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Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) influences their instruction and, by consequence, their children’s opportunities to learn better. Within the domain of fractions, items assessing PCK are nested within larger assessments, with little explicit focus on the PCK domain. We report on the development and initial validity argument for a PCK for Fractions assessment that assesses preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge of students’ fractional reasoning. Results suggest the assessment can differentiate between PSTs of different levels in their teacher education program, and that items appear to assess the intended construct. Implications for future study, and for how PCK may develop among PSTs is discussed. 

Attending to students’ actions and mathematical thinking is an important aspect of professional teacher noticing. In this paper, we used 360 videos as a medium to examine the relationship between preservice teachers’(PSTs) observed attending behaviors and their written noticing. Findings suggest that PSTs focusing on students, instead of the teacher, during class discussions provide more specified descriptions of children’s mathematical thinking. 

Immersive videos for training pre-service teachers (PST) are becoming increasingly important and, yet, inadequately investigated. This article focuses on the role of presence as a possible aid in 360 videos for future educators, presenting the results of a study involving 118 PSTs. A multiple factor analysis of the Extended Reality Presence Scale was directed for understanding possible subfactors covering this construct and the potential role of content area and major in influencing PSTs’ viewing experiences. In addition, written noticings regarding 360 videos were collected for exploring correlations between themes noticed and degrees of presence. Results point at 1) three subfactors – i.e., emotional connectivity, co-presence, and awareness of self – composing the feeling of presence, 2) the impact of PSTs’ major on experiencing co-presence, and 3) how presence is positively correlated to a better focus on students and negatively correlated to content in participants’ noticing. 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted normal face-to-face classes across institutions. This has significantly impacted methods courses where preservice teachers (PSTs) practice pedagogy in the field (e.g., in the PreK-12 classroom). In this paper, we describe efforts to adapt an assignment originally situated in a face-to-face school placement into a virtual version. By utilizing multi-perspective 360 video, preliminary results suggest virtual field experiences can provide PSTs with similar experiences for observation-based assignments. Acknowledging that immersive virtual experiences are not a complete replacement for face-to-face field-based experiences, we suggest virtual field assignments can be a useful supplement or a viable alternative during a time of pandemic. 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted normal face-to-face classes across institutions. This has significantly impacted methods courses where preservice teachers (PSTs) practice pedagogy in the field (e.g., in the PreK-12 classroom). In this paper, we describe efforts to adapt an assignment originally situated in a face-to-face school placement into a virtual version. By utilizing multi-perspective 360 video, preliminary results suggest virtual field experiences can provide PSTs with similar experiences for observation-based assignments. Acknowledging that immersive virtual experiences are not a complete replacement for face-to-face field-based experiences, we suggest virtual field assignments can be a useful supplement or a viable alternative during a time of the pandemic.