EDU30005 - Mathematics Education: Issues (2020)

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Unit description

Focuses on current issues in the teaching and assessment of mathematics and numeracy in early childhood settings and primary classrooms. A particular emphasis is on developing differentiated strategies for numeracy teaching in diverse classrooms and the effective use of ICTs in mathematics education.

Unit content

Module 1: Mathematics and difference

• Equity and diversity in mathematics education
• Inclusive mathematics teaching strategies
• Mathematics and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student education
• Mathematics and EAL/D students; mainstream classroom strategies, systemic and community resources
• Mathematics and gifted and talented students and differentiation of instruction
• Learning difficulties and learning disabilities, inclusive practices, adapted curriculum
• The learning framework in number; approaches to targeted intervention
• Personalised learning plans, including:
  • instructional decisions, individualised learning plans, differentiated instruction
  • identifying and accessing support personnel and services
  • involving parent and community, ethics and responsibilities
  • monitoring.

Module 2: Mathematics and assessment

• Approaches to assessment in early childhood settings and the primary classroom
• Trends in assessment
• Interview-based assessment; SENA testing, Newman’s analysis
• Principles and practices of reporting, including standardised reporting and reporting software
• Alternative assessment models
• Basic skills testing, including NAPLAN and Best Start
• International comparison studies
• Syllabus outcomes and indicators.

Module 3: Issues in teaching mathematics

• Role and value of mathematics in the broader school curriculum and the relationship between mathematics, numeracy and literacy
• Place of primary mathematics in the continuum of learning, EC–K, and in K–12, including a particular understanding of the links between Stage 3 and Stage 4
• Mathematics K–10 Syllabus, Support Documents and NSW Primary Curriculum Foundation Statements, Early Years Learning Framework
• Theories of mathematics learning and instruction
• Productive pedagogies, quality teaching in the teaching of mathematics
• Issues in teaching number, number sense and mental computation including the understanding that mathematical learning begins at birth
• The roles of formal algorithms and calculators
• Using and applying mathematics in problem solving, mathematical modelling, word problems
• Information and communications technology and the teaching of mathematics.

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

Prescribed texts