Module 3

Skills and strategies required by students

Module 3 Skills and strategies required by students

Choosing a Topic Communication Mathematical Presentation Personal Engagement Reflection Use of Mathematics

Module 3 Role of the teacher

From the Subject Guide The teacher is expected to give appropriate guidance at all stages of the exploration by, for example, directing students into more productive routes of inquiry, making suggestions for suitable sources of information, and providing advice on the content and clarity of the exploration in the writing-up stage.
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3.1 Choosing a topic

Identifying an appropriate topic Developing a topic Devising a focus that is well defined and appropriate Ensuring that the topic lends itself to a concise exploration How to integrate these steps in the course?
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Activity
Please search the web for mathematical exploration topics. Share your findings with the other participants on the Module 3 Discussion forum, in the 3.1 Stimuli vs List thread. Tell us whether (and why) you prefer to use stimuli or list of possible topics.

3.2 Communication
Expressing ideas clearly Identifying a clear aim for the exploration Focusing on the aim and avoiding irrelevance Structuring ideas in a logical manner Including graphs, tables and diagrams at appropriate places Editing the exploration so that it is easy to follow Citing references where appropriate
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3.3 Mathematical presentation

Using appropriate mathematical language and representation Defining key terms, where required Selecting appropriate mathematical tools (including information and communication technology) Expressing results to an appropriate degree of accuracy
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Activity
Please search the web for writing mathematics. Share and evaluate your findings with the other participants on the Module 3 Discussion forum, in the 3.2 Writing Mathematics thread. Tell us which resources you like and are willing to use in your teaching. What do you think of the chapter in the Library of resources?
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3.4 Personal engagement

Working independently Asking questions, making conjectures and investigating mathematical ideas Reading about mathematics and researching areas of interest Looking for and creating mathematical models for real-world situations Considering historical and global perspectives Exploring unfamiliar mathematics

Activity
Choose one of the 200 topics from the popular list, preferably one that you knop very little about, and try to identify at least two possible focused subtopics that could allow a student to develop a successful exploration. Share your choice with us on the blog.

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3.6 Reflection
Discussing the implications of results Considering the significance of the exploration Looking at possible limitations and/or extensions Making links to different fields and/or areas of mathematics

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3.7 Use of Mathematics

Demonstrating knowledge and understanding Applying mathematics in different contexts Applying problem-solving techniques Recognizing and explaining patterns, where appropriate Generalizing and justifying conclusions

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3.7 Use of Mathematics

Content versus Presentation ?
- To what extent the student has made this particular piece of mathematics personal? - How successful is the student to transmit the interest in this area of math?
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Checklist
Please search the web and the OCC for checklist mathematical explorations. Share and evaluate your findings with the other participants on the Module 3 Discussion forum, in the 3.3 Checklist by criteria thread. Tell us which resources you like and are willing to use in your teaching.

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