University of Technology Sydney

013417 Mathematics Teaching Methods 3

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Initial Teacher Education
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade, no marks

Requisite(s): 013415 Mathematics Teaching Methods 1 OR 013047 Mathematics Teaching Methods 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 013065 Mathematics Teaching Methods 3 AND 028261 Mathematics Teaching Methods 3

Description

This subject explores how mathematics teaching and curriculum can be organised and managed for effective learning. The subject combines theory with practice to provide students with the skills and understanding required to begin to teach mathematics in a secondary school and is associated with professional experience. The subject includes study of secondary mathematics syllabuses, lesson planning, approaches to learning and teaching, programming assessment and reporting, and different forms and functions of practical work and its role in learning and teaching mathematics.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a. Analyse syllabus documents to identify the particular concepts and skills learners need to develop.
b. Plan, present and manage lessons.
c. Explain mathematical ideas accurately and with clarity including use of suitable language, examples and models.
d. Identify, construct and apply appropriate and effective teaching materials in partnership with colleagues.
e. Identify and explain the purpose of different ways of assessing student learning.
f. Evaluate student work and provide constructive feedback.
g. Apply assessment information to modify teaching practice.
h. Evaluate and reflect on teaching and its effectiveness.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

  • Know secondary school students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners (1.1)
  • Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery (1.2)
  • Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems (1.3)
  • Communicate effectively using diverse modes and technologies in academic, professional and community contexts (6.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject addresses the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

1. Professional readiness

1.1 Know students and how they learn, with an advanced ability to critically evaluate the physical, social and emotional dimensions of learners.

1.2 Know the content and how to teach it, demonstrating an advanced knowledge of a teaching program in one or more disciplines to critically evaluate its delivery

1.3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning with an advanced knowledge of educational practice, pedagogy, policy, curriculum and systems

6. Effective communication

6.1 Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

6.3 Are effective communicators, highly skilled in new literacies, able to justify and interpret professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Standards addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to Taught, Practised and Assessed:

5.1.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

5.2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

5.4.1 Demonstrate the capacity to interpret assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

Standard 5.1.1 will be taught in Week 6 lecture, practised Week 7 tutorial and assessed in Assessment task 2 criterion b

Standard 5.2.1 will be taught in Week 1 lecture, practised Week 1 tutorial and assesed in Assessment task 1 criterion e

Standard 5.4.1 will be taught in Week 2 lecture, practised Week 3 tutorial and assessed in Assesssment task 3 criterion b

Teaching and learning strategies

Students will learn to analyse and plan their lessons through lecturer input, structured discussion, and workshop activities. They receive feedback on their lesson and other presentations from other students. They develop their ability to use technology for teaching mathematics in technology workshops. Students undertake individual research, to develop the ability to explain mathematical ideas accurately.

Students develop to be reflective practitioners through:

  • Revisions of their lessons in light of their practicum experiences;
  • Relating current theories and scholarship in mathematics teaching to practice; and

Students will typically experience the learning in this subject through the following processes and/or content that will be covered: a combination of tutorial and online discussions, cooperative group work, workshops, observations of workplace practices; practical activities, readings and short lectures specific to each of the objectives listed above, using examples from the Mathematics Advanced Syllabus and Mathematics Standard Syllabus (NESA Mathematics Syllabuses.)

Content (topics)

In this subject, pre-service teachers synthesise their prior learning about each of the following aspects of teaching:

  • Maintaining and promoting student interest and engagement
  • Strengthening and refining teaching to improve learning for all students
  • The teaching and assessment cycle:
    • Purposes of assessment
    • Interpreting assessment data to evaluate learning and modify teaching practice
    • Reliability, validity and differentiation in assessment
    • Constructing meaningful and useful feedback
  • Trends and current issues in mathematics education and implications for practice.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Lesson Plan, Presentation and Evaluation

Objective(s):

a, b, c, f and h

Weight: 30%
Length:

One lesson plan using template (provided).

One 20 minute presentation.

Two sets of peer feedback.

One self-evaluation (max 500 words) with modified lesson plan as appendix.

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Depth of analysis of topic and appropriateness of the lesson plan for the outcomes 20 a 1.2
Effectiveness of teaching strategies and resources for student engagement 20 b 1.3
Clarity of expression, accuracy and cohesiveness of oral and written communication 20 c .3
Depth of reflection on the lesson plan and presentation 30 h 1.2
Effectiveness of timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning. 10 f 6.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Stage 6 Integrated Teaching, Learning and Assessment Activity

Objective(s):

a, c, d and e

Weight: 30%
Length:

1000 words (not including outcomes list and reference list) plus figures and appendices.

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Appropriateness of the task for student learning 35 a, d 1.2
Appropriateness of assessment strategies for assessing student learning 35 e 6.1
Clarity of communication, including clarity of expression, accuracy and cohesiveness of academic text, and presentation, with APA referencing 30 c .3
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Examination

Objective(s):

c, g and h

Weight: 40%
Length:

2.5 hours

Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Effectiveness of explanation of mathematical content and teaching strategies 40 c 1.2
Depth of interpretation of assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice 20 g 1.2
Depth of knowledge of how students learn and the implications for teaching 40 h 1.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, students must:

  1. Attend all practice-oriented interactive workshops.

Attendance at workshops is important in this subject because the workshops offer opportunities to experience teaching and learning as practical activities. Such activities are essential for developing an appreciation of the ways in which manipulables and physical activities enrich the teaching and learning experience. In addition to this, it is important for students to experience mathematics teaching and learning as a collaborative exercise, involving the interchange of ideas with other students and the lecturer.

An attendance roll will be taken at each workshop.

Students should advise the lecturer in a timely manner if they have some extenuating reason for not being able to attend. When this occurs, the student must complete an alternate task that demonstrates understanding of the practical tasks that were covered in the missed workshop.

The workshop requirement must be met in order for students to be permitted to attempt Assessment Task 3.

  1. Achieve a minimum of 50% for Assessment Task 3.

50% on Assessment Task 3 represents the minimum level of both knowledge of the teaching content and knowledge of effective teaching practice.

  1. Achieve an overall mark of 50% or above.

Students who achieve an overall mark of 50% or above, but fail to satisfy one of the other two minimum requirements, will receive an X grade.

Required texts

Board of Studies NSW (2012). Mathematics K-10 Syllabus. https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/mathematicsk10/downloads/mathematicsk10_full.pdf

NESA (n.d.). Mathematics Stage 6. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics

Goos, M., Vale, C., & Stillman, G. (2017). Teaching secondary school mathematics, 2nd edition. Routledge.

References

See Weekly Class Schedule.