Towards visual learning analytics-supported reflective practices: a longitudinal study of teachers’ reflections regarding synchronous online mathematics instruction

Since the pandemic, teachers have become familiar with using synchronous online activities to create additional learning opportunities for students. However, challenges have persisted in terms of students’ participation and teachers’ ability to notice relevant events for post-lesson video-based reflections. In this study, we used visual learning analytics (VLA) derived from videos of online lessons to support secondary school mathematics teachers’ reflections on discourse practices. We examined a VLA-supported, peer-mediated reflective system centred on a teacher in our professional development programme alongside his peers through three stages over 20 months. Initially, the focal teacher observed and learned from his peers, then practised his own online lessons. Subsequently, he served as a critical friend and used VLA to support his peer’s reflections on and for action. Narratives from the teachers’ reflective journals and interviews suggest that the process was associated with greater awareness of using progressive examples and questioning techniques. A comparison of the peer teacher’s first and second implementations revealed improvements in students’ participation in class discussions and learning outcomes. These findings suggest the potential value of VLA and peer facilitation in supporting teachers’ reflective practices and contribute to addressing the challenges associated with teachers’ noticing for reflection and instructional improvement.