Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
NilUnit rationale, description and aim
The Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians states that successful learners have essential skills in literacy and numeracy, are able to think deeply and logically, and are able to make sense of their world and solve problems in creative and innovative ways.
This unit uses a problem-solving approach and an emphasis on deep learning and deep knowledge of foundation mathematical content knowledge needed for teaching and participation in everyday life. Development and refinement of mathematical skills in estimation and computation, problem solving, and investigations are explored in the areas of number, measurement and data. Technical mathematical language is explored. Developing independent learners is a focus with students self-diagnosing areas for personal further development to broaden and deepen their understanding. The content and assessment in this unit highlights the ways to further develop mathematical content knowledge and how it is used in real-world contexts.
This unit aims to equip students with conceptual understanding of mathematics, skills in communicating and problem solving for teaching in primary schools.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Demonstrate understanding and application of mathematical concepts | GC1, GC2, GC11, GC12 |
| LO2 | Demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness of different mathematical topics and their application to real world contexts | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC11, GC12 |
| LO3 | Communicate mathematical thinking and reasoning using mathematical language including, spoken, written and visual representations | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC11, GC12 |
| LO4 | Solve a variety of mathematical problems and tasks | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC8, GC11, GC12 |
Content
Topics will include:
- Numbers and Counting
- Place value;
- Natural numbers, integers, factors, prime numbers;
- Computational strategies including mental, estimation and use of calculators;
- Rational numbers and their representations as fractions and decimal fractions, percentages, simple operations with fractions;
- Additive and multiplicative thinking.
- Foundations of Measurement
- Length, area, mass, volume and time
- Metric and other measurement systems
- Relationships between units
- Estimating, recording and measuring.
- Representation and interpretation of data
- Population and samples;
- Measures of centre and spread within the data;
- Summarising, analysing, presenting, interpreting data.
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is delivered in away-from-base mode with intensive learning residential blocks twice a semester. A variety of learning and teaching approaches are sequenced and integrated to comprise a progressive and developmental learning and teaching strategy emphasising collaborative learning and cultural sensitivity. Students are expected to share experiences and challenges with each colleague students in order to develop a community of mathematical practice. The unit employs stimulating adult learning strategies to maximise student engagement and critical reflection. These include:
- Face to face learning – seminars, tutorials and workshops
- Collaborative learning
- Practical activities
- Self-directed study
- Required readings
- Multi-media sources and viewing
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks for this unit have been designed to contribute to high quality student learning by both helping students learn (assessment for learning), and by measuring explicit evidence of their learning (assessment of learning). Assessments have been developed to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The assessment tasks provide multiple opportunities (presentation, problem solving and examination) in different ways (visual, verbal and written) for students to demonstrate:
- Knowledge of content
- Application of mathematics in real world contexts
- Development, use and communication of appropriate mathematical language
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Hurdle task Develop a self-directed learning action plan, report on its implementation and evaluate with personal critical reflection its impact on learning. | Pass/Fail | LO1, LO2 |
Assessment Task 1: Presentation Individual or paired task Present the findings of an investigative task which uses mathematics in a real world context. | 25% | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
Assessment Task 2: Problem Solving Portfolio Problem Solving Folio demonstrating capacity in problem solving, conceptual understanding, procedural proficiency and reflection on learning. | 35% | LO1, LO2, LO4 |
Assessment Task 3: Final Examination Written examination demonstrating an understanding of key mathematical content and problem solving skills undertaken in the unit. | 40% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4 |
Representative texts and references
Boaler, J. (2015). The elephant in the classroom: Helping children learn and love maths (2nd ed.). London, UK: Souvenir Press.
Booker, G. (2011). Building numeracy: Moving from diagnosis to intervention. South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Croft, A., & Davison, R. (2016). Foundation maths (6th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Limited.
De Klerk, J., Marasco, A., & Gorton, W. (2014). Pearson illustrated maths dictionary (5th ed., Always learning). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Du Sautoy, M. (2011). The number mysteries: A mathematical odyssey through everyday life (1st Palgrave Macmillan ed.). New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Haylock, D., & Manning, R. (2014). Mathematics explained for primary teachers (5th ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Jacobs, H. R. (2002). Mathematics: A human endeavour: A book for those who think they don’t like the subject (3rd ed.). New York, NY: W. H. Freeman.
Reys, R. (2017). Helping children learn mathematics (2nd ed.). Milton, Qld: Wiley.