Course content

The course emphasizes how research in mathematics education can be applied in classrooms at the primary level and focuses on mathematics teachers’ professional growth, reflection, and development in working with younger pupils. The course is divided into three modules of approximately equal scope:

Module 1: Equity and inclusion

In this module, students will explore mathematics teaching with a particular focus on equity, inclusion, and diversity. The teaching will also address multilingual classrooms, affective aspects of mathematics learning, ethnomathematics and Sámi perspectives, as well as critical mathematics education.

Module 2: Resources in mathematics teaching

This module deals with the use, adaptation, and development of various resources for mathematics teaching and learning in grades 1-7, with particular emphasis on ICT and work with mathematical modelling.

Module 3: Developing mathematics teaching

In this module, students will work on developing mathematics teaching practices at the primary level through topics such as inquiry-based teaching, teachers’ noticing and teacher moves, task design, and assessment for and of learning.

Through their work in the course, students will strengthen their ability to make professional and pedagogical choices in mathematics teaching and to justify these in a reflective manner. Students will also further develop their competence in observing and analyzing learning and teaching in mathematics at the primary level.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate has

• a broad range of knowledge about modern research findings in inclusive mathematics education,
• advanced knowledge of the resource approach in mathematics education and the role that (text)books, classroom materials, and other resources play in mathematics teaching at the primary level,
• advanced knowledge of ICT as a communication and mediation tool in mathematics education in grades 1-7, and of how digital tools can support the development of mathematical ideas, concepts, and algorithmic thinking,
• advanced knowledge of working with mathematical modelling at the primary level as a way to connect mathematics to pupils’ experiences and real-life situations,
• advanced knowledge of how mathematics teaching practices in grades 1-7 can be developed through various approaches, such as inquiry-based teaching, teachers’ noticing and teacher moves, task design, and assessment for and of learning.

Skills

The candidate can

• plan, design, analyze, and discuss teaching activities within the perspective of inclusive mathematics education at the primary level,
• refer to and critically evaluate specific resources to organize their own classroom activities, and plan and design domain-specific tasks within the mediating role of ICT and AI tools at the primary level,
• plan and reflect on mathematical modelling activities that link mathematical concepts to pupils’ everyday experiences and real-world contexts,
• apply principles from topics such as inquiry-based teaching, task design, and assessment for and of learning in their own teaching practice,
• use teacher noticing to identify and analyze pupils’ mathematical thinking and apply appropriate teacher moves to support and further develop pupils’ mathematical reasoning at the primary level.

General competence

The candidate can

• contribute to the development of teaching practices and professional innovation in mathematics education at the primary level through reflection on and exploration of their own and others’ practices within the school context,
• critically engage with, analyze, and reflect on mathematics education as a scientific discipline.

Learning methods and activities

The teaching and learning methods will alternate between lectures, literature studies, work on assignments (individually and groups), discussions, as well as oral students’ presentations. Academic discussions and interactions are important ways of working and learning, and it is expected that the candidates actively contribute to such activities.

Compulsory assignments

• Mandatory work requirement according to the course description

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Passed 30 credits at master's level in mathematics in the fourth year of primary school education or equivalent.

Required previous knowledge

Passed Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2 (total of 60 credits) or equivalent.

Course materials

The course material is mainly scientific papers written in English. The final reading list will be published on Canvas at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions