A series of Guides to mathematical content, instructional
strategies, appropriate materials and sources of further reading, in
the form of booklets, was prepared for use in courses in Primary Mathematics Curriculum for undergraduate and Diploma in Education
students. These booklets were intended to take the place of lectures
in the course and act, when discussed in workshops, as initial input
material for the course.
The booklets were prepared also because there is no text
currently available which is suitable for this course. Texts recommended
for courses at other Colleges were examined and whilst many of them are
useful, none is ideal.
It is impossible to isolate the effect of the use of the Guides
from the impact of the course as a whole. Actually, then, the
effectiveness of the total course was assessed as it made use of these
written materials. Teaching procedures for the course are described in
the body of the study.
Undergraduate students were tested, before and after the course,
for mathematical concepts functional at the primary level, their beliefs
about teaching mathematics, and their attitude towards mathematics.
Twelve students were videotaped whilst presenting a number concept
before and after the course and ten other students were interviewed at
the conclusion of the course. A survey was sent to associates* to assess
the effect of the course on each student's teaching of mathematics in
the schools. Diploma in Education students undertook only the first two
sets of tests because their course was very short.
Analysis of the data indicates that the course, making use of these
Guides in place of lectures, was effective. A significant gain in
understanding was made on the test for mathematical concepts by both
groups; a significant change in beliefs about teaching mathematics at
the primary level was found in both groups; there was a significant gain
with the undergraduate group in the ability to present a number concept;
survey forms returned by associates for undergraduate students
showed some increase in the use of concrete materials and the amount of
mathematics taught in the second half of semester; and students who
were interviewed showed that they had realized, at least, what theories
and procedures were being advocated in the course. Suggestions for
changes and improvements in the course are made as a result of this study.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219124 |
| Date | January 1976 |
| Creators | Lewis, Gillian M., n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Teacher Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Gillian M. Lewis |
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