Overview of Latin American Research on Professional Noticing of Mathematics TeachersAbstract
This study aims to discuss the main research focuses of studies conducted in Latin America on the professional noticing of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers. To constitute the corpus of analysis, a systematic review was conducted using scientific articles published in journals indexed in the Web of Science, Scielo, and the CAPES Journal Portal database (CAPES), using descriptors related to the topic in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. This search resulted in a corpus of 14 articles, analyzed using a qualitative and interpretative approach. The results indicate three main focuses in the studies analyzed: (i) teacher education contexts that promote the development of professional noticing among mathematics teachers; (ii) instruments used to characterize or promote the noticing of mathematics teachers; and (iii) aspects of professional noticing mobilized throughout teacher education processes. Such approaches highlight the value placed on reflective practices and attentive examination of students’ mathematical thinking as central elements in the constitution of teaching knowledge. Professional noticing provides a powerful lens for examining teacher education, particularly when combined with practices that value careful listening, analysis of students’ shared thinking, and evidence-based pedagogical decision-making.
Professional Noticing in Latin America; Pre-service and In-service Mathematics Teacher Education; Systematic Review
Resumo
O presente estudo tem como objetivo discutir pontos de enfoque de investigações desenvolvidas, no contexto da América Latina, a respeito do noticing profissional de (futuros) professores que ensinam matemática (PEM). Para a constituição do corpus de análise, foi realizada uma busca sistemática por artigos científicos publicados em periódicos indexados nas bases Web of Science , Scielo e Portal de Periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), utilizando descritores relacionados ao tema em português, espanhol e inglês. Essa busca resultou em um corpus de catorze artigos, analisados sob uma abordagem qualitativa e interpretativa. Os resultados indicam três principais pontos de enfoque nas investigações analisadas: (i) contextos de formação que promovem o desenvolvimento do noticing de (futuros) PEM; (ii) instrumentos utilizados para caracterizar ou promover o noticing de (futuros) PEM; e (iii) aspectos do noticing mobilizados ao longo de processos formativos. Tais enfoques evidenciam a valorização de práticas reflexivas e do olhar atento ao pensamento compartilhado por estudantes como elementos centrais na constituição do conhecimento docente. Conclui-se que o noticing profissional configura-se como uma lente potente para pensar a formação docente, especialmente quando articulado a práticas que valorizem a escuta sensível, a análise do pensamento compartilhado pelos discentes e a tomada de decisões pedagógicas fundamentadas.
1 Introduction
The professional noticing of mathematics teachers has emerged as a growing and promising theme in mathematics education research (Dindyal et al., 2021; Weyers et al., 2024). Although different perspectives characterize teacher professional noticing, the literature is consistent in recognizing it as a specific and inherent capacity of the teacher who teaches a particular subject, as in mathematics. Thus, in general, it refers to how teachers (pre-service and in-service) perceive and understand situations inherent in the teaching and learning processes (Jacobs; Lamb; Philipp, 2010; Kaiser et al., 2015; Louie; Adiredja; Jessup, 2021; van Es; Sherin, 2021 ).
By itself, teaching experience is not enough to develop a specific professional noticing across different domains, such as students’ mathematical thinking, classroom management, and curriculum, among others, since such capacity can – and must – be intentionally developed ( Stockero, 2021 ). In this sense, several investigations have been carried out to identify and understand characteristics of teacher education processes capable of mobilizing and promoting teacher professional noticing.
As part of this movement, systematic reviews have been conducted to understand the characteristics and trends of these investigations. The reviews by Amador, Bragelman, and Superfine (2021) and by König et al. (2022), for example, discussed methodological procedures and theoretical perspectives regarding professional noticing. In particular, König et al. (2022) also analyzed teacher noticing at different stages of their teaching careers. Similarly, Weyers et al. (2024) examined articles on professional noticing in terms of theoretical perspectives, research methods, and the relationships among noticing, professional knowledge, and teaching beliefs.
