Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Prerequisites
EDMA290 Mathematics Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment 1 (B-12) OR EDMA299 Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment in Mathematics Education 1
Unit rationale, description and aim
In school education, numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, performance, discourse and critique across all areas of the curriculum. Within a classroom setting there are varied mathematical capabilities. Classroom teachers are required to use data to identify student needs, provide mathematical learning experiences that are targeted and promote student growth.
In this unit pre-service teachers will further develop an understanding of the intervention approaches used to improve students' performance in mathematics and gain further understanding of Mathematics education learning trajectories/progressions. This will include developing skills in:
- creating number-based assessment tasks to identify individual needs of learners; and
- implementing data analysis strategies to support individual student needs to develop the support tasks for the students.
An emphasis on tiered intervention (Response to Intervention (RTI)) will allow you to develop approaches that is based on data, includes monitoring and assessment and allows teachers to develop implementation of targeted intervention strategies.
The aim of this unit is to ensure pre-service teachers possess the knowledge and skills to improve learning in Number and Algebra.
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 | Develop Number and Algebra education assessment tasks aligned with curriculum and learning progressions to (APST 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3; ACECQA A5, B2, B9) | GC2, GC7, GC9, GC11 |
| LO2 | Interpret evidence-based mathematics education learning trajectories/progressions aligned with the Mathematics Australian Curriculum with a focus on Number and Algebra (APST 1.1, 1.2; ACECQA B2, B3) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9 |
| LO3 | Analyse and situate student learning within a relevant learning trajectory/progressions (APST 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.3; ACECQA B9, C4) | GC1, GC2, GC7 |
| LO4 | Compose a series of targeted number tasks for a specific group of learners based on their data (APST 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2; ACECQA C4) | GC1, GC2, GC7, GC9 |
| LO5 | Compose reports for parents/carers about student needs (APST 2.5, 7.3; ACECQA D1) | GC2, GC6, GC11 |
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
1.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. |
1.2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. |
1.5 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. |
2.3 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. |
2.5 Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas. |
3.2 Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
7.3 Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers. |
ACECQA CURRICULUM SPECIFICATIONS
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following specific knowledge:
A Child development and care A5 early intervention |
B Education and curriculum studies B2 The Australia Curriculum B3 numeracy, science and technology B9 curriculum planning, programming and evaluation |
C Teaching pedagogies C4 teaching methods and strategies |
D Family and community contexts D1 developing family and community partnerships |
Content
Topics will include:
- Strategies to identify individual student needs, including assessment task design, in mathematics education including Response to Intervention
- Process for developing implementation of :
- whole-class instruction (Response to Intervention: tier one intervention) that supports all students
- targeted learning for similar groups of students (Response to Intervention: tier two intervention) that supports students in small group settings
- intensive teaching and comprehensive evaluation (Response to Intervention: tier three intervention) that supports individual students
- Practices to track and monitor student progress against evidence-based trajectories/progressions
- Differentiation of curriculum content, teaching and learning strategies to plan instructional tasks for students
- Methods of effective communicating with families, including strategies that families can use to support the students
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit applies a social constructivist strategy to develop skills in supporting students in mathematics education. Pre-service teachers will have the opportunity to build on their knowledge of mathematics education, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, through critical reading, lecturer modelling, critical analysis of education policies and procedures and workshop engagement. Skills in assessment development, data analysis, task design, and student monitoring will be practiced through workshop activities.
Teaching and learning strategy may include:
- Weekly face-to-face lectures and / or online lectures (synchronous and asynchronous)
- Hands-on workshops and discussions that promote peer learning;
- Self-directed reading and research
Technology Enhanced Learning
The unit will include a Canvas site with resources and online links, announcements, and a discussion board to post questions and reflections that promote connection between on campus content and school experiences. It will include:
- Discussion forums to exchange ideas and refine learning
- Video illustrations of teaching practice and focussed readings addressing a wide spectrum of teaching contexts, practices and competencies
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks and their weightings are designed to allow you to progressively demonstrate achievement against the course learning outcomes by demonstrating your attainment of academic and professional standards. The Primary Subject Specialisation Mathematics elective units in this course focus on developing understanding of, and skills across the professional knowledge, practice and engagement domains needed to meet expectations of ACECQA criteria and the APST: Graduate level.
