Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Content

Topics will include:

• Rational numbers, algebraic thinking, probability and statistics will form the mathematical content basis of this unit.
• Research-informed approaches to successful mathematics learning that are responsive to the strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. 
• Research-informed practices focus on the brain and learning to understand why specific instructional practices work and how to implement these practices 
• The role of mathematical investigation, guided mathematical inquiry and open tasks for constructing mathematical knowledge and orchestrating mathematical discourse, reasoning, argumentation, and proof.
• Effective resources that support and enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics (e.g., manipulatives, digital technologies, and visual representations)
• Assessment practices to guide the learning-teaching of mathematics: (e.g., informal and formal, including diagnostics approaches to formative and summative assessment of cognitive and affective learning).
• Recording and tracking of student learning – interpretation and analysis of student data; moderation of student learning outcomes against class, state and national norms
• Reporting of student learning outcomes to parents/carers and other stakeholders – types of reports; strategies for engaging parents
• Issues regarding national testing programs, e.g., NAPLAN
• Approaches for different levels of planning for mathematics teaching, e.g., yearly, term, daily, whole school to year level
• Incorporating the mathematical content proficiencies and processes as outlined in the current Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
• Integrating the mathematical content strands to facilitate connections across dimensions of mathematics
• Effective contexts for mathematics learning (e.g., children’s literature, real-life contexts, games, problem-solving, STEM and investigations)
• Identifying opportunities to use Numeracy across the curriculum, and ways that numeracy teaching strategies can be applied to other areas of the curriculum
• Powerful pedagogical actions in mathematics (e.g. creating powerful learning environments, grouping practices, scaffolding learning, attending to literacy demands, promoting productive discourse and collaborative argumentation, questioning and prompting), selecting tasks and models that promote deep learning and knowing and using pedagogical knowledge.
• Current national, state, and territory initiatives in mathematics education, as well as professional bodies and organisations that support teacher professional learning in mathematics 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Engagement for learning is the central focus of this unit, which uses a range of contemporary strategies reflecting best practices in early childhood and primary mathematics and numeracy education. These include interactive learning, student-led discussions, collaborative group work, hands-on activities, real-world problem-solving, and purposeful digital technology use.

Learning occurs through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and self-directed study, supported by the Learning Management System (Canvas). Online engagement may involve synchronous or asynchronous participation in readings, guided tasks, and forums.

To meet learning standards, pre-service teachers are encouraged to engage fully with all activities and assessments, including reflective tasks, discussions, webinars, podcasts, and videos.

Online Learning Requirements:

• Reliable broadband connection
• Headset with microphone

Pre-service teachers participate in active learning, receive regular feedback, and apply knowledge in ways relevant to professional practice.

ACECQA Curriculum Specifications

In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) standards:

• ACECQA -A8

  Relating to

  Transitions and continuity of learning (including transition to school)

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

• ACECQA -B1

  Relating to Early Years Learning Framework

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -B2

  Relating to

  The Australian curriculum

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -B3

  Relating to

  Numeracy, science and technology

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -C1

  Relating to

  Alternative pedagogies and curriculum approaches

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -C2

  Relating to

  Play based pedagogies

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -C4

  Relating to

  Teaching methods and strategies

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -C5

  Relating to

  Children with diverse needs and backgrounds

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3, LO4

• ACECQA -D3

  Relating toAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level

In connection to the learning outcomes, on successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers - Graduate Level standards:

• APST(GA)1.1

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3

• APST(GA)1.2

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1

• APST(GA)1.3

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)1.4

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of the impact of culture, cultural identity and linguistic background on the education of students from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)1.5

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)1.6

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge and understanding of legislative requirements and teaching strategies that support participation and learning of students with disability.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)2.1

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3, LO4

• APST(GA)2.2

  Relating toOrganise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3

• APST(GA)2.3

  Relating toUse curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3

• APST(GA)2.4

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of, understanding of, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)2.5

  Relating toKnow and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO2

• APST(GA)2.6

  Relating toImplement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)3.1

  Relating toSet learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO3

• APST(GA)3.2

  Relating toPlan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO3

• APST(GA)3.3

  Relating toInclude a range of teaching strategies.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)3.4

  Relating toDemonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2, LO4

• APST(GA)3.6

  Relating toDemonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO1, LO4

• APST(GA)4.5

  Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)5.1

  Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)5.2

  Relating toDemonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)5.3

  Relating toDemonstrate understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)5.4

  Relating toDemonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)5.5

  Relating toDemonstrate understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers and the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO2

• APST(GA)6.2

  Relating toUnderstand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

• APST(GA)7.4

  Relating toUnderstand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.