Among the results presented in these reviews, we highlight that most investigations were conducted primarily in Europe and North America. In this regard, König et al. (2022, p. 15) point out that, due to the search criteria adopted – such as the English language –, “studies from South America, Africa or Asia may not be adequately represented, although they may exist”. However, it is essential to understand the characteristics of professional noticing in different contexts ( Scheiner, 2021 ). Yang et al. (2019), for example, highlight differences in the focus of teacher noticing in Germany and China, highlighting the influence of social and cultural factors on this capacity, such as teacher education paradigms, educational traditions, and current curricula.
Therefore, we consider it relevant to identify what has been investigated regarding the professional noticing of mathematics teachers in Latin America, with the intention of underscoring the research focus areas in the region. Thus, the objective of this systematic review is to discuss the main research focuses4 of studies conducted in Latin America on the professional noticing of mathematics teachers (pre-service and in-service). Given the above, in the next sections, we will present theoretical considerations on teacher professional noticing, the methodological procedures adopted for this review, the results obtained, the discussion, and the final considerations.
2 Teacher professional noticing
Teacher professional noticing has been the object of study of investigations in the field of mathematics education from different conceptions and epistemological positions. Thus, in this section, we present a chronological and conceptual panorama of professional noticing, highlighting aspects and theoretical references in the literature.
In 1994, Goodwin published an article, “Professional Vision”, addressing the concept of professional vision from a sociocultural perspective. According to the author, there are socially organized ways of seeing and thinking that are typical of individuals within the same social group, such as those who share a profession. Thus, for example, archaeologists have a particular expertise within the scope of archaeology, i.e., a professional view with specific characteristics (Goodwin, 1994). Building on Goodwin (1994) , Sherin (2001 , 2007 ) developed the concept of professional vision in the teaching context. The author believes that teacher professional vision involves understanding what occurs in the classroom through a dynamic, complex process of interaction among observation, reasoning, and reflection. Specifically, this view comprises two interconnected sub-processes: selective attention and knowledge-based reasoning. Selective attention refers to what the teacher chooses to observe at a given moment, amid multiple simultaneous events; on the other hand, reasoning concerns how the teacher interprets the observed events, based on their knowledge and understanding ( Sherin, 2007 ).
At the same time, van Es and Sherin (2002) proposed a conceptual model for the professional noticing of mathematics and science teachers, composed of two skills: attending, which refers to identifying key events in the classroom; interpreting, which refers to interpreting these events based on previous knowledge in the connections established between classroom interactions and the broader principles of teaching and learning. About two decades later, the authors expanded this initial model to include a third skill: shaping. This new skill involves the teacher constructing interactions and contexts to obtain additional information. In addition, in the expanded model, the authors highlighted that when selecting key events, the teacher automatically excludes other aspects of classroom interactions. Regarding interpretive skill, they start to consider the investigative attitude as part of it, incorporating it into the new model ( van Es; Sherin, 2021 ).
In the same perspective as van Es and Sherin (2002) , Jacobs, Lamb, and Philipp (2010) suggested a model for the professional teacher noticing regarding the student’s mathematical thinking. For these authors, such professional noticing involves three interrelated skills: attending to students’ strategies; interpreting their mathematical understanding; and, based on this understanding, deciding how to respond. The third skill corresponds to teachers’ planned or hypothetical actions.
Another theoretical perspective was presented by Kaiser et al. (2015) in terms of professional competencies. In this model, teaching competence involves dimensions based on knowledge (mathematical, mathematical pedagogical content, and general) and situated dimensions linked to noticing. Thus, noticing is structured in the PID model: perceiving specific events in instructional contexts; interpreting the perceived activities; and deciding, either by anticipating actions or proposing alternative strategies.
