Empirical research on teacher competence in mathematics lesson planning: recent developments

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Mathematics Education
• Teacher Professional Development

Background:

• Lesson planning is crucial for effective teaching across all subjects.
• A comprehensive review of factors influencing lesson planning, teacher competence development, and challenges is needed.
• Existing research lacks a consolidated understanding of successful mathematics lesson planning practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review empirical research on teacher competence in mathematics lesson planning.
• To identify factors influencing lesson planning, challenges faced by teachers, and effective planning practices.
• To analyze recent contributions to mathematics lesson planning over the past decade.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of 20 empirical research studies.
• Analysis focused on studies from the past decade.
• Utilized the 'process model of lesson planning' and 'competence as continuum' models as heuristics.

Main Results:

• Teachers, particularly novices, experience difficulties in lesson planning and lack expert-level competence.
• Teacher competence and knowledge in lesson planning can be enhanced through initial teacher education and professional development.
• Key themes include dispositions, quality of lesson plans, planning difficulties, and the link between planning skills and implementation.

Conclusions:

• Teacher training programs should focus on improving lesson planning skills to enhance awareness of student thinking and learning trajectories.
• Support is needed for teachers to effectively utilize curriculum, resources, and innovative pedagogies in mathematics lesson planning.
• Professional development is essential for teachers to achieve expert-level competence in mathematics lesson planning.