Volume 3,Issue 9
Assessing Pre-service Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Knowledge Through Lesson Planning
Recognised as a fundamental teaching competence, lesson planning quality is crucial for preservice teachers. This study aimed to develop and explore an innovative method for assessing the lesson plans of 33 Chinese preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs), using the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) framework. Participants submitted a mind map of lesson planning in general, and a written lesson plan on the topic of algebraic expressions, which were evaluated by 11 expert teachers using the CJ approach, supplemented by feedback collected via a questionnaire. Preliminary findings indicate a key imbalance: PSMTs demonstrated greater strength in Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK) compared to their Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The study’s results provide actionable suggestions from expert teachers, offering practical directions for strengthening PSMTs’ lesson-planning competence and professional growth.
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