Investigating data collection methods for exploring mathematical and relational competencies involved in teaching mathematics

This paper examines the methodological issues involved in investigating mathematical and relational competencies relevant to teaching mathematics. In the study, 14 mathematics teachers were asked to reflect on the teaching and learning of mathematics based on a mathematics lesson shown in a video sequence. These reflections were documented in three different ways: some teachers were interviewed individually, some were interviewed in focus groups and some wrote individual reflections on paper. The empirical materials from these three different types of documentation were analysed using the same framework. The results of the study indicate that mathematical and relational competencies came to light mainly in the individual and the focus group interviews. However, this may be due to the analytical framework used, and another framework may be better suited to analysing individual writings.