This 8 week online course is designed to promote the understanding of fractions for elementary school teachers - both from a conceptual and a procedural perspective.

Teachers participate in weekly discussion forums and activities, and produce a final project, specific to your own grade level, to help you start implementing what you’ve learned.

Essential questions that will be addressed during the course include:

• How does the development of teachers’ deep understanding of fractions positively impact students’ achievement?
• What do K-5 students need to know and understand about fractions?
• How can the new Common Core Standards for Mathematics help to develop useful strategies for building number sense and fraction concepts in K-5 students?
• How does what students are learning about fractions today follow from what they have learned previously and impact what they need to know at the next level?
• How can using a variety of models and approaches help to develop a comprehensive knowledge of fractions?
• How can we use “real world” examples to deepen understanding of fractions and fractional expressions?
• How is conceptual knowledge of fractions related to the mechanical implementation of fractional operations?
• What vocabulary is used when discussing fractions and fractional expressions?

There are nine overarching goals:

• To deepen K-5 teachers’ understanding and abilities to teach fraction concepts
• To familiarize teachers with the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice and explore multiple ways to represent fractions concepts
• To help teachers implement teaching approaches and strategies that meet Common Core grade level standards (grades K-5)
• To help implement the recommendations found in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and Massachusetts Mathematics Frameworks
• To increase awareness and utilization of online resources that will help the teacher keep abreast of current trends in mathematics education and that will provide them with innovative ideas for teaching mathematics in the elementary schools
• To demonstrate how technology (e.g., computers, Internet, and animations, simulations and games) can be used to help students develop mathematical concepts as well as increase the teacher’s resourcefulness as a mathematics education professional
• To provide teachers with their own virtual math manipulatives and to help them teach for conceptual understanding through the use of manipulatives (both virtual and physical)
• To become familiar with the goals and mechanics of differentiated instruction
• To help view mathematics as an exciting, creative subject where active involvement is vital for understanding, cognitive flexibility, and the development of confidence and positive attitudes toward mathematics.

Schedule
June 27, 2012 – August 21, 2012

Pricing
Members - $245, Non-members - $345

Assignments & Final

• This 8-week online, co-synchronous course has an average of 10-15 hours of work/week
• A combination of reading, asynchronous discussions, blogs, wikis, and assignments.
• Final Project: teaching portfolio with 3 learning objects and reflective essays tied to work in the course.

Graduate Credit
3 Graduate Credits available for an additional fee, 67.5 PDPs

Grading Policy
Rubrics with final grade following the VHS PD Grade Scale (C- or above needed to earn PDPs)

Registration Information

MA DESE - Fractions for Elementary School Teachers

Do you believe that you qualify for the grant funded MA DESE Fractions course?