Course Title: Numeracy 4: Current Issues and Challenges in School Mathematics Education

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Numeracy 4: Current Issues and Challenges in School Mathematics Education

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
TCHE2279	Bundoora Campus	Undergraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
TCHE2280	Brunswick Campus	Undergraduate	360H Education	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013, Sem 1 2014, Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016

Course Coordinator: Dr Jude Ocean

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 7863

Course Coordinator Email: judith.ocean@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 220.04.24

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Numeracy 3: Developing a Sense of Number

Course Description

This is a core course that focuses on numeracy across the curriculum through the development of integrated units of work and project-based approaches to contemporary issues such as equity, technology, social justice, and environmental responsibility. A strong emphasis will be placed on applying what is known about the teaching and learning of mathematics and numeracy to create a practical product or outcome that practicing teachers will find valuable.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course is designed to assist students to:
• Reflect on their knowledge for teaching mathematics and how this has evolved as a result of their readings, previous study, engagement with policy documents, and observation and participation in primary school settings.
• Critically reflect on current practice and their knowledge and experience to develop a personal philosophy of teaching mathematics and numeracy.
• Develop engaging but challenging learning experiences that enable all learners to participate and extend their numeracy capabilities.
• Appreciate the positive impact on student learning afforded by making connections to other areas of the curriculum and applying mathematics to ‘real-world’ issues through problem-based investigations and integrated approaches.
• Advance their knowledge about the teaching and learning of mathematics and recognise the importance of thinking and working mathematically in a range of contexts.
• Make the transition from student teacher to teacher.
 

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
• Describe and illustrate their personal philosophy of teaching and learning mathematics and how this contributes to numeracy development.
• Recognise the opportunities for teaching and learning mathematics across the curriculum and for exercising numeracy skills in everyday contexts.
• Apply what they know about effective teaching practice and current issues to design and implement an integrated unit of work that incorporates a diverse range of teaching, learning and assessment strategies, arouses curiosity, and engages students in thinking and working mathematically.
• Research an issue impacting the teaching and learning of mathematics and/or numeracy with a view to making recommendations for future practice.

ICT Outcomes
At the conclusion of this course students will have demonstrated and/or acquired the following ICT capabilities:
• Awareness of a range of contemporary ICT resources suitable for the classroom.
• Skills in using ICT for communication, presentation, task preparation and implementation.
• Understandings of how to use ICT in the classroom to facilitate learning, in particular critical skills such as information skills, analysis, problem-solving and decision-making.

VIT Standards
This course is aligned with the following standards:
• Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively.
• Teachers reflect on, evaluate and improve their professional knowledge and practice.
• Teachers are active members of their profession.

Overview of Learning Activities

Students’ learning in this course will involve a range of activities including lectures, tutorials, individual research, collaborative group work, discussion, and critical reflection. A major emphasis will be placed on participation in project-based teams to reflect the ways in which teachers engage in professional learning communities.

Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with the resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems via myRMIT Studies, including course materials and links to external resources.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment tasks are directly linked to the stated objectives and outcomes. Assessment in the course will be both theoretical and practical in nature. A range of formative and summative assessment types will be incorporated into the course (for example, curriculum design, written publication, oral or performance based assessment).