Teachers’ Uses of a Learning Trajectory as a Tool for Mathematics Lesson Planning

Enhancing Noticing: Using a Hypothetical Learning Trajectory to Improve Pre-service Primary Teachers’ Professional Discourse

“…On the other hand, teachers may find it easier to notice relevant instructional details when given a focus point (Choy, Thomas, & Yoon, 2017). Therefore, structured frameworks, such as hypothetical learning trajectories, could provide pre-service teachers with a way to focus their attention on students' thinking (Edgington, 2014;Edgington, Wilson, Sztajn, & Webb, 2016).…”

“…Nickerson et al (2017) claimed that "meaningfully analysing responses of interpreting and deciding how to respond to students' mathematical ideas requires knowledge of students' possible learning trajectories" (p. 393). For example, with the aim of developing learning activities to support students in constructing more sophisticated ways of reasoning, pre-service teachers can use hypothetical learning trajectories to focus their attention on how students think about a target concept (Edgington, 2014;Edgington et al, 2016). In some ways, a hypothetical learning trajectory functions as a kind of roadmap to support teachers in identifying learning goals, interpreting students' mathematical thinking and responding with appropriate instruction (Sztajn, Confrey, Wilson, & Edgington, 2012).…”

Learning Progression–Based Assessments: A Systematic Review of Student and Teacher Uses

“…Most reported teachers’ interpretations of their own students’ work; however, in six studies, only researcher-provided data were examined (i.e., Alonzo & Elby, 2019; Ebby & Sirinides, 2015; Jin et al, 2015; Kannan et al, 2021; Supovitz et al, 2018; van Rijn et al, 2018). Across sources, authors noted that LP-based assessment provided a structure and language useful for interpreting student work and communicating results (e.g., Edgington, 2014; Furtak & Heredia, 2014; Stille et al, 2016; Wickstrom & Langrall, 2020; Wilson, 2014).…”

Changes in Teachers’ Discourse About Students in a Professional Development on Learning Trajectories

“…Although attention to norms is important, attention to research-based frameworks of student thinking is also paramount in challenging the ability discursive pattern. A growing body of research describes the benefits of learning frameworks of student thinking, including improved lesson planning and the use of cognitively demanding instructional tasks (Edgington, 2012), more student-centered learning environments (Clements et al, 2011; Jacobs et al, 2007; Jacobs& Empson, 2015; Wilson, Sztajn, Edgington,& Myers, 2015), possibilities of more equitable instruction (Myers, 2014), and refinements in formative assessment practices (Furtak& Heredia, 2014; Heritage, 2008). Our findings indicate that more research is needed to examine the potential of frameworks of student thinking to change the ways teachers understand students as learners in their discussions.…”

“…Learning trajectories outline the partial understandings, common alternative conceptions, and expected patterns of how learning might proceed in relation to particular forms of instruction (Clements& Sarama, 2008; Confrey, 2012; Daro et al, 2011). In an effort to “translate available trajectories into usable tools for teachers” (Daro et al, 2011), teacher educators have worked to share LTs with teachers and have explored their affordances and constraints on teacher learning (Edgington, 2012; Furtak& Heredia, 2014; Myers, 2014), the practices of teaching (Wickstrom, 2014; Wilson et al, 2015), and student learning (Clements, Sarama, Spitler, Lange,& Wolfe, 2011).…”