MON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Summer Semester 2001
EDUC 415 4 ?
PeterLiljedahl
Designs for Learning:
?
Office: EDB 7511
Secondary Mathematics
?
Phone: 291-4117
Mondays 17:30-21:20 in EDB 7500B
?
E01.00 ?
E-mail: pgl@sfu.ca
PREREQUISITE
Educ 401/402
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The mathematics curriculum in British Columbia has undergone major changes in recent years. The
revised curriculum includes new topics such as data analysis, probability, vectors, and matrices. Other
topics, such as geometry, are given greater emphasis than in the past. All students are expected to
own and use a scientific calculator and graphing calculator. Teachers are encouraged to use
manipulative materials in group settings as a major vehicle for learning.
The course is designed for prospective and practising secondary school teachers who wish to explore
the fundamentals of the learning /teaching process as it applies to mathematics. The course will draw
on the latest research in mathematics learning, and will show how such findings may be used in the
classroom. Students will be expected to become familiar with and confident in the use of a variety of
manipulative materials such as geo-boards and algebra tiles. They will also explore the realities of
mathematical learning by examining their own learning powers and patterns. On completion of the
course it is hoped that participants will feel more at ease with the subject of mathematics, be able to
deal confidently with the prescribed curriculum, and be able to plan mathematical instruction within a
consistent framework.
REQUIREMENTS
Students will be expected to attend all classes, and to participate fully in classwork and discussions.
Specific assignments will depend on the number and backgrounds of students enrolled in the course.
Assignments given in previous years include the following:
• a problem-solving assignment in which students keep a journal to record their efforts over a
period of time
• an assignment related to the secondary textbooks used in British Columbia
• an assignment that requires students to examine a number of professional journals related to the
teaching of mathematics
• a presentation to the class demonstrating an idea, activity, or technique for teaching mathematics
• a lesson development assignment related to the B.C. Integrated Resource Package (IRP) for
Mathematics
In addition to specific assignments each student will be expected to complete a project related to his or
her own interests, as negotiated with the instructor.
REQUIRED TEXT
Cangelosi, J. S. (1996) Teaching Mathematics in Secon
Approach (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
