Numeracy: Building Teacher Capacity

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Pre-teaching period:

During the pre-teaching period students must complete readings as provided via LMS.

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject provides participants with knowledge, skills and dispositions to enhance teacher capacity and thereby improve numeracy outcomes for all students through coaching, lesson study and instructional rounds. These three strategies are widely used for numeracy and have a common focus on building teacher capacity to improve the effectiveness of instruction through teacher professional development. Each method comes with important pre-suppositions for school policy and practice that are a key area of responsibility of school leaders. Their common focus is what happens in the classroom and how that can be changed to improved learning outcomes for all students. Participants will explore in depth, the practices and policy underpinning each method. They will link their study to current directions and initiatives.

On completion of the subject students will be able to:

• Discuss principles of methods for building teacher capacity
• Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to build teacher capacity.

• A paper on the international development, principles and practices of coaching, lesson study or instructional rounds. (40%, mid semester, 2,000 words)
• A report on a trial of coaching, lesson study or instructional rounds conducted in a school. (60%, end of semester, 3,000 words)

Attendance at all classes (tutorial/seminars/practical classes/lectures/labs/online classes) is obligatory. Failure to attend 80% of classes will normally result in failure in the subject.

A booklet of prescribed readings will be available for purchase.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

This subject aims to build skills in:

• Critical evaluation of theoretical perspectives;
• Relating academic research to professional practice;
• Articulating knowledge orally and in writing.
• Working with others and independently.