With a distinct emphasis, Mason (2002) proposed the concept of The Discipline of Noticing, that is, noticing as an act of attention and a professional skill that can be developed, provided that actions intentionally aimed at this purpose are promoted. Thus, noticing involves a specific preparation to identify certain events, to the detriment of others, and to reflect on them. Subsequently, Mason (2020) expanded the discussion to include affective, emotional, and creative aspects, incorporating elements of affect, cognition, attention, and will.
In contrast to predominantly cognitivist approaches – such as those by Mason (2002) , van Es, and Sherin (2002, 2021), and Jacobs, Lamb, and Philipp (2010) – Louie (2018) proposed a sociocultural approach to noticing, grounded in Goodwin’s (1994) assumptions. The author investigated the influence of cultural and ideological factors on professional noticing, as well as the cognitive processes of attending, interpreting, and deciding how to respond, aiming to promote equity-oriented noticing. In 2021, together with Adiredja and Jessup, Louie proposed the fair framework , a socio-political framework for the professional noticing of mathematics teachers. The authors highlight the role of sociopolitical framing as a central component of anti-deficit noticing, which serves as a framework that influences and is influenced by actions of attending, interpreting, and deciding how to respond (Louie; Adiredja; Jessup, 2021).
Following this direction ,Scheiner (2021) suggested including historical and embodied aspects, understood as ideological and ecological, in interaction with the teacher’s active and exploratory participation in the classroom. Thus, it defends a comprehensive model of teacher noticing, which comprises a dynamic interaction among perceptual and exploratory aspects, classroom events, and a socio-political framing.
In addition to these approaches, other perspectives have been developed in the field of noticing research, albeit on a smaller scale. For example, the concept of productive noticing proposed by Choy (2016) establishes a relationship between noticing and pedagogical reasoning, particularly in the context of task design as part of teacher planning. Similarly, curricular noticing refers to the analysis of curriculum materials – textbooks and lesson plans – carried out by pre-service or in-service teachers (Amador et al., 2017).
In this section, we presented different theoretical perspectives and conceptualizations of teacher professional noticing, to support the reading and understanding of the results of this article, without the intention of comparing them.
3. Methodological procedures
To discuss the main focuses of investigations carried out in the Latin American context regarding the professional noticing of mathematics teachers, we developed a script to carry out a deliberate and systematic search, based on the methodological guidelines of Erwin, Brotherson, and Summers (2011) and Siddaway, Wood, and Hedges (2019).
Initially, we determined the following aspects: the format of the investigations to be analyzed; the databases in which the searches would be conducted; the language(s) considered; the search descriptors ; and the inclusion and exclusion criteria . So, we searched for investigations in the format of scientific articles, published in peer-reviewed journals, indexed in three representative databases for the scope of work developed in the Latin American context: Web of Science, SciELO, and the Portal of Journals of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).
To define the search descriptors, we considered Portuguese, Spanish, and English, and used a combination of Boolean operators (and and or) and the symbol * to retrieve terms related to the central theme of the research. This construction sought to contemplate the different epistemological possibilities identified in the literature during previous studies on the subject: (“professional vision” or (mira* and profesional*) or “visão profissional” or notic* or percepção or perceber) and (professor* or docente* or maestr* or profesor* or teacher*) and (math* or matemátic*). These descriptors were used on the platforms in searches for terms present in the titles, abstracts, or keywords of the articles.
The inclusion criteria adopted for the constitution of the corpus were: empirical articles; peer-reviewed; written in Portuguese, Spanish, or English; containing the search descriptors in the title, abstract, or keywords.
The articles obtained from database searches were exported to the Rayyan systematic review software5 , which automatically deleted duplicates and organized the material. The exclusion criteria were applied manually by the authors, based on the abstracts and, when necessary, the methods section. Investigations that: 1) did not focus on mathematics teacher education; 2) were not carried out in the Latin American context, were excluded6 . The application of the criteria was conducted independently by the authors. In cases of doubt or disagreement, we held discussions to reach consensus.
