Course Outline
EDU768 Teaching Mathematics in the Early Years
Course Coordinator:Catherine Thiele (cthiele@usc.edu.au) School:School of Education and Tertiary Access
2026Trimester 2
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
Your analysis of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (Prep to Year 3) during this course will lead to research and evaluation of current pedagogical approaches for the delivery of this curriculum. You will analyse and apply a range of learning theories and teaching strategies (including play-based and inquiry learning) as well as interpret student thinking and diagnose misconceptions to improve student learning. You will also examine the curriculum linkages with literacy, numeracy and ICT and critically apply your mathematical content knowledge to classroom scenarios.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – You are required to engage with online learning materials, associated activities and required/recommended course reading materials. Apart for the prescribed text, all learning materials can be accessed through the university learning management system. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 9 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – The tutorial/workshop will be scheduled weekly on-campus and involve the application of learning materials, engagement and interaction with peers and tutors. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 10 times |
Course Topics
- How children learn mathematics
- Number and Algebra (1)
- Planning for and assessing mathematics learning
- Number and Algebra (2) – Computational thinking
- Number and Algebra (3) – Patterning and Algebraic thinking
- Measurement and Geometry
- Probability and Statistics
- Mathematical language
- Professional development opportunities for mathematics teachers.
What level is this course?
700 Level (Specialised)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership | |
| 1 | Demonstrate and apply advanced knowledge of the Australian Curriculum Mathematics to lesson planning and teaching strategies. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3 |
| 2 | Synthesise knowledge of mathematical learning theory with developmentally appropriate pedagogy to planning and practice. Reflect on personal, knowledge, skills and ability to teach Mathematics. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 5.2 |
| 3 | Demonstrate mastery of mathematical pedagogies, diagnostic and formative assessment and resources to meet the needs of a diverse range of early years learners. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical Engaged |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 4.2, 5.1, 5.4 |
| 4 | Demonstrate advanced technical skills when planning and creating learning environments and learning episodes that reflect a sound understanding of mathematical concepts, literacy and use of resources, including ICTs. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Sustainability-focussed |
2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.6, 4.2 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership | |
| 2.1 | Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area |
| 2.2 | Content selection and organisation: Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence. |
| 2.3 | Curriculum, assessment and reporting: Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. |
| 2.5 | Literacy and numeracy strategies: Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas. |
| 3.2 | Plan, structure and sequence learning programs: Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. |
| 3.3 | Use teaching strategies: Include a range of teaching strategies. |
| 3.4 | Select and use resources: Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. |
| 3.6 | Evaluate and improve teaching programs: Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. |
| 4.2 | Manage classroom activities: Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions |
| 5.1 | Assess student learning: Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. |
| 5.2 | Provide feedback to students on their learning: Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning |
| 5.4 | Interpret student data: Demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice. |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in Program ED707
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
Early Feedback will occur during tutorials and prior to the first assessment in a variety of forms such as: online weekly quizzes, peer support, tutor modelling, examples to view, open discussions, etc..
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Plan | Individual | 30% | Rationale statement (500 words) and Lesson Plan (1000 words) |
Week 4 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual and Group | 30% | Lesson Plan (1000 words), Teaching Segment (10 minutes), and reflection. |
Week 7 | In Class |
| All | 3 | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 40% | 90 minutes |
Week 10 | In Class |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Rationale Statement and Lesson Plan | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to apply mathematical learning theory, developmentally appropriate pedagogy and knowledge of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics to develop a rationale statement and lesson plan. |
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| Product: | Plan | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Apply your knowledge of how children learn Mathematics (learning theory), the Australian Curriculum Mathematics, and developmentally appropriate pedagogies to develop an Early Years (P-3) Mathematics lesson plan and Rationale Statement. [Refer to Canvas for further details and planning templates for this task] |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Organisation, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Lesson Plan,Teaching Segment and Reflection | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to develop an Early Years Mathematics lesson plan, present a teaching segment, and complete a critical reflection. |
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| Product: | Oral and Written Piece | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Apply your knowledge of how children learn Mathematics (learning theory), the Australian Curriculum Mathematics, and developmentally appropriate pedagogies to develop an Early Years (P-3) Mathematics lesson plan with a partner, and then in class individually present a teaching segment that provides a sequence of mathematical teaching and learning. Complete a critical reflection after your teaching segment. [Refer to Canvas for further details and planning templates for this task] |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Organisation, Applying technologies |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:In-class exam | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | The goal of this task is to synthesise knowledge of mathematical learning theory, curriculum content, pedagogy and resources. |
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| Product: | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Apply your knowledge of the course learning outcomes in this two part exam. [Refer to Canvas for further details on this task]. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy |
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Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Required | Robyn Jorgensen,Shelley Dole,Kevin Larkin | 2020 | Teaching Mathematics in Primary Schools | (3rd ed.) | Allen & Unwin |
Specific requirements
It is the responsibility of the student to attend tutorials/workshops to obtain the course topics and seek clarification. It is the responsibility of the student to provide resources for the teaching segment (assessment). There is one week in which a laptop/tablet will be required for the tutorial (assessment). If you don't have one, please make arrangements to share with another student.
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.
For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: