Learning and Teaching of Mathematics (5-10)

This course provides a deeper understanding of theories of learning in mathematics, and discusses the implication of such understanding for the teaching of mathematics. The course focuses on cognitive and sociocultural theories and how these can shed light on the learning of mathematics for pupils in grades 5-10, including those with special needs. Emphasis is placed on developing students’ abilities to analyze learning situations from practice. On this basis, they will be able to make well-founded choices regarding the organization of mathematics teaching. Central to the course is work with reading mathematics education theory and using theory to analyze and plan teaching. Reasoning and proving will be recurring themes across most of the mathematical topics covered in the course, and the analysis of pupils’ learning will, for example, include the analysis of pupils’ reasoning.

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of theories of mathematics learning as acquisition and as participation
• has advanced knowledge of forms of reasoning and argumentation in mathematics and how reasoning and proving can be related to topics in school mathematics
• has in-depth knowledge of central aspects of the learning and teaching of reasoning
• has in-depth knowledge of the cognitive development of number sense
• has in-depth knowledge of various forms of adapted education in mathematics and different ways to assess the need for such adaptation

Skills

The student

• can read and understand theories of learning in mathematics
• can analyze pupils’ learning of reasoning and proving
• can develop teaching activities to support pupils’ reasoning across different mathematical topics
• can identify the need for and implement adapted mathematics teaching
• can develop teaching activities adapted to pupils with diverse mathematical needs

General competence

The student

• can make theoretically anchored decisions regarding the organization of pupils’ opportunities for learning mathematics
• has thorough knowledge of relevant and recent research in mathematics education related to the topics covered by the course
• can present the results of theoretically anchored and empirically based investigations within the grades 5 to 10

The teaching and learning methods will alternate between lectures, literature studies, work on assignments (individually and in groups), discussions, as well as oral and written student presentations. Academic discussions and interactions are important ways of working and learning, and it is expected that the candidates actively contribute to such activities. Some of the teaching may take place in English.