How Does Mathematics-Specific Diagnostic Competence Develop in Preservice Teachers?: Findings of a Longitudinal Study in the Context of a Reform-based School Practicum

Abstract

Teachers’ understanding of students’ thinking when solving mathematical tasks and their abilities and techniques for an assessment for learning determine the quality of classroom instruction not only in inclusive settings. However, studies indicate that many teachers do not have the required professional skills. Hence, school practicums should seek to help prospective teachers to develop this specific professional competence in the interaction with the students in the classroom. The longitudinal study reported in this paper seeks to investigate the development of diagnostic competencies of pre-service primary mathematics teachers in the German state of Northrhine-Westfalia in the context of a reform-based school practicum (the so-called “Praxissemester”) in the compulsory Master of Education program. This includes a (university based) preparation phase as well as a following five months school-based practicum. The study followed a mixed-methods design. Data was collected at three measuring points: (1) before the start of the Praxissemester, (2) after the university-based preparation phase and (3) after the school-based practicum. The data collection was based on four video vignettes of authentic students’ solutions of addition and subtraction tasks in the number range up to 100. The participating preservice teachers (N = 53) where asked to analyze the students’ solutions in an online survey using an open response format. The quantitative data analysis demonstrates a significant improvement of the pre-service-teachers’ diagnostic competence during the preparation phase preceding the practical phase, while the data collected after the school practicum indicates a stagnation with respect to the further development of diagnostic skills. Pedagogical content knowledge, however, seems to be an important prerequisite for the development of diagnostic competence in mathematics.