Using test answers to interpret aspects of the mathematical proficiency of preservice primary school teachers

Abstract

This paper analyses preservice primary teachers' test answers to understand the aspects of mathematical proficiency evident in their written work. lt reports on the nature of strategic competence and adaptive reasoning acts of a group of first-year education students who took a semester course in problem-solving that foregrounded the processes of mathematical reasoning and discussion. A conceptual framework was developed that relates strategic competence to decisions about formatting moves, and adaptive reasoning to decisions about specialisation and generalisation moves. This paper argues that students who moved flexibly between formal mathe- matical structuring and emergent mathematical structuring during problem-solving show effective strategic competence and adaptive reasoning. We conclude that such reasoning moves should be made explicit in education courses, as aspects of mathematical proficiency.