  Relevant Learning OutcomeLO4

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Core Content

On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should have developed the following industry specific knowledge based on the AITSL Core Content:

• 1.3.1

  Relating toHow the brain applies attained knowledge to solve problems by accessing memory or combining and re-combining memory to generate possible solutions. 

  Relevant learningLO3

• 1.3.2

  Relating toWhy teaching practices must adapt as a student’s familiarity with the knowledge of a subject increases, including when to move from scaffolded practice to independent practice, and why this is important. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 1.3.3

  Relating toHow to develop and use worked examples for students who are unfamiliar with a subject, followed by more challenging problem-solving activities as students become more familiar with the knowledge of a subject. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.2.1

  Relating toThe research base that shows explicit teaching, modelling and scaffolding practices are highly effective and attend best to how a student’s brain learns. 

  Relevant learningLO1

• 2.2.2

  Relating toHow to effectively begin instruction of a task through using a clear explanation of what students are expected to learn, chunked into small, manageable tasks with well-defined goals. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.2.3

  Relating toThe importance of presenting all information required to complete these chunked tasks in one place and at one time, excluding information not directly related to the task, to reduce cognitive overload. 

  Relevant learningLO1, LO2

• 2.2.4

  Relating toHow to explicitly model new skills and content through ‘worked examples’ that clearly demonstrate how to complete the task, followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient.

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.2.5

  Relating toHow to develop and deliver appropriately challenging recall practice to promote retention and plan to include ample opportunities to practise in a lesson or sequence of lessons.

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.2.6

  Relating toWhy independent problem-solving is only effective once a student approaches proficiency (i.e. after ample opportunities to practise progressively challenging tasks) and why independent problem-solving should not represent a large proportion of teaching and learning time. 

  Relevant learningLO1

• 2.3.1

  Relating toHow to pitch an introductory lesson at an appropriate level, before starting a new unit of work, by identifying where a student is in their learning through assessing what they know, or think they know. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.3.2

  Relating toHow to use formative assessment practices to gather and interpret information about student learning as learning is taking place – for example, use of simple, low-key assessments such as exit slips, quick quizzes or targeted oral questioning to prompt students to articulate their reasoning and identify common student misconceptions. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.3.3

  Relating toHow to design summative assessment to assess students against a standard or benchmark to gain an understanding of the level of mastery attained. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.3.4

  Relating toHow to produce and use developmental rubrics with criteria tailored to the specific task and/or work samples so that students understand what is expected. 

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.3.5

  Relating toHow to provide feedback as learning is taking place that is specific, honest, constructive, and clear, and uses explicit teaching strategies to re-teach concepts, scaffold, or correct misconceptions as necessary.

  Relevant learningLO2

• 2.5.1

  Relating toA conceptual understanding of the six strands of mathematics: number, algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and probability; and the four proficiencies: understanding, fluency, problem solving and reasoning. 

  Relevant learningLO4

• 2.5.2

  Relating toThe research that shows numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, discourse, and critique across all areas of the curriculum and improves students’ understanding of and engagement with material within and beyond the mathematics curriculum.  

  Relevant learningLO1

• 2.5.3

  Relating toHow to deliver explicit numeracy instruction followed by a progressive removal of scaffolding as students become more proficient through a combination of underpinning mathematical concepts and skills (numerical, spatial, graphical, statistical, and algebraic); mathematical thinking and strategies; and general thinking skills as appropriate to discipline and discipline-specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2.  

  Relevant learningLO4

• 2.5.4

  Relating toThe importance of independent problem-solving once a student approaches proficiency in underpinning mathematical concepts.  

  Relevant learningLO3