We chose not to establish a minimum time frame, so that the final corpus consists of articles published up to the date of the searches on the platforms: May 16, 2024. Figure 1 shows the process of compiling the corpus for analysis, with the number of articles obtained at each stage.
Thus, the research corpus consists of 14 articles that investigate noticing in mathematics teacher education in Latin American contexts.
For the analysis of this corpus , we conducted comprehensive readings, prepared analytical reading notes, and carried out interpretative analyses . We read the 14 articles in full and prepared analytical reading notes based on the following elements: research objective or question, methodological procedures used, main results, and conclusions.
The interpretative analysis was guided by Ginzburg’s7 (1989) indicial paradigm to identify evidence that would allow us to pinpoint the focuses in each investigation, as well as the patterns and similarities between them, to establish clusters. From this process, we organized the articles into three groups, based on the following research focuses: teacher education contexts, instruments used, and aspects of professional noticing mobilized. In the next section, we will detail the main research focuses identified based on the corpus analysis.
4 Main research focuses in studies on the Professional Noticing of mathematics teachers in Latin America
In Chart 1 , we present the 14 articles comprising the corpus of this systematic review, organized by the identified main focuses.
In this section, we present the results in three subsections, according to the identified research focuses: (1) teacher education contexts that promote the development of mathematics teachers’ professional noticing; (2) instruments used to characterize or promote mathematics teachers’ noticing; and (3) aspects of noticing mobilized throughout teacher education processes.
4.1 Teacher education contexts that promote the development of mathematics teachers’ professional noticing
In the analysis of the investigations, we identified three studies that focus on teacher education contexts aimed at promoting the professional noticing of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers (Fernández; Llinares; Rojas, 2020; Figueiredo; Lobo da Costa; Llinares, 2021; Loría-Fernández; Espinoza-Gonzalez; Picado-Alfaro, 2023). Such studies differ in format and contextual emphasis, but share the objective of promoting the development of teacher noticing focused on students’ thinking.
The studies by Fernández, Llinares, and Rojas (2020) and Loría-Fernández, Espinoza-Gonzalez, and Picado-Alfaro (2023) were conducted in virtual environments, with the support of online forums and the use of narratives as a tool for reflection and analysis. Fernández, Llinares, and Rojas (2020) conducted a study with five pre-service teachers from a public distance-learning university in Costa Rica and proposed the production of narratives about teaching experiences during the practicum, which were shared in forums where participants and a tutor provided and received feedback. The authors showed that this format fostered a learning environment that enhanced noticing, particularly by attending to students’ thinking.
The study by Loría-Fernández, Espinoza-Gonzalez, and Picado-Alfaro (2023), also conducted in Costa Rica, included five in-service teachers and was based on the mathematics teacher’s specialized knowledge (MTSK) model. The teachers participated in two stages of analysis of a recorded class on the concept of “relations”, and were invited to record, in narrative form, relevant mathematical and didactic aspects. Among these steps, they implemented an asynchronous teacher education program based on the MTSK model, with the option to interact via forums. The comparison between the narratives allowed the authors to conclude that the teacher education process promoted the development of noticing, although difficulties identifying specific conceptual elements persisted.
In turn, the study by Figueiredo, Lobo da Costa, and Llinares (2021) was conducted in a face-to-face setting with three teachers enrolled in an in-service teacher education course in Brazil, focusing on digital technologies in mathematics teaching. The teacher education course included interviews on the use of technology, technical education on GeoGebra, theoretical studies on noticing, analysis of a video class using the software, and reflective discussion with the teacher who authored the class. The results indicated that the process favored the development of noticing regarding the selection and pedagogical use of GeoGebra, also highlighting the importance of dialogue with the observed teacher as a fundamental component of the process.
These three studies illustrate different educational strategies that promote professional noticing among mathematics teachers, both in pre-service and in-service teacher education. Evidence suggests that contexts that assume collaborative characteristics, opportunities for reflection on practice, and use of narratives and audiovisual records are promising resources for promoting more attentive noticing of students’ thinking during mathematics teaching.
