense.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, M., & Tzur, R. (1999). Explicating the teacher’s perspective from the researchers’ perspectives: Generating accounts of mathematics teachers’ practice. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,30, 252–264.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spear, M., Lock, N., & McCulloch, M. (1997). The written feedback mentors give to student teachers. Teacher Development,1(2), 269–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664539700200019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steffe, L., & D’Ambrosio, B. (1995). Toward a working model of constructivist teaching: A reaction to Simon. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,26, 146–159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, A., & Thompson, P. (1996). Talking about rates conceptually, part II: Mathematical knowledge for teaching. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,27, 2–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tunc-Pekkan, Z., & D’Ambrosio, B. (2008/2009). Mathematical communications: Elementary pre-service teachers’ e-mail exchanges with sixth grade students. Mathematics Education Research Journal,10, 4–14.

  • Ulrich, C., Tillema, E., Hackenberg, A., & Norton, A. (2014). Constructivist model building: Empirical examples from mathematics education. Constructivist Foundations,9(3), 328–339.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vanassche, E., & Kelchtermans, G. (2015). The state of the art in self-study of teacher education practices: A systematic literature review. Journal of Curriculum Studies,47, 508–528.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, J. (1989). Creating a living educational theory from questions of the kind, ‘how do I improve my practice?’. Cambridge Journal of Education,19, 41–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiliam, D. (2011). What is assessment for learning? Studies in Educational Evaluation,37, 3–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mathematics Education, College of Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2098, USA

    Signe E. Kastberg

  2. Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 East Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132-0001, USA

    Alyson E. Lischka

  3. Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, University Center, MI, 48710, USA

    Susan L. Hillman

Authors
  1. Signe E. Kastberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Alyson E. Lischka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Susan L. Hillman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Signe E. Kastberg.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Kastberg, S.E., Lischka, A.E. & Hillman, S.L. Characterizing mathematics teacher educators’ written feedback to prospective teachers. J Math Teacher Educ 23, 131–152 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-018-9414-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10857-018-9414-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation