EED/416 - Elementary Methods: Mathematics

Course Description

This course provides a context for teaching and assessing students in elementary mathematics. Content knowledge, interdisciplinary teaching, and curriculum are emphasized. Teacher candidates will evaluate and use instructional methods, resources, and technology. The course focuses on enhancing the meaning of mathematical concepts by promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

This undergraduate course is 5 weeks.

PLEASE NOTE:
Attendance and participation are mandatory in all university courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

This course is not available for enrollment to residents of Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky, New York, Wisconsin, Wyoming and individuals who reside outside the United States.

Course Objectives

Week 1

• Explore various theories and models of mathematics instruction.
• Identify current research in teaching and learning mathematics.
• Describe the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) principles for school mathematics.
• Identify the NCTM content standards.
• Explain the NCTM process standards.
• Compare and contrast state standards for mathematics instruction and the NCTM standards.
• Identify the major concepts in number and operations.
• Examine strategies to teach numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
• Recognize strategies to teach meanings of operations and how they relate to one another.
• Develop strategies to teach mathematical understandings and skills with number systems and operations.

Week 2

• Investigate the scope and sequence of mathematics for grades K–8.
• Examine how a scope and sequence is used for long-term curriculum planning.
• Explore professional mathematics organizations and their resources.
• Explore technology-based and print resources.
• Identify ways to use the community and parents as resources.
• Review the components of an effective lesson plan.
• Incorporate manipulatives and technology in lesson plan activities.
• Develop a math lesson plan.
• Compare and contrast different approaches to lesson plan design.
• Explain the role of standards in planning and instruction in Mathematics.
• Incorporate manipulatives and technology in lesson plan activities.
• Identify examples of algebraic thinking in the elementary curriculum.
• Develop strategies to teach problem solving.
• Explore patterns, relations, and functions as they relate to number sense.

Week 3

• Examine models for integration of cross-content curricula.
• Investigate integration within mathematical concepts.
• Plan lessons and a unit that address appropriate learning goals.
• Address local, state, and national standards in a mathematical unit.
• Implement a scope and sequence into planning mathematics instruction.
• Integrate mathematics into other curricula where appropriate.
• Utilize appropriate resources for development of a mathematical unit.
• Define data analysis and probability.
• Recognize instructional strategies to create data sets or collect, organize, and display relevant data.
• Explore instructional strategies to select and use appropriate statistical methods and analyze data.
• Analyze instructional strategies to develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data.
• Analyze instructional strategies to understand and apply basic concepts of probability.

Week 4

• Examine current trends and issues regarding differentiating math instruction and assessment.
• Analyze instructional strategies used to adapt and modify learning activities.
• Analyze strategies to adjust and modify the use of materials and equipment for diverse learners.
• Compare assessment strategies including traditional and authentic assessment.
• Compare and contrast the uses of formative and summative assessment.
• Evaluate the characteristics of effective mathematics assessment.
• Construct open-ended assessments.
• Identify the major concepts in geometry.
• Explore strategies to teach the characteristics and properties of two- or three-dimensional shapes.
• Explore strategies to teach representations of two- and three-dimensional objects using concrete models, drawings, and dynamic geometry software.
• Explore strategies to teach spatial relationships using coordinate geometry.
• Explore strategies to teach transformations, symmetry, congruence, and similarity.

Week 5

• Examine strategies used in managing a positive mathematics classroom environment.
• Recommend motivational and communication techniques useful to the mathematics classroom.
• Identify the major concepts in measurement.
• Explore strategies to teach measurement units, techniques, and tools.
• Explore strategies to teach measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement.
• Explore strategies to teach estimation.

Disclaimers

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses.

Although our continuing education for teacher’s courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing education for teachers’ courses is not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice.

While widely available, not all programs are available in all locations or in both online and on-campus formats. More information about eligibility requirements, policies, and procedures can be found in the catalog or please check with a University Enrollment Representative.