Unit Outline

This unit examines the factors that contribute to low numeracy levels and considers strategies suitable for supporting students with under-developed numeracy skills. It examines examples of best practice for integrating numeracy enhancement within vocational courses and analyses how best to instigate and develop such programs. Through this unit, students will develop strategies suitable for their own teaching context and identifying methods to evaluate the effectiveness of such strategies.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Interpret the description of numeracy used in the Australian Core Skills Framework within a specific learning context.
2.	Explain the mathematical concepts, procedures and numeracy demands required for effective practice within a particular educational context.
3.	Design and justify learning sequences to develop the numeracy competencies of learners within a particular educational context.
4.	Assess and evaluate the aspects of numeracy that pose particular challenges for learners.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Numeracy Demands of a Particular Context	Week 5	20 %	LO1, LO2
Assessment Task 2:	Teach and Assess Numeracy	Week 8	30 %	LO2, LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 3:	Interpret an Assessment of Numeracy and Design an Appropriate Learning Sequence	Week 13	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Numeracy Demands of a Particular Context

Task Description:

Using your own particular field of study as a focus, identify a set of numeracy demands. Interpret these demands in terms of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) and/or relevant curriculum documents. This will involve consideration of context, concepts, and communication. Elaborate on the mathematical concepts and procedures that are involved and the relationships among them. Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between these concepts and procedures and the ACSF performance indicators.

This assessment will be conducted as a viva-voce, meaning it will occur during a one-on-one Zoom meeting at a time to be negotiated with the Unit coordinator.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.1, 2.2, 2.5

Task Length:

Approximately 30 minutes

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Interpret the Australian Core Skills Framework indicators of performance of numeracy in terms of a specific context (50%)	LO1
2	Explain mathematics as a set of related concepts and procedures, and the relationship between mathematics and numeracy (50%)	LO2

Assessment Task 2: Teach and Assess Numeracy

Task Description:

Design and justify a learning activity intended to support learners’ development of the numeracy demands described in AT1.

Design and justify an appropriate assessment task that will give the teacher evidence of achievement against the performance indicators so that it can be used as a basis for planning further learning activities and reporting summative assessment of student achievement.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 5.1

Task Length:

1200 words maximum

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain mathematics as a set of related concepts and procedures, and the relationship between mathematics and numeracy (20%)	LO2
2	Design and justify a learning activity that uses an appropriate teaching strategy for the effective development and reporting of numeracy (40%)	LO3
3	Apply the relevant performance indicators of numeracy to design appropriate assessment (40%)	LO4

Assessment Task 3: Interpret an Assessment of Numeracy and Design an Appropriate Learning Sequence

Task Description:

Implement the assessment task designed for AT2 (or equivalent) with the intended group of learners.
Collect the learners’ work samples, analyse them for evidence of numeracy and present this analysis.
In response to this analysis:
Evaluate the impact of your assessment task in terms of the successful attainment of intended learning outcomes.
Design and justify a learning sequence that can be used to effectively develop students’ numeracy in a particular context. This sequence will include a number (3-5) of learning activities that use different, effective teaching strategies.

Completion of this Assessment Task relates to Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 5.1, 5.4

Task Length:

2400 words

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Explain the relationship between mathematics and numeracy using the language of the Australian Core Skills framework (25%)	LO1, LO2
2	Assess learners’ numeracy and reflect on the challenges they may face while developing the numeracy required for a particular context (25%)	LO4
3	Evaluate the impact of your learning activity in terms of the successful attainment of intended learning outcomes (25%)	LO4
4	Design and justify a learning sequence that uses appropriate teaching strategies for the effective development of numeracy (25%)	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.

Required Resources

Required reading materials

Tout, K., & Motteram, G. (2006) Foundational numeracy in context. Australian Council Educational Research (ACER). (available via the library as an ebook)

Reading Lists provide direct access to all material on unit reading lists in one place. This includes eReadings and items in Reserve. You can access the Reading List for this unit from the link in MyLO, or by going to the Reading Lists page on the University Library website.