Syllabus

** Ed ****// 5840 //** 2012 Syllabus

I will keep updated course information posted at the following wiki site: http://2012ed5840.wikispaces.com/ Keep checking the site for updates!
 * Course Information **

The primary emphasis of this course is for you to answer the following question:
 * Course objective **


 * Why is it important to learn mathematics?**

Last term some of you explored the idea of motivation in math education. One of the resources I supplied talked about three things that affect a persons motivation – 1) Autonomy (self-determination), 2) Mastery (the challenge of succeeding for the sake of succeeding – often seen as enjoyment), and 3) Purpose (having a greater reason for doing what you are asked to do). The first two we have dealt with to some degree last term. They are also re-enforced through other studies. The third idea, purpose, is something we have to deal with as it directly relates to math education.

“Why do we need to learn this?” is a question often heard in math classrooms (as well as in math education classes at the university level J ). This is something that you need to have your own answer for. My answer or answers of others will sound like the rhetoric it is to students and their parents. Instead, it will be much better for you to give students and their parents a response that you are yourself passionate about and fully believe in.

With this in mind I have designed five activities that will guide you through the process of beginning to develop your own answer to the question. I ask you to choose four of these five activities and to complete them in a timely fashion in the order of your choosing. I am also going to ask you to write an essay concerning the connection(s) between learning mathematics and social justice. I will make some resources available for you to use as well as some you find on your own. There will be a discussion group set up on the new wiki site for you to engage with each other in sharing ideas and resources around this topic.

The last requirement that I have for this course is a Competency in Math Assessment. This will be self-directed and on-line ([|www.khanacademy.org] ). You will be required to successful master skills up to a grade three level before I will submit your final marks. This requirement is not optional nor does it have any value towards your final grade – you simply must be able to do minimal mathematics before you can teach it.


 * Materials **

On-line at the following Wiki site:

Math Competency:

[|www.khanacademy.org]

Reference Materials: Math Foundation Document Mathematics – Grade Two Mathematics – Grade 5 Kindergarten Mathematics Mathematics – Grade Three Mathematics – Grade One Mathematics – Grade Four
 * New Brunswick Department of Education documents: [|http://www.gnb.ca/0000/anglophone-e.asp#cd]
 * NCTM (2000). //Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.// Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: [] (120 day free access)


 * Weekends in the Communities ** 30%

I plan to travel to your communities once this term. The activities involved will not be directly related towards any of the other projects in this course. I plan on taking this time to delve into the ideas and concepts around assessment in the math classroom. Given the novelty of these weekends attendance and participation will be mandatory. Dates will be determined after we dialogue as a class.


 * Assessment **


 * CHOOSE //__FOUR__// OF THE FOLLOWING ** 40%

--**Last Two Choices Due: April 20**
 * First Two Choices Due:** **March 2**


 * 1. Aesthetic Aspects of Mathematics**
 * 2. Math as Entertainment**
 * 3. Math in Future Careers and Academics**
 * 4. Math in Technology**
 * 5. Measuring and Locating**


 * Essay ** 25%

For this essay you are to look at math and math education and what role(s) math plays in social justice. This is a broad topic so you are free to narrow your focus. Possible examples are “math and power”, “math and democracy”, “Math and authority”, “math and citizenship”, or other aspects of social justice you may be interested in. Whatever focus you choose I also ask that you write it from a First-Nations perspective and connect what you learn with First-Nations issues, struggles and strengths. I am not particular about format so long as your logic and references are easy to follow. I suggest the length to be between 5 and 20 pages double-spaced 12pt font.


 * Summary Project ** 5%

__This summary project is **mandatory**. I will not submit grades if this exercise is not passed.__

As a summary you are asked to construct a powerpoint presentation answering the question **“Why is it important to learn math?”** The presentation is to be made to address parents of students and clearly show why it is important for __their__ children to learn and understand mathematics. This is a product that you should be able to use at the beginning of a school year during a meet & greet time with parents. As such, it should be no more than five minutes long and use language, images and symbols that parents would be comfortable with.

For assessment I will assess each presentation and a non-math member of the Mi’kmaq Maliseet Institute will also do an assessment. You will have to pass both assessments to complete the course.

Ideally you should be keeping notes and making comments to answer the above question while completing the other projects from the term.

__Grade Assessment (summary)__

1. Aesthetic Aspects of Mathematics 2. Math as Entertainment 3. Math in Future Careers and Academic {//do 4 of 5, 10% each//} 40% 4. Math in Technology 5. Measuring and Locating

Math Competency Assessment 0% Essay 25% Weekend Visit 30% Summary Project __5%__ 100%



Alan Bishop is a retired professor of education from Australia. He is well-known for recognizing non-European mathematics. His definition of mathematics includes the following human activities: **counting**, **measuring**, **locating**, **designing**, **playing** (with any of the first four), and **explaining** (any of the first four).

Ubiritan D’Ambrosio is a Brazilian mathematician who shows how European mathematics is behind much of the violence in the world, and he believes that mathematics education can help bring peace to the world. He recognizes that mathematics exists in all cultures and that mathematics involves the instruments created to respond to a need to explain or understand as he describes below:

Bishop, D’Ambrosio and many others (but not most mathematics educators) have argued that by understanding mathematics in this broader sense, teachers can help students to begin to see mathematics within their own cultural context. This, it is argued, can help to eliminate the cultural clash that often happens for children from diverse cultural backgrounds when they are confronted with mathematics in the classroom that often reflects only a European worldview.

Very Important bits of information:


 * All assignment and project submissions are to be sent to me electronically. The following is a very strict format that I require you follow: In the subject line of your e-mail, and in file names of attached documents please state your name followed by the assignment title. **

Subject line: Joe Black – Aesthetic aspects of math assignment File name: Joe Black – Aesthetic aspects of math assignment
 * Example: If “Joe Black” were to submit an attached document for the //Differentiation instruction and multiple assessment// assignment I would send it as follows: **


 * *be certain that your file name is the same as your e-mail subject line. If you do not follow this format, I will send your assignments/journals etc. back to you with a comment to re-format your titles. **


 * Academic Integrity **

The University of New Brunswick places a high value on academic integrity and has a policy on plagiarism, cheating and other academic offences.

Plagiarism includes: acknowledgement; acknowledgement;
 * 1) quoting verbatim or almost verbatim from any source, including all electronic sources, without
 * 1) adopting someone else’s line of thought, argument, arrangement, or supporting evidence without
 * 1) submitting someone else’s work, in whatever form without acknowledgement;
 * 2) knowingly representing as one’s own work any idea of another.

Examples of other academic offences include: cheating on exams, tests, assignments or reports; impersonating somebody at a test or exam; obtaining an exam, test or other course materials through theft, collusion, purchase or other improper manner, submitting course work that is identical or substantially similar to work that has been submitted for another course; and more as set out in the academic regulations found in the Undergraduate Calendar.

Penalties for plagiarism and other academic offences range from a minimum of F (zero) in the assignment, exam or test to a maximum of suspension or expulsion from the University, plus a notation of the academic offence on the student’s transcript.

For more information, please see the Undergraduate Calendar, Section B, Regulation VII.A, or visit [|http://nocheating.unb.ca].