The Context and Development of Teachers’ Collective Reflections on Student Data

Abstract

In the United States, teachers are often expected to use student assessment data to inform their instructional decisions. This study explores how teachers’ collective reflections on students’ mathematical thinking are influenced by the specific contexts of their classroom, school, and current events like the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses audio recordings of a group of elementary teachers’ reflections on student thinking through Cognitive Interview Reports. The results highlight how teachers’ reflections on student data are heavily influenced by the shifting contexts of what is important in the world of teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This ultimately shaped what the teachers were able to pay attention to in student data and what they identified as possible in their future practice.