Knowledge Needed by a Teacher to Provide Analytic Scaffolding During Undergraduate Mathematics Classroom Discussions

Using case study analysis and a cognitive theoretical orientation, the authors examine elements of knowledge for teaching needed by a mathematician to orchestrate whole-class discussions in an undergraduate mathematics classroom. Examples of classroom teaching and interview data demonstrate that, despite having extensive teaching experience and possessing strong content knowledge, some instructors may still face challenges when trying to provide analytic scaffolding to move whole-class discussions toward a lesson’s mathematical goals.