013418 Mathematics Teaching Methods 4

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 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Education: Initial Teacher Education
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

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): 013071 Mathematics Teaching Methods 4 AND 028262 Mathematics Teaching Methods 4

Description

This subject focuses on preparing proficient beginning teachers and setting a foundation for continuing professional learning. On completion of this subject students are able to apply their educational studies to teaching – to design, organise and evaluate methods and materials for teaching and use their framework as a basis for their future teaching. The subject adopts an inquiry-based process in which real problems and questions are identified and explored in depth by teams to generate deep knowledge pertinent to students' professional learning needs.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

a.	Discuss contentious and/or key issues and their implications for mathematics education
b.	Apply a theoretical framework grounded in education research, to teaching and learning in mathematics
c.	Evaluate personal contributions to a team working through professional learning cycles
d.	Present mathematics education research and innovation within and beyond a school community
e.	Identify benefits and issues related to innovations in teaching and learning school mathematics, including technology use
f.	Explain mathematical ideas accurately and with clarity including use of suitable language, examples and models

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 and carry out extended analysis, and undertake independent research, of issues related to content-specialisations and teaching theories and practices (2.1)
Communicate effectively using diverse modes and technologies in academic, professional and community contexts (6.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

GRADUATE TEACHER STANDARDS

There are three descriptors from the graduate teacher standards that are addressed in this subject and demonstrated in relation to Taught, Practised and Assessed:

2.2.1 Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

2.3.1 Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

5.3.1 Demonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.

Descriptor 2.2.1 will be taught in the Week 2 lecture, practiced in the Week 2 tutorial and assessed in Assessment task 1 criteria a and c.

Descriptor 2.3.1 will be taught in the Week 3 lecture, practiced in the Week 3 tutorial and assessed in Assessment task 1 criteria a and c, and Assessment task 2 a and c.

Descriptor 5.3.1 will be taught in the Week 4 lecture, practiced in the Week 4 tutorial and assessed in Assessment task 1 criterion d and Assessment task 2 criterion a.

COURSE INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

This subject outline 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
1.6) Exhibit recent technological pedagogical and content knowledge with creativity and initiative

2. Critical and creative inquiry
2.1) Enquire into and research practice to improve educational experiences and outcomes

6. Effective communication
6.2) Possess literacy and numeracy skills across a broad range of communication modes and technologies
6.3) Are effective communicators, highly skilled in new literacies, able to justify and interpret professional decisions to specialist and non-specialist audiences

Teaching and learning strategies

Students experience the learning in this subject through a combination of tutorial and online discussions, practical activities, readings and short lectures. An emphasis will be placed on collaborative learning, as students engage in workshop activities in groups, and contribute to whole class discussion.

Investigative workshop activities, lectures and associated readings will allow students to develop strategies that will promote learning in the classroom, to strengthen their own mathematical concepts, and to develop an appreciation of issues in mathematics education.

The development of skills in lesson planning and sequencing is supported through structured discussion and workshop activities. Students develop their ability to use technology for teaching mathematics, and undertake individual research to develop the ability to explain mathematical ideas accurately and with reference to real-life application.

Content (topics)

Maintaining and promoting student interest and engagement (PA 1.6, 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.8, 4.4, 6.5, 6.9);
Selection and critique of learning resources including ICT (PA2.5, PA 3.1-3.14)
Use a variety of teaching strategies to improve learning for all (PA 1.4, 1.5, 2.2, 2.4, 3.4, 3.5, 4.4, 4.12, 4.15, 6.5, 6.7);

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Literature Review

Objective(s):

b and f

Weight:

15%

Length:

700 words excluding references.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Correctness of mathematics and relevance to selected topic / unit of work	50	f	1.2
Suitability for improving student learning of the selected topic / unit of work	50	b	1.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Professional Paper

Objective(s):

a, b, c, d, e and f

Weight:

45%

Length:

One journal article based on template - Approximately 2000 words.

Comments on papers produced by two other pre-service teachers - Approximately 200 words.

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Correctness of mathematics and relevance to syllabus outcomes	20	f	1.2
Suitability for student engagement and mathematical development	20	b	1.1
Clarity of communication with consideration of external audience	20	d	6.1
Persuasiveness of key points, with relevant literature referenced for each example	20	a, e	2.1
Relevance and constructiveness of feedback to colleagues	20	c	6.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Examination

Objective(s):

b and f

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Accuracy of mathematical knowledge	50	f	1.2
Research-informed understanding of effective teaching practice for mathematics	50	b	1.1

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Attendance at workshops is important in this subject because it is based on a collaborative approach which involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the lecturer. An attendance roll will be taken at each workshop. Where possible, students should advise the lecturer in a timely manner if they have some extenuating reason for not being able to attend.

In order to pass the subject, students must achieve 1) an overall grade of 50% or above, and 2) achieve a minimum of 50% on the final examination. 50% on the final examination represents the minimum level of both knowledge of the content teaching and knowledge of effective teaching practice. Students who achieve an overall mark of 50% or above, but fail to achieve 50% or more in the final examination will receive an X grade.

Required texts

Goos, M., Vale, C., & Stillman, G. (2017). Teaching secondary school mathematics, 2nd edition. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.

NESA (2012). Mathematics K-10 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/mathematics/mathematics-k-10

NESA (2017). Mathematics Standard Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-standard-2017

NESA (2017). Mathematics Advanced Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-advanced-2017

NESA (2017). Mathematics Extension 1 Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-extension-1-2017

NESA (2017). Mathematics Extension 2 Stage 6 syllabus. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/ 11-12/stage-6-learning-areas/stage-6-mathematics/mathematics-extension-2-2017

References

See weekly class schedule.