Unit information: Teaching and Learning in Mathematics in 2021/22

Unit name	Teaching and Learning in Mathematics
Unit code	EDUCM5301
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Professor. Alf Coles
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Education
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit supports participants in reviewing current thinking and recent research relating to the teaching and learning of mathematics. The focus is considering the impact of different learning theories on research in mathematics education and what the implications are for the practice of teaching mathematics.

Aims:

• To review current thinking and recent research relating to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

• To consider the impact of different learning theories on research in mathematics education.

• To consider the implications for teaching mathematics in schools.

Intended Learning Outcomes

After taking this unit, the student should demonstrate that they:

• are aware of a range of important issues within the field of teaching and learning in mathematics education

• have developed skills in library searches, academic reading and critical thinking

• have learnt to apply these skills practically by finding a literature base of interest and begun work on methodology and theoretical frames

• have become more confident about writing at Master's level.

Teaching Information

The pathway attracts a mixed group of overseas full-time students and home part-time students. This unit is designed to act as an introduction to study methods at this level. The unit will be taught using a blended approach consisting of a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous activities including seminars, readings and online discussions. Seminars will be divided between discussion of a particular learning theory, in response to some given pre-reading, and consideration of the practical implications of the theory for the learning of mathematics. Full-time students meet as a peer-support group each week as preparation before the formal session to focus issues arising from the reading. Part-time students discuss ideas with colleagues in school and contribute practical experiences from their classrooms to discussions.

Tutorial support is given for writing skills in response to the formative assessment tasks and in preparation for students to present their ideas for the summative assessment task to their colleagues for critical review.

Assessment Information

A portfolio consisting of:

- three formative assessment tasks:

• To review own history of learning mathematics and influences on the teaching of mathematics.

• To review an article, chosen by the student, from the mathematics education journals.

• To consider the implications of the ideas from the article for future teaching practices or own research.

- summative assessment of one continuous piece of writing of 3000 words developing from the three separate tasks, highlighting the links between previous practice, theoretical frames and considering questions for future research.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUCM5301).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.