Objectives and competences

The aim of the course is to train students in the application of the basic principles of mathematics didactics, which they need for successful mathematics teaching. Students: • demonstrate sovereign and critical attitude towards school mathematics, • apply logical sequence of problem-solving strategies in classrooms, • plan and implement teaching of chosen arithmetic concepts, • use technology in school mathematics, • evaluate himself as a teacher of mathematics.

Content (Syllabus outline)

• Mathematical literacy and mathematics as a science of patterns and order. • Basic concepts of didactics of mathematics: understanding, types of knowledge, representations. • Manipulatives, activities, and strategic games. • Curriculum, textbooks and other resources, lesson plan. • Technology and teaching/learning mathematics. • Arithmetic: early number representations; operations - conceptual, place value. • Problem-based learning, problems and tasks, contextualisation, word problems, sustainability, differentiation. • Mathematical language (definitions of early concepts).

Learning and teaching methods

• lectures, • Socratic method, • experiential learning, • problem-solving, • collaborative learning.

Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding

On completion of this course the student will be able to: • evaluate appropriate activities for the development of mathematical literacy, • apply the basic concepts in didactics of mathematics in authentic teaching situations, • explain the structure of the math curriculum, • critically evaluate learning resources in math, • identify activities for developing problem-solving knowledge, • use technology in mathematics education, • prepare contextualized activities.

Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes

Readings

Van de Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S.,Bay-Williams, J. M. (2015). Elementary and middle school mathematics. Teaching Developmentally. Boston [etc.] : Pearson. Poglavja 2-4,7, 8, 10.

Prerequisits

None.