MTH9010

Foundation mathematics ( 6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Dr Alistair Carr

Offered:
Gippsland First semester 2006 (OCL)
Clayton Second semester 2006 (OCL)
Gippsland Second semester 2006 (OCL)

Synopsis: This unit is designed for the retraining of registered secondary school teachers, to equip them for teaching mathematics in the 21st century classroom. It includes learning activities that develop an awareness of the interplay between the various topics, the characteristics and role of mathematical language, the role of investigative, modeling and problem solving approaches to mathematical inquiry in the teaching and learning of mathematics, and consideration of common misconceptions and difficulties experienced by students.

Objectives: This unit consolidates, strengthens and advances mathematics material from VCE, providing a foundation for further mathematics studies at tertiary level. Topics include number systems, functions, coordinate geometry of the plane and 3D space, vectors and matrices from geometric and algebraic viewpoints; calculus: real functions, limits and continuity, differentiation and integration and their applications.

Assessment: Assignments: 30%; on-line activities: 10% (total time input for assignments and online activities: 26 hours or equivalent length 10,000 words); three-hour end-of-unit examination: 60%. Students will be required to satisfactorily complete the assignments, and to pass the final examination in order to be awarded a passing grade in the unit.

Contact Hours: An average of 12 hours per week of private study and supplemented off campus residential school sessions.

Prerequisites: The unit assumes a mathematics background equivalent to VCE Mathematical Methods units 3 and 4.