Overview

Session Summary

This Orientation session is designed to help you get to know (or review) the basics about online learning in general and this course in particular. You will learn about the benefits of online learning as well as strategies to have a successful experience in an online course; explore the course environment, read about course requirements and expectations, read and listen to foundational ideas that we believe are necessary to support mathematics learning; and reflect on your own experiences as a learner of mathematics. Finally, you will introduce yourself to your colleagues in the Orientation discussion forum.

Guidelines for Participants

In each session of this course you will:

• Complete readings and activities posted in each session.
• Participate in the Discussion Forum
  • Read all conversations in the Discussion Forum (threads).
  • Post a minimum of three substantial messages to weekly discussions. You may join in on existing conversations or begin a new conversation based on a new topic.

Please review the Discussion Board Expectations.

Graduate Credit Information

Graduate credit will be available for this course. Your facilitator will provide you with further details.

Connecting to the Common Core State Standards

Throughout this course, you will have a chance to see how the sessions’ content is related to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). There is a CCSS tab in each session highlighting related Mathematical Practices (MP) and CCSS Math Content Standards.

Read

Read how the standards can be used as a blueprint for focused and coherent math instruction.
The Structure is the Standards by Daryl, McCallum and Zimba

Explore the Course Environment

Many of the activities that you will be completing during this course, from posting on the discussion board to submitting surveys, will be done using the Moodle course management system. Take some time during the Orientation to get to know Moodle and the tools you will be using to participate in the course. Here are some suggestions for getting started:

1. On the course homepage, review the overall course outline. Click on a session title to view the session content, which includes the overview, readings, activities, discussion questions and key learnings for the session.
2. Watch the video tutorial Updating Your User Profile in Moodle or read these instructions to learn how to modify your Moodle profile, including the addition of a personal picture or icon.
3. Click on the “Participants” link in the left hand navigation bar to see a list of your colleagues in this course.
4. Click on the “Discussion Tab” and begin to familiarize yourself with the discussion area.

Technology Preparation

Web Browsers

On occasion, you may find that certain applications or websites in this course may work differently in different browsers. We recommend that you become familiar with how to use an alternate web browser, in addition to the one that is included on the computer you primarily use (often Internet Explorer for PCs, and Safari for Macs).

Firefox is a free, open-source web browser with many features that enhance navigation and security, and which is compatible with both PC and Mac computers. You can download Firefox here.

PDF Format

PDF (which stands for "Portable Document Format") is a popular format for distributing documents on the Internet. A number of readings in this course are posted in PDF format. To view and print PDF documents, you need Acrobat Reader software, available free from Adobe's web site. If you do not yet have Acrobat Reader installed, download it from the Adobe site and follow the directions for installation.

Course Goals and Expectations

In this activity you will review the course goals and expectations, learn about the video clips you will watch and the cases you will read, and about the notebook you will use regularly. You will complete the Orientation Survey.

Course Goals

Through participation in this course, you will:

1. Broaden your understanding of what it means to support mathematics learning in the classroom.
2. Recognize the importance of a growth mindset in mathematics teaching and learning in the elementary grades.
3. Develop instructional strategies and structures that foster student perseverance and curiosity for learning mathematics.
4. Expand your instructional and pedagogical strategies for meeting diverse student learning needs.
5. Make connections to the Common Core (CCSS) Mathematical Practices and Content Standard to support math learning.

Expectations

This is going to be an intense and busy course with lots of learning – some of it will feel familiar, and some may challenge your beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning.

You can expect to:

• Engage as a math learner
• Do, think and reflect
• Focus on how to support students as they engage in and make sense of mathematics

We expect that you will:

• Engage in the activities, ask questions, and contribute ideas each week
• Bring your own experiences and ideas to the conversation and be open to others’ ideas
• Reflect on your own learning and how it will impact the work in your classroom
• Engage in conversations with your fellow participants: posting and responding to others’ posts in the Discussion Forum
• Seek help as you need it: ask your facilitator and/or fellow participants

Quick Start Guide for Online Student Success, Sidneyeve Matrix

Video and Cases

In this course you will watch classroom video clips and read several cases written by teachers.

We thank the teachers and students for letting us into their classrooms and for sharing their practice. These video clips are not orchestrated. They are real moments in real classrooms. As you watch each clip use the focus questions in the session to guide you as you think about what you can learn from the teacher and the students.

About the Notebook

You will be using the notebook tool throughout the course. The notebook icon will appear with a link to the location in the notebook where you will respond to the questions. You can also access your notebook by using the Notebook Tab at the top of the session page. In the final field of your notebook, reflect on the key take-aways from this session for your own learning and record ideas that you want to remember and/or try with students.

Orientation Survey

You will receive an email with a link for the "Orientation Survey". Please complete the Orientation Survey. This survey collects background information about your job role, teaching and administrative experience, and familiarity with online learning.

Math Learning in the Classroom

In this final Orientation activity we share our beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics and the classrooms in which these happen. You will reflect on your personal elementary school math learning experiences and how they influence your teaching.

Supporting the range of learners in math class involves

Teachers

• teachers need to deepen their own knowledge of mathematics, pedagogy and student learning
• teachers need to have a clear understanding of their mathematical goals within their grade level and maintain a clear, focused, and coherent agenda for mathematics teaching
• teachers understand that to differentiate learning, student ideas need to be front and center

Students

• students have mathematical ideas
• students build on the ideas they already have and learn about new mathematics they have never encountered in an environment that focuses on sense making

Learning Environment

• mathematical practices, such as reasoning, perseverance, and communicating about mathematical ideas, are integral to the learning
• the classroom environment allows all students to share ideas and listen to and learn from each other
• mathematics classrooms need to be filled with rich math tasks that include space for learning as well as space for struggle and growth
• mistakes, unrefined strategies and ‘kid language’ are all part of the learning process
• teachers and students have a growth mindset

Personal Math Learning Experiences

Reflect back on your own elementary school math learning experiences.
Focus on the role of your teachers, you as a student and the learning environment.

In what ways have those experiences influenced how you support your students’ math learning?

Click here to share your experiences. Be sure to check back to what your fellow participants have shared.

Discussion

Introduce Yourself

Watch the tutorial Posting and Replying to Messages in the Moodle Discussion Board or read the following from Moodle Docs. Then introduce yourself to your online colleagues by creating a new thread in the discussion board. Give your thread a descriptive title and include the following:

• Your name, your role in your school, and your motivation for taking this course;
• Two or three facts about yourself so that we can get to know you better; and
• A photo of yourself (optional).

After you post and respond to some of your colleagues’ introductions, be sure to check back often to continue the conversations.

Go to the Orientation Discussion Forum

Personal Math Learning Experiences

Reflect back on your own elementary school math learning experiences.
Focus on the role of your teachers, you as a student and the learning environment.

In what ways have those experiences influenced how you support your students’ math learning?

Be sure to check back to what your fellow participants have shared.

Go to the Personal Math Learning Experiences Forum

CCSS Mathematical Practices Documents

• Mathematical Practices Chart
• Standards for Mathematical Practice: Commentary and Elaborations for K–5
• The Structure is the Standards by Daryl, McCallum and Zimba