The assessment tasks are sequenced to allow feedback and progressive development. By completing Task 1 pre-service teachers will demonstrate their knowledge of assessment task design. It is an early low-weighted assessment task which provides feedback to pre-service teachers within the first six weeks of the standard semester. This task enables the teaching staff to identify pre-service teachers who are experiencing difficulties designing suitable number assessment tasks. These students will be advised to seek assistance from their tutor. Task 2 builds upon task 1 as pre-service teachers are required to build a set of tasks and then administer the task to students. The final task enables pre-service teachers to demonstrate their communication skills by writing a report to families. Pre-service teachers will also demonstrate skills in task design and planning that caters for specific student needs.
A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with University assessment requirements. (http://www.acu.edu.au/policy/student_policies/assessment_policy_and_assessment_procedures).
Minimum Achievement Standards
The assessment tasks for this unit are designed to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. In order to pass this unit, you are required to submit all assessment tasks and demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes by obtaining a combined score of at least 50%. Learning Outcome 4 (Compose a series of targeted number tasks for a specific group of learners based on their data) and 5 (Compose reports for parents/carers about student needs) is only assessed in Assessment Task 3. A pass in this component of the assessment is an additional requirement for passing the unit overall.
Electronic Submission, Marking and Return
Assessment task submission and return of marked assessment will be done through Turnitin on Canvas. Tasks will be marked and returned three weeks after the assessment is completed.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1 – Development of a formative assessment Develop a series of 5 number-based assessment tasks for a year level of your choice. The assessment tasks need to align with the curriculum, include open-ended questioning, closed questioning and problem solving. The assessment tasks need to consider the continuum of learning to cater for students not yet achieving and students exceeding the chosen year level. Include a research-based rationale to support the tasks developed. | 15% | LO1 |
Assessment Task 2 – Development, implementation and analysis of a formative assessment Develop a further 5 number tasks in response to the feedback on assessment task 1 to create a series of 10 assessment tasks for the same year level as in task 1. The assessment tasks need to align with the curriculum, include open-ended questioning, closed questioning and problem solving. The assessment tasks need to consider the continuum of learning to cater for students not yet achieving and students exceeding the chosen year level. Include a research-based rationale to support the tasks developed. For each task, include the likely responses and the misconceptions which may be uncovered. Implement the 10 tasks with a group of 8 – 10 students. Analyse the data gathered in alignment with the curriculum and learning progressions/trajectories. | 35% | LO1, LO2, LO3 |
Assessment Task 3 – Develop a Targeted Intervention Plan and Task Cards Use the data analysis from assessment task 2 and other supplied data to:
| 50% | LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Required text(s)
Australian Curriculum https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) www.acara.edu.au
Australian Curriculum National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/national-literacy-and-numeracy-learning-progressions/
Australian Curriculum Mathematics. https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/mathematics/
Relevant state and territory Mathematics curriculum documents
Recommended references
Forbringer, L., & Fuchs, W. (2014). Rti in math : Evidence-based interventions for struggling students. New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Suurtamm, C., Thompson, D., Kim, R., Moreno, L., Sayac, N., Schukajlow, S., Silver E., Ufer, S., & Vos, P. (2016). Assessment in mathematics education: Large-scale assessment and classroom assessment. ICME-13 Topical Surveys 2366-5947). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Taylor-Cox, J. (2013). Math intervention: Building number power with formative assessments, differentiation, and games, grades PreK-2. New York, NY: Routledge.
Wright, R., Ellemor-Collins, D., & Tabor, P. (2012). Developing number knowledge: Assessment, teaching & intervention with 7–11-year-olds. London: SAGE Publications.