1. Review the Learning Continuum P-10 document and describe what it contains (i.e. strands, grades. level of detail etc.).

General structure:

  • The Mathematics Developmental Continuum P-10 is a website of well thought of and inter-related links.
  • This website is designed based the fact that “effective mathematics teaching relies on knowledge of students’ pre-existing ideas”.
  • It is designed to help teachers in supporting students to achieve the Victoriacurriculum.It includes teaching strategies to support students to develop more sophisticated mathematical understandings, aligned with the progression points and the Victoria’s curriculum.
  • The Mathematics Developmental Continuum P – 10 provides “indicators of progress”..
  • Indicators of progress are points on the learning continuum that highlight critical understandings required by students in order to progress through the standards.
  • Within each indicator of progress, the Continuum presents illustrations which are designed to exemplify the prior knowledge, skills and behaviours of the students.
  • The illustrations are used to determine where students are in their mathematical thinking and uncovering any misconceptions present- examples below.
  • Teaching strategies and activities are then identified; these are specific tasks that are designed to support conceptual understanding building from the students’ existing ideas. Whilst more than one activity may be best to support student progress- examples below.
  • Developmental Overviews map student progress in key concepts through all levels of learning- this will be explained in question #5.

Content:

The Mathematics Developmental Continuum P – 10 has 5 dimensions- all are hyperlinked.(In this document, I show the hyperlinks blue font and underlined, to show how things are connected).

I think at this point, it is better to explore the content with an example.But before that, with a diagram I aim to show the connection between different components of the website.

Let’s click on the firs dimension: “Number”

This page is divided into two columns

  1. Mathematics Standards and Progression Points
  2. Indicator of Progress supporting students to attain the Standard

The first column is divided into 6 sections- showing “Progressing towards level 1” to “Progressing towards level 6”. Click on“Progressing towards level x” will direct users to the Victoria curriculum. Underneath each Progression level is Mathematics Standards- knowledge and skill that students are required to know at that level.

The second column lists the “indicator of progress” for each level of progression. Click onany“Indicator of Progress”will direct users to a new page. This page contains:

1- Supporting materials

  • Related Progression Points
  • Developmental Overview of Methods of Calculation

(I will describe these two in question number 5)

2- Indicator of progress

  • illustrations
  • Teaching strategies and activities. (All described above in general structure section).

Let’s click on the One-to-one correspondence:

Activities are well explained. They contain probing questions and material if need be- Let’s click on Activity 1: