OVERVIEW

The course aims at: 1) revising the concept of function, its uses and representations; 2) developing didactical competences related to its mathematics teaching; 3) developing the competence of planning and implementing teaching sequences, performing critical reflections on practice and carrying out meaningful assessment strategies

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Developing mastery (with a view to teaching) of coordinate systems and of various forms of graphic representation of situations and phenomena, giving special attention to the logical and linguistic competences involved. Particular problems related to primary and nursery school will be taken into consideration

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

AIMS

Aims concering mathematical contents:

1. Consolidating and acquiring basic mathematics knowledge and specialized knowledge for teaching in kindergarten and primary school, relative to the following topics: numbers, functions and relationships, reasoning and proving. These topics are included in the Italian National Curriculum. With particular attention to:

• Number processing
• Counting and calculation skills
• Relationship and function
• Geometric transformation of the Plane

Aims concerning Math education

1. Acquiring competences in developing practical activities and critical reflections in mathematics education.
2. reading, with a critical approach, both dissemination articles and research articles in mathematics education, addressed to teachers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding

Mastery and critical knowledge of theorical foundations and languages typical of mathematics.

Didactic knowledge relative to mathematics in the kindergarten and primary school, with special attention to interdisciplinary links.

Competences

Planning learning paths in mathematical context.

Reading simple research articles in mathematics education, showing to being able to seize, evaluate, and use results from empirical studies in order to improve knowledge and educational interventions.

Communicative abilities

Using correctly and purposely the main mathematical representation systems (numbers, algebra, graphs, tables), and expressing a mathematical argument in a clear and complete way.

Learning abilities

Recognize and apply properly to new contexts the mathematical models studied in the course.

TEACHING METHODS

Laboratory-style lessons (individual work on worksheets + class discussions) and Standard lessons.

Frequency of minimum 2/3 of the lessons is required.

Non-participant students  required to prepare a final report concerning a theme approached during the course, that has to be agreed with the teacher.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

1. Fundamental mathematical aspects and related cognitive and didactic discussion relative to the following topics:

-       Numbers: the number concept and its various aspects; the counting process; natural numbers: operations, meanings and properties; the number line; prime numbers, integers numbers;

-       Functions and relationships: modeling, different registers of representations; direct and inverse proportionality;

- Geometrical transformation of the plane: Isometries and Homothety

2. Basic theoretical knowledge from mathematics education research, relative to: body, tools and mathematical symbols; the mathematical laboratory; affect in teaching-learning mathematics.

3. Examples of didactic activities related to the topics above.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Students will receive during the course worksheets and reading materials. At the end of the course, the notes of the lessons will be provided.

Bazzini, L. Valacca E. (2001).  I dati e le previsioni, UTET Libreria, Torino.

Oppure: Bazzini L., Scimone A., Spagnolo F.  (2008). Probabilità e Statistica, Teoria e Didattica, Ed. Palumbo, Palermo.

Bartolini Bussi (2008). Matematica. I numeri e lo spazio, Juvenilia.

Grugnetti, L., Villani, V. (1999). Matematica dalla scuola materna alla maturità. Proposta di un percorso globale. Pitagora Editrice, Bologna.

Zan, R. (2007). Difficoltà in matematica. Osservare, interpretare, intervenire. Springer Verlag.

U.M.I. Matematica 2001- Materiali per un muovo curricolo di matematica con suggerimenti per attività e prove di verifica: http://umi.dm.unibo.it/old/italiano/Matematica2001/matematica2001.html

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

PAOLO BOERO (President)

ROSSANA IADAROLA (President)

FRANCESCA MORSELLI (President)

ELISABETTA ROBOTTI (President)

ROSALIA ZUNINO (President)

LESSONS

Class schedule

MATHMATICS (MODULE II)

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test.

Non-partecipant Students, in addition to the written test, will have to produce an individual report on a topic agreed with the teacher.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Written exam

Exam schedule