64902 MATHEMATICS FOR TEACHERS

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
99	64902 	S2  	D 	MATHEMATICS FOR TEACHERS  	1.00

Contents


STAFFING:

Examiner: L. CRAMERI
Moderator: C. ROBERTS

RATIONALE:

Prospective teachers of mathematics need a substantive and comprehensive knowledge of the content and discourse of mathematics if they are to develop in their students a mathematical power - the ability to explore, conjecture and reason logically and to use a variety of mathematical methods effectively to solve problems. They also need a level of understanding and appreciation of mathematics higher than that expected of students at primary and junior high schools. Consequently, a clearer perspective of the role and importance of mathematics will be gained. This unit is designed to meet the needs of preservice teachers of Years 1 to 7 and will be of benefit also to preservice teachers of Years 8 to 10.


SYNOPSIS:

Students will be able to develop and extend their knowledge and understanding of mathematics and school mathematics through a variety of experiences involving problem solving, mathematical communication, reasoning and connecting mathematics, its ideas and its applications in the world around us. By working collaboratively and independently, students will be encouraged to think mathematically, and through many success experiences, gain confidence in solving mathematical problems. The content of the unit will include the following topics: number systems and number sense, numeration systems, geometry, data logic and problem solving.


OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this unit students will be able
to:

  1. demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of various
    fundamental mathematical concepts and procedures and the
    connections among them;
  2. demonstrate a knowledge of problem solving strategies;
  3. reason mathematically and solve problems;
  4. communicate mathematical ideas effectively at different levels
    of formality;
  5. analyse real-world situations through the use of mathematical
    concepts and processes;
  6. use calculators and computers as tools to represent
    mathematical ideas, to construct different representations of
    mathematical concepts and to solve problems;
  7. show an appreciation of the dynamic nature of mathematics, the
    contributions of different cultures and individuals to the
    development of mathematics and the important role that
    mathematics plays in culture and society today;
  8. work collaboratively, independently and confidently in doing
    mathematics; and
  9. display a disposition to explore mathematical ideas and solve
    problems.

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)
  1. Mathematical reasoning and problem solving 30.00

  2. Numeration systems; Numbers and their properties 40.00

  3. Working with data, geometry and topology 30.00


TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

Bennett, A.B. Jr. & Nelson, L.T. 1998, Mathematics for Elementary
Teachers: A Conceptual Approach
, 4th edn, WCB/McGraw-Hill, Boston.

Bennett, A.B. Jr. & Nelson, L.T. 1998, Mathematics for Elementary
Teachers: An Activity Approach
, 4th edn, WCB/McGraw-Hill, Boston.

University of Southern Queensland (1999), Unit 64902 Mathematics for
Teachers Study Book
, Toowoomba, Qld.


RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Bassarear, Thomas 1997, Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers,
Houghton Mifflin, Boston.

Musser, Gary L and Burger, William F 1997, Mathematics for
Elementary Teachers
, Upper Saddle River, Prentice Hall, NJ.

Sonnabend, Thomas 1997, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: An
Interactive Approach
, 2nd edn., Saunders College Publishing, Fort
Worth.


STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Lectures                                      	28
Tutorials/Workshops                           	28
Directed Study                                	42
Private Study                                 	42
Examinations                                  	3
Assessments                                   	20

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S    20.00     PASSIM    WORKSHOP PROBLEM-SOLVING                  20.00     Y   N
2   S    30.00     19/08/99  ASSIGNMENT A                              10.00     Y   N
3   S    30.00     16/09/99  ASSIGNMENT B                              10.00     Y   N
4   S              END SEM   PART A OF 3HR RESTRICTED EXAM             15.00     N   N
6   S              END S2    PART B OF ABOVE 3HR RESTRICTED EXAM       45.00     N   N

*F=Formative, S=Summative

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    Students  are  expected to actively participate in  the  workshop
     problem-solving tasks and discussions.
2    An  assignment, submitted after the due date without an extension
     approved by the Examiner, will attract a penalty of 10 percent of
     the assigned mark for each working day (or part thereof) that the
     assignment is late.
3    In  accordance  with  University's  Assignment  Extension  Policy
     (Regulation  5.9), the examiner of a unit may grant an  extension
     of  the  due  date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
     This  policy  may  be  found in the USQ  Handbook,  the  Distance
     Education  Study  Guide and the Faculty of Sciences'  Orientation
     Handbook for new on-campus students. All students are advised  to
     study and follow the guidelines associated with this policy.
4    To pass the Unit, students are expected to perform satisfactorily
     in each item of assessment. When the total, weighted score on the
     four  items of assessment lies just below the cutoff between  two
     grade  levels, the grade awarded for the Unit will be decided  on
     the  score attained in the major item of assessment, that is, the
     examination.
5    Restricted   Examination:   a  restricted   examination   is   an
     examination   where  only  those  materials  specified   in   the
     examination paper are permitted during the examination.

This information is accurate as at 17/11/99