Description
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes: You can expect to gain a deeper understanding of some elementary mathematics topics. You will become an active and independent learner. You will develop more competence with respect to the abilities articulated in the first four standards found in Curriculum and Evaluation Standards published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. That is:
- Mathematics as problem solving You will become a more powerful and more confidentproblem solver.
- Mathematics as communicationYou will appreciate the role of discussion in learning mathematics, and you will appreciate the value of vocabulary and notation as tools that make communication easier.
- Mathematics as reasoning Your ability to use reasoning – deductive, inductive, and intuitive – will grow, and you will be able to justify your hypotheses and solutions.
- Mathematical connections You will be more aware of connections between various mathematical topics and connections between mathematics and other areas.
COMMON COURSE OBJECTIVES
a) increase students’ explicit understanding (a level of understanding which allows one to clearly and accurately communicate mathematical ideas) of some elementary & middle grade mathematics including;
- number and number properties through experiences which emphasize sorting and classifying,
- operations for real numbers with explorations of multiple interpretations, problem solving, algebraic thinking with investigations of patterns and a focus on sets and functions, number theory, proportional reasoning
b) increase students’ ability to independently increase their own understanding of mathematics (they need to be able to learn math and be confident that they understand it since we can’t get to everything they will need to teach elementary or middle school students);
c) challenge students’ beliefs about mathematics and, hopefully, enhance their attitudes in a positive way;
d) provide students with an opportunity to experience mathematics in a constructivist learning environment, as they may be expected to teach in this manner (for further information see NCTM’s Professional Standards);
e) introduce common manipulatives; through use, rather than demonstration
f) begin to develop effective communication skills that will be useful to the student when they begin teaching.
