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Research has highlighted that actively involving students during instruction can lead to positive outcomes for students. However, college mathematics instructors may need support to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively implement this type of instruction. This study looks at how college algebra instructors in a grant-supported professional learning community (PLC) focus on different aspects of their own and others’ teaching. We leverage the instructional triangle as an analytical framework to characterize the foci of participants’ observations. We analyzed PLC meetings where participants reported on specific aspects of each other’s observed classes. Our analysis revealed that instructors each had a primary focus that drove their observations. We anticipate these different foci will inform future PLC meetings and lead to new questions about instructor thinking, and to continued development of the instructional triangle. 

College mathematics instruction that leverages evidence-based instructional practices, such as productive group work, can lead to many positive outcomes for students. In order to support instructors in adopting more evidence-based instructional practices, it is important to understand what barriers and drivers can impact their decision to implement such practices. In this study, we interviewed four introductory mathematics instructors teaching the same course in order to understand, in context, what aspects served as barriers and drivers. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Initial results highlight how course coordination and weekly project meetings served as drivers, and the impact of the pandemic was seen as both a driver and a barrier to implementing evidence-based instructional practices.