250146 SE Seminar on mathematics education (2021W)

CONNECTING THEORY AT UNI WITH EVERYDAY SCHOOL LIFE – CAN IT BE DONE? (YES!)

In this seminar, we are going to practise typical core tasks of teachers and how to connect and apply our subject matter knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge while performing tasks of lesson preparation and follow-up (block 1: choosing exercises/problems, block 2: preparing explanations, block 3: evaluating student responses and providing feedback).

The goal is to make use of the theoretical knowledge previously learnt at university in the context of authentic teaching situations and challenges that might arise in the professional life of a teacher, as well as collectively practise a reflective stance toward one’s own teaching decisions.

The course will be part of a doctoral research project, therefore registering for the course simultaneously means agreeing to take part in two anonymous written surveys during lecture times (the answers to which will of course not affect grading in any way).

Aim: The book "Fundamentals of Mathematics Lessons in Secondary School" by H.-J. Vollrath and J. Roth will be discussed. It focuses on conveying didactic experience-based knowledge to future teachers, but at the same time stimulates and encourages them to try new things.

Content: Mathematics is respected in our society, but not loved. That does not be the case. The way young people encounter mathematics in school is decisive for attitudes towards mathematics. The most important task of mathematics teaching is to help adolescents develop their inherent mathematical skills. It aims to show ways in which a lively and intensive relationship between mathematics and the learners can be built up in the classroom.

Successful teaching is seen as goal-oriented and justifiable action that is based on well-founded content and didactic knowledge as well as an extensive and varied repertoire of methods. At the same time, it is a creative act in which lessons are constantly being redesigned and in which surprising teaching situations require didactic ideas. The book wants to convey the didactic knowledge required for this and to provide suggestions. The focus is on the following topics: Mathematics as a subject, learning mathematics, teaching mathematics, planning mathematics lessons, developing mathematics.

It has been thoroughly revised for the present second edition. Among other things, Sections on meaningful use of computers and new forms of teaching added. In addition, didactic tasks have been added to the chapters.

Table of contents: Mathematics as a subject (mathematics in school, mathematics as a general education subject, mathematics as a qualifying subject, mathematics as an authentic subject, content of math lessons), learning mathematics (aspects of learning mathematics, system-oriented learning of mathematics, problem-oriented learning of mathematics, Reflective learning of mathematics, long-term learning of mathematics), teaching mathematics (teaching mathematics as a task, teaching concepts, basic teaching patterns, communication in mathematics teaching, tools in mathematics teaching), planning mathematics teaching (planning a course, annual plan, planning a teaching sequence, planning a project , planning a teaching unit, planning important teaching phases), working out mathematics (working out concepts, working out facts, working out procedures, applying and modeling, problem-solving).

Method: Preparation of individual sections, also under the guidance of the lecture leader, presentation in plenary, discussion and reflection on certain topics in groups and in plenary. Depending on the possibilities, the seminar takes place online or as a face-to-face event.