School: Education

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Transition Mathematics: Early Algebraic Thinking
  • Unit Code

    MPE6263
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Christine Ann ORMOND

Description

This unit is designed to equip student teachers with the necessary skills to become confident lower secondary mathematics teachers in the area of algebra. As well as building an understanding of the primary to secondary education transition, students will build competence in the fundamental concepts that need to be established by younger students before they may successfully embark on learning pronumeric algebra. Student teachers will also examine some ways to develop algebraic understanding for students in their early secondary years.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded MPE4263, MPE5263.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain to colleagues, and use in teaching, the scope and sequence and expectations of the Australian Curriculum for mathematics in regard to pre-algebraic and algebraic concepts in the primary years and in Years 7 and 8.
  2. Analyse and explain to colleagues the way in which algebraic thinking uses more formal and abstract concepts than seen in early primary mathematics, based on current research.
  3. Critically reflect upon and explain in the school workplace the importance of algebraic understanding to overall mathematical success in secondary school.
  4. Reframe and provide solutions for common misconceptions about algebraic ideas in lower secondary students.

Unit Content

  1. Pre-algebraic thinking for Years Foundation to 5, using non-pro-numeric (no letters) ideas for building a pre-algebraic understanding of variables and equations.
  2. Building algebraic understanding using multiple strategies and a cohesive conceptual plan.
  3. Using story graphs to establish the concept of variation and graphing.
  4. How pre-algebraic ideas are articulated and supported in the Australian Curriculum in the primary years.
  5. Building algebraic understanding in the lower secondary years using multiple strategies.
  6. Common misconceptions about the ideas of a letter pro-numeral and an equation.
  7. How to teach the connect the idea of a simple linear equation with a graph.
  8. How algebraic ideas are articulated and supported in the Australian Curriculum in the lower secondary years.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ProjectUpper primary pre-algebra task and reflection50%
ReportCommon algebra misconceptions50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MPE6263|1|1

School: Education

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Transition Mathematics: Early Algebraic Thinking
  • Unit Code

    MPE6263
  • Year

    2021
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    1
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Christine Ann ORMOND

Description

This unit is designed to equip student teachers with the necessary skills to become confident lower secondary mathematics teachers in the area of algebra. As well as building an understanding of the primary to secondary education transition, students will build competence in the fundamental concepts that need to be established by younger students before they may successfully embark on learning pronumeric algebra. Student teachers will also examine some ways to develop algebraic understanding for students in their early secondary years.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded MPE4263, MPE5263.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain to colleagues, and use in teaching, the scope and sequence and expectations of the Australian Curriculum for mathematics in regard to pre-algebraic and algebraic concepts in the primary years and in Years 7 and 8.
  2. Analyse and explain to colleagues the way in which algebraic thinking uses more formal and abstract concepts than seen in early primary mathematics, based on current research.
  3. Critically reflect upon and explain in the school workplace the importance of algebraic understanding to overall mathematical success in secondary school.
  4. Reframe and provide solutions for common misconceptions about algebraic ideas in lower secondary students.

Unit Content

  1. Pre-algebraic thinking for Years Foundation to 5, using non-pro-numeric (no letters) ideas for building a pre-algebraic understanding of variables and equations.
  2. Building algebraic understanding using multiple strategies and a cohesive conceptual plan.
  3. Using story graphs to establish the concept of variation and graphing.
  4. How pre-algebraic ideas are articulated and supported in the Australian Curriculum in the primary years.
  5. Building algebraic understanding in the lower secondary years using multiple strategies.
  6. Common misconceptions about the ideas of a letter pro-numeral and an equation.
  7. How to teach the connect the idea of a simple linear equation with a graph.
  8. How algebraic ideas are articulated and supported in the Australian Curriculum in the lower secondary years.

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences through ECUs LMS as well as additional ECU l

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
ProjectUpper primary pre-algebra task and reflection50%
ReportCommon algebra misconceptions50%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MPE6263|1|2