Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy

Karl W. Kosko

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Karl W. Kosko

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Abstract

The present study explored whether primary grades teachers chose probing questions, given two hypothetical mathematics lesson scenarios. After responding to the mathematics lesson scenarios, participating teachers completed the Problems in Schools survey assessing dispositions to support student autonomy, and the Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching (MKT) assessment for primary grades patterns, functions and algebra. Logistic multiple regression was used to examine the influence of teachers’ MKT and dispositions for supporting student autonomy. Results differed by format of scenario. In the scenario where the choice of a probing question would act as an initial prompt for description, results showed this choice was influenced more strongly by MKT score. In the scenario where a choice of probing question followed an already embedded student description, choosing a probing prompt as a follow-up question was more strongly influenced by support for student autonomy. Additionally, a negative, statistically significant interaction effect was found across both scenarios. Implications for these findings are discussed.

Keywords

Teacher knowledge
mathematical discussion
teacher questioning

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 11, Issue 4, 2016, 991-1012

Publication date: 20 Jul 2016

Article Views: 3704

Article Downloads: 4558

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APA

Kosko, K. W. (2016). Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 11(4), 991-1012.

Vancouver

Kosko KW. Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2016;11(4):991-1012.

AMA

Kosko KW. Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2016;11(4), 991-1012.

Chicago

Kosko, Karl W.. "Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2016 11 no. 4 (2016): 991-1012.

Harvard

Kosko, K. W. (2016). Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 11(4), pp. 991-1012.

MLA

Kosko, Karl W. "Primary Teachers’ Choice of Probing Questions: Effects of MKT and Supporting Student Autonomy". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 11, no. 4, 2016, pp. 991-1012.