4.2 Instruments used to characterize or promote mathematics teachers’ professional noticing
Five investigations present in the analyzed corpus addressed the use of instruments aimed at characterizing or promoting the professional noticing of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers ( Braga; Cyrino, 2022 ; Garzón Castro, 2017 ; Rodrigues; Oliveira; Cyrino, 2022; Saadati et al., 2024; Walter Castro; Pino-Fan; Velásquez-Echavarría, 2018).
Two of these studies ( Garzón Castro, 2017 ; Saadati et al ., 2024) focused on developing theoretical-analytical instruments aimed at characterizing noticing. Garzón Castro (2017) articulated references of noticing8 and mathematically significant pedagogical opportunities to build on student thinking (MOST) to propose the analytical instrument MOST-Noticing . Based on the filming and analysis of classes taught by two mathematics teachers in Colombia, the author identified teaching moments centered on students’ thinking and on teachers’ decision-making, and, based on these data, elaborated a profile of the teaching episodes that supported the construction of said instrument.
Similarly, Saadati et al . (2024) adapted an instrument – originally developed in Germany – to the Chilean educational context. The instrument consists of three classroom videos, accompanied by questions that evaluate noticing in pedagogical and mathematical terms. For the adaptation, the study involved 79 mathematics teachers from Chile, with translated materials and dubbed videos. The authors validated the instrument for this new context, emphasizing the importance of considering cultural influences, by adapting it to characterize noticing in different contexts.
Three other studies focused on the use of instruments to promote teacher professional noticing ( Braga; Cyrino, 2022 ; Rodrigues; Oliveira; Cyrino, 2022; Walter Castro; Pino-Fan; Velásquez-Echavarría, 2018). Braga and Cyrino (2022) and Rodrigues, Oliveira, and Cyrino (2022) explored9 the potential of multimedia cases10 as an educational strategy for pre-service mathematics teachers in Brazilian Basic Education (primary and secondary education).
In the study by Braga and Cyrino (2022) , 12 pre-service primary school teachers analyzed the case “ Exploring perimeter and area ” by watching the class videos and answering the problematizing questions. The authors found that the analysis and discussion of the case promoted noticing of the teacher’s actions during class, with emphasis on the management of inquiry-based teaching and on aspects of content knowledge and communication.
Rodrigues, Oliveira, and Cyrino (2022) examined the development of noticing in 15 pre-service mathematics teachers from the analysis of the “ The Necklaces ” case. Participants explored class videos, excerpts from teacher interviews, and students’ collective discussions. The results indicated that promoting noticing in classroom mathematical discussions was favored by the diversity of materials and formats present in the case.
Finally, Walter Castro, Pino-Fan, and Velásquez-Echavarría (2018) proposed using the guide for didactic reflection as an educational instrument to promote noticing . The study was conducted with six pre-service teachers from Colombia during their supervised practicums. Initially, the participants taught classes without interventions. Subsequently, they participated in discussions about the guide, which began to inform their planning. The authors observed that the instrument favored critical reflection on professional teaching knowledge in mathematics, highlighting the importance of exploring it, whether mediated by tutors or undertaken in collaboration with peers, so that questions and analyses can be posed.
These investigations reinforce the role of theoretical and educational instruments in the development of professional noticing, offering important support for pre-service and in-service mathematics teacher education programs across different Latin American contexts.
4.3 Aspects of the professional noticing of mathematics teachers mobilized in teacher education processes
Six investigations of the corpus focused on the mobilization of aspects of professional noticing of pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers ( Larrain; Kaiser, 2022 ; Moré; Rodrigues, 2024; Parodi; Ochoviet; Lezama, 2024; Picado-Alfaro; Loría-Fernández; Espinoza-González, 2022; Rodrigues; Cyrino, 2018 ; Rodrigues; Cyrino; Oliveira, 2018).
