Mathematics: What has changed?

Greater emphasis on developing understanding

Mathematics is about developing students' understanding. Students should have:

• conceptual understanding: comprehension of mathematical concepts, operations, and relations
• procedural fluency: skill in carrying out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately
• strategic competence: the ability to formulate, represent, and solve mathematical problems
• adaptive reasoning: the ability for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and justification
• a productive disposition: the habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one’s own efficacy.

See Effective Pedagogy in Pāngarau/Mathematics: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (BES).

Students should be doing the thinking

The stem “In a range of meaningful contexts, students will be engaged in thinking mathematically and statistically. They will solve problems and model situations that require them to:” is key to interpreting the AOs. The clear expectation is that students will be doing the thinking, rather than following the thinking demonstrated by the teacher.

Numeric understanding precedes algebraic generalisation

Numeric understanding of a concept or process is developed at the level below the level at which algebraic generalisations of the same concept or process are developed. For example, NA 6-2 (Extending powers to include integers and powers) precedes the algebraic objective M 7-6 (Manipulate rational, exponential, and logarithmic algebraic expressions).

Approximately equal time should be allocated to each strand

The Venn diagram on the level 6 AOs chart in The New Zealand Curriculum suggests that the number and algebra strand should be allocated slightly more time than either the geometry and measurement or statistics strands, which should be allocated approximately equal time.

Use of technology is assumed

Use of appropriate technology is expected across all the achievement objectives.

< back to achievement objectives

Last updated February 29, 2012

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