Tracking student teachers' changing ability to notice in a video-based methods course

Abstract

The ability to notice is a key component of teacher expertise. Yet, there are limited studies on how to foster student teachers’ (STs’) ability to notice in initial science teacher education course. This study presents an empirical investigation of how STs’ ability to notice changed and the critical learning experience causing such changes in a year-long video-based biology methods course. STs were asked to write down what they noticed when watching a lesson video before and at the end of the course. The comments were analyzed with respect to what the STs noticed and how they interpreted what they had noticed. A rubric comprising seven dimensions was devised to differentiate STs’ ability to notice. Findings suggested that STs’ ability to notice was improved after attending the course and that STs showed more advancement in certain dimensions (e.g., attending to more critical features of the classroom, adopting a more interpretive stance) than other dimensions (e.g., providing more specific description, relating their observations to specific science ideas). Analysis of interview transcripts and written reflection illuminated the critical learning experience that had influenced the STs’ ability to notice. Implications on how to enhance teachers’ ability to notice are discussed.