Two of these investigations (Parodi; Ochoviet; Lezama, 2024; Picado-Alfaro; Loría-Fernández; Espinoza-González, 2022) focused on noticing aspects related to the teaching of mathematical concepts. Parodi, Ochoviet, and Lezama (2024) investigated the noticing11 of nine pre-service mathematics teachers in Uruguay regarding the teaching of the equal sign . Participants analyzed the written productions and interviews with a student, in which different interpretations of this sign emerged. The authors concluded that the pre-service teachers focused their attention on aspects of the student’s mathematical writing, interpreting it based on the organization of the statements, in order to understand the mistakes made. They also concluded that such interpretations deepened pre-service teachers’ understanding of the concept of equality. Regarding the third dimension of noticing, participants tended to propose preventive actions to avoid errors rather than to face them directly. During the tasks, changes were observed in the participants’ noticing, including less difficulty in analyzing and understanding the meanings associated with the equal sign.
With a similar focus, Picado-Alfaro, Loría-Fernández, and Espinoza-González (2022) analyzed the noticing12 of seven Costa Rican mathematics teachers regarding the teaching of the concept of “relations”. The participants watched, in a virtual environment, a class video on the concept and produced narratives that highlighted the relevant aspects. The results showed that teacher noticing was influenced by their professional experiences and emphasized elements of the concept’s didactic knowledge, such as methodologies and resources for teaching, tasks, interaction between students and content, forms of learning, and curriculum issues. In addition, components of the knowledge of the mathematical concept of “relations” were identified, including understanding of mathematical structure and practice, learning theories, and the role of motivation.
The other studies ( Larrain; Kaiser, 2022 ; Moré; Rodrigues, 2024; Rodrigues; Cyrino, 2018 ; Rodrigues; Cyrino; Oliveira, 2018) focused on the noticing of teachers’ actions aimed at mathematics instruction. Larrain and Kaiser (2022) analyzed the noticing13 of 131 pre-service mathematics teachers in Chile regarding the formulation of hypotheses about the causes of students’ errors in mathematics. Participants were involved in seminars that addressed mathematical thinking and learning from error analysis, using videos and students’ written work. Before and after the seminars, the pre-service mathematics teachers answered error analysis tasks. The results indicated that mathematics teachers’ difficulties in formulating hypotheses about the causes of errors often led to superficial descriptions or contradictory explanations. Most attributed the error to students’ conceptual understanding, while others attributed it to the teacher’s procedural knowledge or instructional decisions. The authors highlighted that pre-service mathematics teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, and experience were associated with their noticing of the causes of errors, and underscored the potential of pre-service teacher education to develop this capacity.
In turn, Moré and Rodrigues (2024) investigated the noticing14 among 12 mathematics teachers from countryside schools in Brazil, in the context of task elaboration as part of lesson planning from the perspective of inquiry-based education. During the online in-service teacher education, teachers studied elements of inquiry-based education and the role of tasks in this approach. Subsequently, in pairs, they elaborated or selected a task focused on the reality of countryside schools to be shared with the other groups. The authors concluded that teachers sought to connect school content to the life contexts of rural students, although this proved challenging for most. This characteristic showed that sociocultural and political perspectives influence teachers’ noticing15 during task development. Furthermore, teachers demonstrated that they had attended, interpreted, and incorporated characteristics of inquiry-based education in their proposals.
The last two studies of the corpus ( Rodrigues; Cyrino, 2018 ; Rodrigues; Cyrino; Oliveira, 2018) used multimedia cases to promote elements of pre-service mathematics teachers’ professional noticing in Brazil. Rodrigues and Cyrino (2018) investigated noticing16 related to teaching actions aimed at promoting students’ initial engagement in classes based on inquiry-based education. The 36 participants analyzed videos of a multimedia case that portrayed the phases of a teacher’s proposition and presentation of a task. The results indicated that pre-service teachers focused on aspects such as group formation, reading the task statement, time limits for resolution, clarification of doubts, the requirement for justifications for answers, and explanations of students’ roles. It was also identified that the participants’ noticing involved dimensions of descriptive, explanatory, and predictive reasoning.
In the second study, Rodrigues, Cyrino, and Oliveira (2018) analyzed the noticing17 of aspects of communication in inquiry-based education. The 15 pre-service participating teachers examined a multimedia case and, in small groups, answered problematizing questions, which were later discussed with the whole class. The results revealed that professional noticing focused on two aspects of teacher communication: the promotion of dialogical interactions by the teacher participating in the case, and her feedback based on the students’ answers. The authors concluded that the pre-service teachers developed their noticing regarding communication in inquiry-based teaching contexts.
These studies show the diversity of aspects of professional noticing that can be mobilized in teacher education processes. They indicate that noticing, associated with the teaching of mathematical concepts and teaching actions in mathematics, is a relevant dimension to consider in pre-service and in-service mathematics teacher education.
5 The professional noticing of mathematics teachers in Latin American studies
The analyzed studies focus on three main axes: teacher education contexts that promote noticing development; instruments used to characterize or foster this construct; and aspects of noticing mobilized throughout teacher education processes. Such approaches highlight the appreciation of reflective practice and the attentive look at students’ thinking as central elements in the constitution of teaching knowledge.
Regarding the potential of mathematics teacher education contexts, the three studies analyzed show that different educational strategies (face-to-face or online) implemented in both pre-service and in-service teacher education can promote the professional noticing of mathematics teachers. In common, these studies highlight the constitution of contexts that were collectively configured as collaborative, the encouragement of reflection on teaching practice, and the use of tools such as narratives, audiovisual records, and digital technologies. These resources show promise for promoting focused attention on students’ thinking. According to Tekin-Sitrava et al. (2025), online teacher education contexts based on collaborative discussion can serve as an alternative to long-term education processes that aim to promote professional noticing.
The teacher education processes anchored in authentic teaching situations, mediated by theoretical references and interactions with peers or tutors, enhance the skills associated with noticing. Rotem, Potari, and Psycharis (2024) emphasize that teacher education processes based on discussion are useful for developing professional noticing, to the extent that they allow for expressing individuality and building shared meanings.
The analyzed investigations, which were dedicated to studying instruments to characterize or promote the noticing of mathematics teachers, show the diversity of instruments developed or adapted to characterize or promote the professional noticing of mathematics teachers in Latin America. Studies aimed at characterizing noticing reinforce the relevance of robust theoretical-analytical constructions that are sensitive to the cultural and contextual specificities of the educational systems in which they are used (Louie; Adiredja; Jessup, 2021). Studies that explore teacher education instruments, on the other hand, demonstrate the potential of technological resources (videos, multimedia cases and reflection guides) to foster critical analysis of teaching practice, promoting participants’ reflective and collaborative engagement (Larison; Richards; Sherin, 2024). Situations of practice approximation are promising for promoting professional noticing, as they allow experiencing situations of practice in teacher education environments, with safety and freedom to learn (Grossman et al., 2009). Noticing mobilized during pre-service teacher education processes can influence future practice, especially at the beginning of teaching ( Stockero, 2021 ).
Taken together, these studies reaffirm the importance of investing in the development and use of instruments intentionally designed to foster noticing, both as an object of investigation and as an educational strategy. In addition, they indicate ways to strengthen teacher education practices that contribute to the constitution of professional knowledge, articulated with students’ thinking and with mathematics teaching in its multiple dimensions. Thus, the analyzed instruments are promising devices for promoting critical, intentional and responsive teaching aligned with the realities of mathematics teachers’ school contexts.
