Research and Professional Practice

Code:

DID4021

Acronym:

DID4021

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Didactics

Instance: 2022/2023 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Science Education Unit
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Mathematics Teacher Education for Middle and Secondary Schools

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
M:ENSM	10	Plano de Estudos M:ENSMAT_2015_2016	2	-	6	42	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The main goal of the curricular unit on Research and Professional Pratice (RPP) is to know and understand some of the contributions of research in mathematics education (especially that following a qualitative approach) to teachers' professional practices, mainly the teaching practice. 

As such, the following specific learning goals were defined:

 

1. To know and understand the complexity of the teaching practices


2. To know and understand the role of research in mathematics education for the improvement of the mathematics teachers' teaching practices.


3. To know some key elements concerning the design and implementation of a (mostly) qualitative research study in mathematics education. 

Learning outcomes and competences

Future teachers are expected to start understanding the role of research in mathematics education in the teaching profession. In particular, and given that it is necessary to address topics that were not addressed in the Didactics of Mathematics II course (due to the implications of the pandemic in the unfolding of the school year of 21/22), future teachers are expected to know several aspects related to assessment for learning. Future teachers are expected to develop competencies in creating situations of formative assessment (or assessment for learning), with an emphasis on students' work in two phases, based on the feedback given by the teacher, reflecting on the main challenges posed to teachers (and students).

Prospective teachers are expected to know basic concepts related to research in mathematics education, with an emphasis on qualitative research, such as the definition of research questions, the role of the theoretical framework, aspects of methodological nature (data gathering and analysis), etc.

Prospective teachers are expected to discuss and reflect upon mathematics education research reports and other works, valuing that knowledge for enacting a teaching practice aligned with the research recommendations.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

It is strongly recommended the previous completion of the following courses: Didactics of Mathematics I and II, and Technologies in the Teaching of Mathematics I and II.

Program

The contents of the course will be developed around the following themes:

1. Assessment for learning: Feedback and diversification of assessment instruments


2. Main characteristics of (qualitative) research studies in Mathematics Education: themes, theoretical perspectives, research methodologies - brief introduction


3. Discussion and critical analysis of articles and other works of (qualitative) research in Mathematics Education

Mandatory literature

João Pedro da Ponte (Org.); Práticas profissionais dos professores de matema´tica, IEUL, 2014. ISBN: 978-989-8753-06-9
Leonor Santos (Org); Avaliar para aprender, Porto Editora, 2010
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; Princípios e normas para a matemática escolar, APM, 2007
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics; Princípios para a ação: Assegurar a todos o sucesso em matemática, APM, 2014

Comments from the literature

A bibliografia vai sendo atualizada à medida que for necessário

Teaching methods and learning activities

The class session os the RPP course will be developed in a climate of interaction between the teacher and the enrolled students. Thsi is why the students' participation in all class sessions is so important. During class, the students will be working on several assignments (mainly in pairs but also individually), supported in research texts in Mathematics Education. Almost all assignments will involve an oral discussion in class. The assignments will be, obviously, based on research in mathematics education, focusing the didactical challenges teachers face when they privilege inquiry-based teaching and assessment for learning, as recommended by national and international research. However, other themes related to the teacher's practice (besides assessment for learning - feedback and diversification of assessment instruments) will be addressed, with the same approach, i.e., in strict articulation with research in Mathematics Education. In particular, students' and teachers' challenges when engaged in mathematical tasks to be completed in two phases or when following a gallery walk approach will be focused. In particular, all the assignments should show a strong connection with the students' experience (at least most of them) during their internship (student teaching). All assignments contribute to assessment, which has a continuous and formative nature. There will be no final exam.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	30,00
Participação presencial	5,00
Trabalho escrito	65,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	12,00
Estudo autónomo	48,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho escrito	60,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Participating in class sessions of Research and Professional Practice is mandatory for the students who have not the status of student workers. Once the legal limit of absences plus one is reached, the students are excluded from the course and loose approval (the course has no evaluation by exame, in no case).

Students' participation in class sessions is not mandatory for the students who have the status of student workers. However, they should develop all efforts towards participating in class sessions due to the nature of this course. Student workers who do not participate in class (or those who exceed the legal limit of absences as if they were regular students) have to complete a set of assignments, designed specifically for them (although many of those assignments might be very similar to those proposed to their classmates who are regular students) and they have to complete a final global assignment, mandatory. Student workers who do not achieve at least six points in a total of twelve points relative to the assignments they have to complete throughout the semester (see details regarding assessment in special cases, particularly student workers) automatically loose approval in Research and Professional Practice. Student workers who wish to be assessed as regular students should inform the instructor via moodle or e-mail. Student workers who exceed the legal limit of absences allowed to the regular counterparts are immediately subject to the specific assessment regime aimed at student workers (whether they wish to be assessed like the regular students or not).

Calculation formula of final grade

All students enrolled in RPP are assessed continuously, whether they are student workers or not. If they are student workers, their status must be proved and appear in the SIGARRA system. The assessment is made in every class session and this is why students' participation in all classes is important. As far as the FCUP norms are concerned, all students but the student workers are required to be in class, as absentism leads to drop out. Yet, even student workers are strongly advised to participate in class.  

The assessment os students involves various dimensions:
1) various activities of exposition, discussion, analysis and reflectioon on diversified themes and texts, made by the students, during class sessions - these activities also involve an oral component, naturally;
2) written assignments, with more or less limited time, and with the opportunity, or not, of checking notes. Such assignments will be completed mainly in pairs but also individually. Most of these assignments will be developed  at home, though they might be initiated in class depending on their extension and nature; and
3) the oral presentation of a research text in Mathematics Education, as well as the discussion of that text; and
4) the design of a research projeto in Mathematics Education, to be implemented in the scope of the student teaching experience

Students' oral participation is also assessed, taking into account the frequency of the contributions as well as the quality/pertinence of their oral interventions.

The grade of the regular students (as we as that of student workers who do not exceed the maximum number of absencies) is the weighted mean of all assignments completed throughout the semester, according to the following formula:

FC=OP+RP+A+OP, onde 
OP (oral presentation of a master's dissertation and respective discussion)=6 points
A (up to two abstracts of research texts)=4 points 
OP (Oral participation)=1 point
RP (Research projeto in Mathematics Education to be implemented in the scope of the student teaching practicum)=9 points

Whenever a student does not submit an assignment, its grade will be zero. Any student may be requested to discuss orally a written assignment completed in pairs/group or individually.

The assessment of student workers who do not participate regularly of the classe sessions (or of those who choose that) is in another place of the curricular description.