Examining Changes in Spatialized Geometry Knowledge for Teaching as Early Years Teachers Participate in Adapted Lesson Study
Year: 2017
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background: Research suggests there is a crucial need for improved teaching of geometry and spatial reasoning in early years classrooms; however, limited teacher knowledge of geometry and spatial reasoning are noted to be significant challenges to this goal. Aims: This dissertation investigated teacher learning about spatialized geometry when participating in an adapted lesson study. The analyses focused on growth in teachers’ gains in knowledge of students, their knowledge of teaching, and growth in their content knowledge of spatialized geometry. Teacher perceptions of the adaptations to lesson study were also examined. Intervention: Teachers participated in an adapted lesson study, which added clinical interviews, exploratory lessons, and resource creation to the traditional Japanese lesson study model (goal setting, lesson design, lesson implementation, and lesson debriefing). Sample: This case study examined the learning of five teachers within one lesson group. Design and methods: Data included pre- and post-questionnaires and geometry inventories, video-recordings of nine meetings over seven months, and artifacts and videos from activities within the teachers’ own classes. Teacher learning was then analyzed through a new construct—spatialized geometry knowledge for teaching (SGKT)—which encompassed learning about students and teaching as well as about specific geometry concepts. Results: The teachers demonstrated substantial expansion of their SGKT including an increased awareness and knowledge of students’ strategies, challenges, and abilities to succeed in spatialized geometry tasks. The teachers also gained substantially increased knowledge for teaching as evidenced by their increased sophistication in designing and implementing quality geometric tasks. Finally, the teachers credited the expanded lesson study structure, in particular the addition of clinical interviews and exploratory lessons, for their considerable learning. Conclusion: The substantial learning about SGKT evidenced in this case study suggests that the adapted lesson study model has potential to address the limited geometry knowledge typically found in early years teachers.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Diane Tepylo
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3136737375