Course Objectives

The work with the target areas, subject knowledge, pedagogical work with children and interaction and reflection aims to provide a mix of theoretical knowledge, practical experience, the student’s own work, subject assignments and didactic reflection.

Subject knowledge

Students will gain knowledge regarding the:

• Basic notion of numbers
• Additive number systems and position systems in a historic perspective
• The four arithmetical operations and the relation between them
• Natural numbers, whole numbers and rational numbers
• Basic geometric concepts
• Measuring
• Different geometric forms
• Symmetry and patterns
• Similarities and congruence

• Common misconceptions regarding number theory and geometry
• Basic theories concerning the notion of mathematical competence
• Problem solving as a working method
• Mathematics as a language
• Bishop’s six fundamental mathematical activities

Students will gain sufficient didactic insight into the subject to enable them to teach mathematics at beginner level in the first class in primary school.

2.2 Pedagogical work with children

Students gain awareness about the essence of mathematical activities in order to prepare for:

• The development of the child’s mathematic competence through play
• The visualisation of mathematics in the child’s everyday life
• The stimulation of the child’s curiosity through a dialogue focusing on mathematical language
• The stimulation of the child’s powers of logical thinking to help the child perceive the relation between mathematical knowledge and other fields of knowledge

Students will gain sufficient insight into logical thinking to enable them to teach mathematics at beginner level in the first class in primary school.

2.2 Pedagogical work with children

Students will gain awareness regarding what mathematical activities involve, to enable them to prepare a learning environment:

• Which supports the development of the child’s mathematical competence through play
• In which mathematics is part of the child’s everyday life
• In which the child’s curiosity is stimulated through discussion where mathematical language is important
• In which the child’s logical thinking is stimulated so that the child sees the connection between mathematical knowledge and other areas of knowledge

Students will acquire sufficient didactic insight to enable them to carry out elementary mathematics teaching in the first year of the primary school.

2.3 Interaction and reflection

Students will gain awareness about the essence of mathematical activities in order to enable them to:

• Discuss the children’s ability to solve problems where mathematical thinking is central, both with parents/guardians and staff in the day care centre
• Reflect over tools which may be used to stimulate the children’s mathematical thinking
• Reflect over ICT and other technical auxiliary tools that may promote mathematical understanding
• Consider and reflect on how different cultures present and organise mathematical activities and exploration
• Start a process of transmitting the basic mathematical notions to children so the majority of the children may experience that they master the transition from day care centre to school.

The students should be acquainted with the teaching perspective outlined in the curriculum for mathematics in primary education.

Course Description

It is a common belief that mathematics should only be taught in schools and not in day care centres. However, small children of only a year old may be confronted with mathematical activities and react by thinking and expressing themselves. Children are basically curious and interested in exploring and learning. In the beginning they learn through play. Then after a period of time activities may be directed towards a more active and conscious learning. Many different subjects may stimulate the general interest in learning and knowledge. Mathematics plays a central role in this context because the subject constitutes an integral part of the child’s overall development.

At an early age the child becomes acquainted with the many terms of mathematical language. Pre-school teachers in the day care centre may stimulate this development. It is of central importance that students become aware of the way in which a child uses mathematics as part of his/her language: children develop the ability to use terms when they use language to express themselves. Being as precise as possible in the use of mathematical terms represents an important aspect of mathematical understanding.

Children are constantly interpreting their surroundings. In this context mathematics is a useful tool. Logical thinking is often related to the basic need of the individual to create order and gain an overview of his/her surroundings. Mathematical activity will often result in reinforcing and visualising logical thinking in the child. It is important to stimulate this development as early as the pre-school years. The pre-school teacher must be familiar with these aspects of the subject.

During the course of the training for pre-school teachers, it is important that students gain insight into how mathematics may function as a useful auxiliary tool to describe and structure reality.

Learning Methods

The national curriculum and the present subject curriculum form the basis for the choice of mathematical course units and timetable. The subject will be organised partly in cooperation with the students, who will participate in both theoretical and practical activities.

The course organisation provides students with the opportunity to experience the subject both through practical and theoretical activities, in particular related to practice in the field. The working methods are organised in such a way that students will gain insight into:

• The individual assignments, written and oral
• Lectures
• Group work
• Experimenting and exploring
• Interdisciplinary activities and project work
• Practical and subject didactic guidance

Assessment Methods

Obligatory assignments

To sit the exam students are required to have received passing marks for:

• A written examination related to activity/plan within the subject areas numbers and calculating with numbers or geometry, at the pre-school level.
• An oral assignment, i.e. related to the interdisciplinary project work.
• A log that shows observation of mathematical activities in the day care centre related to a specific age.
• Participation in the interdisciplinary project.

Final examination

An individual 4-hour written examination relating to 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3. Students will receive a grade on their diploma. Grades are given on a scale A to F, where A is the highest and E the lowest passing grade.

Refer also to Telemark University College Examination Regulation.

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