Peer observation on the pedagogical content knowledge of grade 11 novice teachers of statistics in a circuit

Abstract

This study focused on the peer observation of teaching [POT] on the pedagogical content knowledge [PCK] of mathematics novice teachers in the teaching of grade 11 statistics. A case study research method was conducted on this qualitative study. Two mathematics novice teachers were purposively selected from a population of five novice teachers from a circuit in Mpumalanga Province. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. Pre-lesson and post-lesson semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain information about each teacher’s views. The POT process began with pre-observation meeting with the two novice teachers to discuss the modalities of the POT process and ended with the post-observation feedback meeting in which general evaluation and reflection of the process took place. Results show that the two mathematics novice teachers’ classroom management skills improved. Furthermore, findings reveal that the two novice teachers improved in the use of instructional strategies as they moved from using teacher-centred strategies like the lecture method to using learner-centred instructional strategies such as oral probing and group work, among others, in which they interacted more with learners. The novice teachers also improved in identifying learners’ misconceptions and learning difficulties. At the end of the study, the two novice teachers openly expressed that the POT process gave them the opportunity to improve in studying and teaching statistical content in depth.