In studies dedicated to analyzing aspects of the professional noticing of mathematics teachers, we observed different educational strategies that promote both understanding of mathematical knowledge and reflection on pedagogical practices. The mobilization of noticing around the teaching of mathematical concepts – relations and the meaning of the equal sign – can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of professional noticing (König et al ., 2022). The mobilization of noticing around teaching actions – hypothesizing the possible causes of student errors, preparing tasks and promoting student communication and engagement – likewise reveals itself as an essential dimension in the contexts of pre-service and in-service mathematics teacher education, especially when seeking a pedagogical practice that is situated and sensitive to students’ thinking.
The main focuses of the analyzed investigations reveal sociocultural characteristics of professional teaching noticing in the Latin American context. In addition, the results indicate that noticing is not only a cognitive skill but is also influenced by professional experiences and interactions established in the teacher education process.
6 Final Considerations
This study presented a variety of investigations carried out in Latin America that demonstrate the plurality of understandings regarding teacher professional noticing. We highlight the various terms used in the corpus to refer to what we consider, in this article, as teacher professional noticing: teacher reflection, professional look, professional observation, professional vision, noticing, perceiving, and perception. These different terms are sometimes interchangeable; however, this choice reveals not only translation but also theoretical-epistemological options of the authors regarding professional teachers’ noticing.
Research in Latin America shows diversity in the teacher education contexts investigated (pre-service and in-service teacher education), which enhances the feasibility of developing noticing across different stages of teacher education. We also emphasize, as a sociocultural specificity of these investigations, the presence of online platforms and contexts. This characteristic may indicate both opportunities and challenges for promoting professional noticing. With the increasing prevalence of online, synchronous or asynchronous teacher education processes, investigations must focus on how to support pre-service and in-service mathematics teachers in these spaces to promote professional noticing.
We highlight the instruments used in the analyzed studies to investigate and foster noticing, including videos, written tasks, narratives, class records, and interviews. This result is in line with the findings of the review by König et al. (2022) , which reports that most articles include videos, in addition to interviews and written reports, to investigate and promote professional noticing. This variety of instruments points to an effort by the academic community to understand how noticing can be identified, analyzed, and promoted in different stages of teacher education.
The analysis indicates ways to strengthen teacher education practices that contribute to the constitution of professional knowledge, articulated with students’ thinking and with mathematics teaching in its multiple dimensions. Through an understanding of mathematical knowledge and reflection on pedagogical practices, it is possible to promote conscious, intentional, and responsive teaching to the challenges of teaching mathematics.
Despite these advances, gaps have been identified that signal promising paths for future investigations. For example, there is a shortage of studies that explore noticing in specific mathematical domains, such as algebra, proportional reasoning, statistics, and probability. Likewise, research tracing the development of noticing over time is rare, especially during the transition from pre-service teacher education to professional practice. Moreover, it is worth exploring the articulations between noticing and other dimensions of the teacher’s knowledge, such as pedagogical content knowledge and curriculum knowledge. This gap, evident in the Latin American corpus , aligns with Weyers et al .’s (2024) international review, which highlighted the importance of investigations examining the relationships among teacher professional noticing, professional knowledge, and teaching beliefs.
Yet, few investigations in the corpus addressed possible social, cultural, and political influences of Latin American contexts on the professional noticing of mathematics teachers, as highlighted in the review by König et al. (2022). In this sense, we underscore the studies by Saadati et al . (2024) and Moré and Rodrigues (2024), which are part of the corpus and discuss, respectively, the importance of adapting instruments and developing tasks that account for the specificities of different sociocultural contexts.
It is, therefore, a fertile field for the production of knowledge with direct implications for teacher education and mathematics teaching. Although we have not identified a substantial body of research from Latin America, given the methodological options of the present study, we observed important characteristics that underscore the relevance of these results for an international audience, with promising indications for future research on this theme.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the doctoral scholarships granted to the first and second authors, and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for the research productivity scholarship granted to the third author.
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Source: The authors (2026)