ENHANCING MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS’ THINKING FROM ASSESSING AND ANALYZING MISCONCEPTIONS IN HOMEWORK

摘要

This study focuses on teacher learning of student thinking through grading homework, assessing and analyzing misconceptions. The data were collected from 10 teachers at fifth–eighth grade levels in the USA. The results show that assessing and analyzing misconceptions from grading homework is an important approach to acquiring knowledge of students’ thinking. By engaging in the inquiry process of the 4 steps of identifying errors, analyzing reasons for the errors, designing approaches for correction, and taking action for correction, the teachers made obvious progress in their knowledge of students’ thinking, understood the difficulties and challenges their students had in learning mathematics, and enhanced their pedagogical content knowledge.