Assessment overview

The purpose of this folio assessment is to produce a collection of information, resources and reflections. Creating the folio will help you develop your skills in developing opportunities for numeracy and mathematics related experiences in play and everyday experiences, as well as to demonstrate your understanding of the meanings of maths and numeracy.

This task is assessing your ability to demonstrate that you meet the criteria for the following unit learning outcomes:

Define and describe the similarities and differences between mathematics and numeracy.

Recognise numeracy skills used in the real world.

Recognise and develop opportunities for numeracy and mathematics related experiences in play, and everyday experiences in early childhood settings.

Describe the nature and development of mathematical thinking and numeracy processes in children.

Describe how the Australian curriculum for maths encourages understanding in mathematics and numeracy for children.

Use ICT to develop children's engagement with numeracy and mathematics.

Assessment details

By gathering information into a folio, you are demonstrating an ability to identify, evaluate and transmit ideas about effective, engaging and encouraging mathematical experiences for children.

Your folio must include the following sections:

Part 1: Introduction (400 words)

The introduction to your folio should frame the purpose of the collection of resources that follows. In particular, it must:

define both mathematics and numeracy
describe the similarities and the differences between these concepts
provide examples to illustrate these similarities and differences.

Part 2: Collection of resources (2100 words)

This section of the folio requires you to collect a series of resources related to the topics in Weeks 7-11, based on the following directions:

Theme
Item

Week 7: Maths in the real world

Choose one example of maths in the real world and locate some resources for children which can bring this theme alive. Remember to specify the age range of children you will be catering for and explain what your example is.

Week 8: Maths and Early Childhood
(Including information from Week 3 and Week 4 for the justification.)

For this piece of folio evidence you are to include two examples:

One example of a planned play experience.
One incidental everyday experience that enables children in Early Childhood contexts to develop as young mathematicians.
You must make reference to supportive resources and curricula documentation.

Week 9: Maths and primary school
(Including information from Week 3 and Week 4 for the justification.)

For this piece of folio evidence you are to include one example of play and/ or everyday experience that enables children in primary school contexts to develop as mathematicians. You must make reference to supportive resources and curricula documentation.

Week 10: Maths and the learning environment

For this piece of evidence you are to include one example of a stimulating maths learning environment for children. You are to analyse the environment and state the advantages and disadvantages of the design and consider the supportive content from Week 10 within your writing.

Week 11: New modalities and maths

You are to include one piece of evidence of how ICT can be used within an Early Childhood context which does not inhibit play behaviour and demonstrate how you can create an engaging activity using ICT.

Within this section, you are required to to track your reasons for including specific evidence through adding a reflective dialogue. Your folio should not just be a collection of resources and if academic underpinning is not evident you will not pass this assessment.

You will submit six items (containing your evidence as detailed in the table above).

Your folio is to be submitted as a Word document.

Each item should be clearly labelled with the following:

Theme/title - the name and description.

Evidence - evidence of the resource such as a URL (if from an external source), filename or screen shot and a brief description of the resource (approx. 50 words).

Rationale - a brief description of how the resource enhances children's mathematical and numeracy thinking and skills, discussing benefits and limitations (approx. 100 words).

Application - Discuss how the resource could be used in professional practice (approx. 200 words).

Ensure that you make links to academic literature and curricula documentation to support your statements.

Note: the word limit of 2500 (+/-10%) applies to your written information in the folio. It does not include any further resources that you include with your submission.

Additional resources

The following resources will help you to prepare for your assessment:

The Assessment 3 template, which you will need to use to complete your folio.

The FAQ page, which will answer some common questions regarding your assessment.

Submission details

This assessment will be submitted via Turnitin. More detailed information is available in the Assessment 3 folder in Blackboard.

Assessment criteria

Selection of evidence to match each theme.

Development of and discussion about numeracy and mathematics related experiences in play and everyday events for children.

Understanding of the nature and development of mathematical thinking and numeracy processes in children.

Personal and professional reflection and evaluation.

Appropriate writing conventions, including APA referencing, punctuation, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, word choice (academic and information literacy).