Course Objectives

The students will acquire a foundation in mathematics didactics for teaching the subject, assessing its role in schools and helping to develop mathematics as a school subject. Students will:

• Develop knowledge in mathematics didactics theory and practice.
• Develop expertise in planning, implementing and evaluating their own teaching of mathematics.
• Develop knowledge of factors that influence the pupils’ learning of the subject.
• Develop the ability to independently interpret and assess the current curricula in mathematics and be able to use this as a basis for their own teaching.
• Develop an understanding of the use of mathematical models, and be able to assess the subject’s role in society and in the field of science.
• Develop an understanding of mathematics as a dynamic subject, in which creativity and imagination play an important role in developing knowledge, and be able to explain the subject’s inductive and deductive character.
• Be able to use ICT as an integrated part of the teaching, as stipulated in the Knowledge Promotion Curriculum.
• Be able to assess and use different types of evaluation, with regard to continuous and final assessment, and discuss the criteria for students’ final skills in relation to current assessment and examination requirements.
• Be able to assess different ways of working in mathematics and facilitate the monitoring of individual students.

Course Description

The subject curriculum in Mathematics Didactics builds on the Curriculum and Regulations for the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Ministry of Education, 1999), and the Knowledge Promotion Curriculum (LK-06). The course qualifies students who have teaching skills in mathematics, gained at degree level, to teach mathematics in primary and secondary schools. Students will study topics which will, in combination with their background in the subject, provide a basis for planning and executing reflected and varied instruction based on the current curricula in use in primary and secondary school education.

The course consists of the following target areas:

• Mathematics as a field of knowledge (what is mathematics, what are its origins, and what is its role in schools and society?)
• Learning Mathematics
• Teaching Mathematics

The target areas overlap one another. Consequently, we will generally work within more than one target area at a time.

The students will explore relevant subject didactics literature which throws light on the following topics: descriptions of mathematical skills - learning theories - exploration and problem solving as working methods in mathematics – diagnostic teaching and constructivist learning approach - reasoning and proof in mathematics teaching – The Knowledge Promotion Curriculum’s five basic skills and areas of competence in the subject - the transition from arithmetic to algebra - mathematics as a school subject - the use of ICT, such as mathematics programmes, educational software, relevant websites - testing and assessment in mathematics - various student groups’ attitudes to and knowledge of the subject.

Learning Methods

The course includes lectures, group work and individual assignments.

Students will complete a didactics assignment in mathematics related to their period of teaching practice, which must be documented.

Students who take 30 ECTS in Mathematics Didactics will, in addition to the above-mentioned assignment, write an independent project consisting of a report and a study of syllabus texts related to the theme of the project. The size of the project report should be in proportion to the weight of the 9 ECTS to be awarded for it, while the study of the syllabus texts related to the project field will count for 6 ECTS.

Assessment Methods

Students taking 15 ECTS

An individual, 5-hour written examination. Students must first complete the didactics assignment related to the teaching practice and have it approved before they receive a grade for this examination.

Students taking 30 ECTS

An individual, 5-hour written examination that corresponds to the written examination. The written examination counts for 60% of the final grade.

The project report will be assessed. The grade for the project report counts for 20% of the final grade. In addition, candidates will be given an oral examination on their project report. Candidates will also be examined on the syllabus texts associated with the project. The oral examination grade counts for 20% of the final grade.

A single grade will be entered on the diploma, ranging from A to F, where A is the highest grade and E is the lowest passing grade. Each part of the assessment must receive a passing grade in order to achieve a final passing grade for the course.

Please refer to Telemark University College’s examination regulations for further information.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean