PRT4201 Becoming Numerate

PRT	4201	84258	3, 2008	ONC	Becoming Numerate	2.00	Springfield
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOEDU
Academic org:	FOE002
Student contribution band:	National Priority Teaching
ASCED code:	070117

Staffing
Requisites
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Reference materials
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: John Green
Moderator: Nicole Todd

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: PRT3201 and PRT3202

OTHER REQUISITES

State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland are required to possess a current suitability card (Blue Card). (See "Other Requirements" for further information.) Also see: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html.

RATIONALE

Teachers of mathematics need a sound understanding and appreciation of those key mathematics concepts and relationships that are embodied in the primary and middle school mathematics curriculum. At the same time, teachers need to be confident and competent in planning for, and responding to, the mathematical needs of individual children within today's technologically rich learning environments. Effective professional practice can be developed by assisting prospective teachers to link their own understandings of mathematical concepts with their emerging personal and practical theories of teaching mathematics. Prospective teachers of mathematics will need to have access to situations which include the observation, discussion, and refinement of elements of observable mathematics teacher behaviours, as well as the opportunity to explore and extend their understanding of relevant mathematical concepts and associated effective pedagogies . In this way, a framework can be established for the development of skills that will enable them, as practising teachers, to reflect upon, adapt, and refine elements of their practice to meet the needs of the children in their mathematics classrooms.

SYNOPSIS

The predominant mode of delivery will be practical hands-on workshops conducted with the assistance of a specially designed workbook. The workbook contains numerous content samplings from each strand within the primary and middle school mathematics curriculum. A variety of pedagogical frameworks for each content sampling will be analysed, compared, adapted, modified and refined in the context of group discussion and guided workshop activities. Readings, computers and workbook activities will be used to help students identify pedagogical challenges faced by the typical teacher of mathematics. Students will be encouraged to construct appropriate strategies and responses for addressing these situations and demonstrate frameworks for thinking about and articulating their own approaches to teaching mathematics. Components making up the first assessment item will be integrated into these workshops and assessed on a weekly basis during the workshops.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course students will be able to:

describe contemporary strategies and pedagogies for teaching mathematics in the primary and middle school years of schooling (Assessment 2)
demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical concepts that make up each strand in the Queensland P-10 Mathematics syllabus (Assessment 2)
demonstrate an understanding of the interconnecting relationships between the elements in each strand (Assessment 2)
identify pedagogical challenges faced by the typical teacher of mathematics (Assessment 1 and 2)
construct appropriate strategies and responses for addressing these situations (Assessment 1 and 2)
modify such strategies to suit particular needs and situations (Assessment 1 and 2)
demonstrate an ability to test their responses that have been, in the context of group meetings, exposed to adaptation and refinement (Assessment 1)
demonstrate frameworks for thinking about and articulating their own approaches to teaching mathematics (Assessment 2)
Demonstrate competence in and appropriate use of language and literacy, including spelling, grammar, punctuation and bibliographic referencing.

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Number strand concepts, issues and pedagogies	30.00
2.	Patterns and algebra strand concepts, issues and pedagogies	30.00
3.	Chance and data strand concepts, issues and pedagogies	10.00
4.	Space strand concepts, issues and pedagogies	15.00
5.	Measurement strand concepts, issues and pedagogies	15.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Video cassette (Available: USQ Bookshop).

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers 2003, Springboards into Numeracy, Proceedings of the National Numeracy Conference, 4-5 October, 2002, Adelaide, SA.

Baroody, A, & Ginsburg, H 1990, Children's learning; a cognitive view. Constructivist views on the teaching and learning of mathematics, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Reston.

Bennett, A, & Nelson, T 2007, Mathematics for elementary teachers: a conceptual approach, 7th edn, WCB McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Drier, S 1999, Do vampires exist? using spreadsheets to investigate a common folktale, Learning and Leading with Technology, vol 27, pp22-25.

Duarte, V, Young, M, & DeFranco, T 2000, What experts say and do regarding the use of technology in the mathematics classroom, Journal of Research and Development in Education, Vol 33, no. , pp223-31.

Kamii, C 1994, Young children continue to reinvent arithmetic- 3rd grade, Teachers College Press, New York.

Rubenstein, RN, & Bright, GW 2004, Perspectives on the teaching of mathematics (66th yearbook), 66th edn, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Reston, VA.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessment	20.00
Directed Study	100.00
Lectures	13.00
Private Study	138.00
Workshops	39.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description		Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date	Notes
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT		30.00	30.00	17 Nov 2008	(see note 1)
2 HR RESTRICTED EXAMINATION		70.00	70.00	END S3	(see note 2)

NOTES

1.: The Examiner will advise the due date for all assessment items.
2.: Students will be advised of the examination date for this course when the official timetable has been finalised.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval then a penalty in accordance with the University policy on assignments will apply for each working day late.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must complete and submit all of the summative assessment items and achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
Candidates are allowed access only to specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The examiner will advise candidates regarding the materials they may use in the restricted examination for this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
By arrangement with examiner.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

1.	The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner.
2.	Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of request being made by the examiner. The student must retain this copy until the grade for this course has been finalised.
3.	In accordance with the University's assignment extension policy (Regulation 5.6.1), the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4.	The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile. Students who do not have regular access to postal services or who are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements.
5.	Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete - Make up). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study.
6.	Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination); IDM (Incomplete - Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).
7.	When there is more than one marker for a single item of assessment, the distributed patterns and means for the different markers will be compared and marks adjusted if necessary.
8.	Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the State of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the State of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.
Students will require access to e-mail and Internet access to USQConnect for this course.
Students are to use a recognised referencing system as specified by the examiner.

This version produced 16 Jun 2008.