MATH 314 - Syllabus

Introduction to Probability, Data Analysis, & Statistics for Preservice Middle School Teachers

Instructor: Peter Moon
Office: 0313 Benjamin Building
Office Hours: Mondays, 3:00 - 4:00 or by appointment
Class Times: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 2:00 - 3:15pm
Class Location: Kirwan Hall 0403

COURSE DESCRIPTION

(Prerequisite: MATH 214). This course is designed for pre-service middle school teachers and for elementary education majors who desire a certificate in mathematics. It is a different thing to learn statistics, or even to use statistics, than it is to teach statistics. This course is focused on what students need to know to be a good teacher of middle grades statistics. The primary goal of MATH 314 is for students to develop a deep understanding of the probability and statistics content taught in the middle grades, aligned with the middle school Statistics and Probability standards in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M). Emphasis will be placed on doing statistical investigations and appreciating how the key concepts of probability, data analysis, and statistics are relevant and important in real-life contexts. Additionally, the course will aim for students to gain familiarity with different models of mathematics instruction (problem- and project-based) and with finding, using, and creating appropriate tasks for facilitating this instruction on their own.

Common Core Standard	Description
6.SP.A	Develop understanding of statistical variability.
6.SP.B	Summarize and describe distributions.
7.SP.A	Use random sampling to draw inferences about a population.
7.SP.B	Draw informal comparative inferences about two populations.
7.SP.C	Investigate chance processes and develop, use, and evaluate probability models.
8.SP.A	Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

During MATH 314, you will:

Strengthen your understanding of the statistical investigation process and the key concepts of middle grades statistics
Analyze statistical tasks to better promote explorations of data and key statistical concepts for your students
Examine ways students work on statistical tasks to learn about common understandings and confusions, and trajectories of key statistical concepts
Explore rich data sources and dynamic graphing tools to support investigations of questions that are of interest to you and your students
Collaborate with peers to gain different perspectives on data investigations and to build a collection of lesson plans and teaching resources

RECOMMENDED (definitely not required) TEXT

Kader, G., & Jacobbe, T. (2013). Developing Essential Understanding of Statistics for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 6-8. Reston, VA: NCTM.

Any additional readings for the course will be available electronically or distributed in class.

COURSE ASSESSMENTS

Attendance and Participation: Students are responsible for attending all classes, participating in class discussions, and completing in-class activities. Please notify me about an absence either before or as soon after the missed class as possible. In the case of religious observances, athletic events, and other planned absences, notification must be sent during the schedule adjustment period. You must provide notification in order to have the opportunity to make up the participation points.

Homework Assignments: You may not have homework every night. Most homework assignments will consist of readings, which you are expected to read so you can contribute and participate in class. These readings will all be available on ELMS and announced in advance. You will be expected to complete periodic journal assignments that will ask you to reflect on your knowledge or experiences. Other written homework will not be as regular, but will be formally assigned on ELMs and a reminder in class before it is due.

Unit Assessments: Each unit will conclude with a summative assessment.

The Final: There will be a final project due at the end of the semester.

Late Work Policy: All assignments are expected to be turned in on their due date unless an arrangement has been made with the instructor in advance. Unexcused late work will be docked 10% of the value of the assignment each day it is late.

COURSE GRADE

Grading System Cutoffs:

A+ = 97–100%	A = 93–96.9%	A- = 90–92.9%
B+ = 87–89.9%	B = 83–86.9%	B- = 80–82.9%
C+ = 77–79.9%	C = 73–76.9%	C- = 70–72.9%
D+ = 67–69.9%	D = 63–66.9%	D- = 60–62.9%
F = 60%