Abstract

This research explored the learning of one preservice teacher in literacy and mathematics education as she engaged in shared dialogues, including role playing as both student and teacher. Through the dialogues the researchers not only investigated student understanding of literacy or mathematics education content, but the underlying connections to learning and enacting pedagogy, regardless of subject matter. Extensive video data, audio data and reflective memos by both the students and researchers (course instructors) were collected in the course of 1 semester in a literacy elementary methods course and a mathematics elementary methods course. A reflexive methodological stance (Alvesson & Skoldberg, 2000) framed the researchers’ participation in the research, while rhizoanalysis (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987) was used to analyze the scenario data. Results reveal that the development of teacher identity and a complex understanding of pedagogy is not a static or linear process, but rather one of breaks and stops, that pushes preservice teachers to evolve on both a personal and professional level.