Abstract

This study explores and compares Korean and U.S. elementary preservice teachers’ analytic approaches of students’ addition and subtraction computational strategies. Twenty-six Korean and twenty U.S. elementary preservice teachers participated in the study. Participants were asked to analyze mathematical approaches and errors from students’ addition and subtraction operations. Preservice teachers’ written documents were analyzed by applying open coding and inductive coding based on the grounded theory. As a result, the pattern of error analysis and interpretation of students’ addition computations were similar for both Korean and U.S. preservice teachers whereas there were some differences in the analysis of students’ subtraction computations. Both Korean and U.S. preservice teachers had difficulties identifying students’ strategies and errors for a complicated and unconventional computational approach. Results also indicated that preservice teachers’ noticing and interpretation of students’ strategies and errors were influenced by their K-12 mathematics curriculum and teacher education program. This study suggests implications and future directions for teacher education, more contextualized teacher preparation programs and balanced connection to the K-12 curriculum.

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