EDU 682 Reading 1 Assignment

Which of the following is NOT one of the six guiding principles outlines in Principles to Actions for effective mathematics teaching?

• Teaching and Learning

• Access and Equity

• Curriculum

• Standardized testing

Answer explanation

The six guiding principles outlined in Principles to Actions for effective mathematics teaching are teaching and learning, access and equity, curriculum, tools and technology, assessment, and professionalism.

Why are people not in favor of the Common Core State Standards?

• They disagree with the content standards.

• They disagree with the mathematical practices.

• There is concern with the testing associated with the standards.

• They don't like change.

Answer explanation

Although you may have heard people suggest that they are not in favor of the Common Core State Standards, many of those comments reflect people’s concern with the testing that is associated with the standards, not the content standards or the mathematical practices.

In modern mathematics classrooms, technology is used to:

• Replace traditional teaching methods entirely

• Provide dynamic representations and facilitate exploration of math concepts

• Discourage collaborative learning

• Emphasize memorization

Answer explanation

Including an array of technological tools and manipulatives can support the exploration of mathematics concepts, structures, and relationships.

Which of the following is not a verb that engages students in doing higher-level mathematics?

• Investigate

• Copy

• Construct

• Solve

Answer explanation

Objectives or instructions that ask students to "copy" are lower-level thinking tasks.

A tool does not "illustrate" a concept

• True
• False

Answer explanation

The tool is used to visualize a mathematical concept and only your mind can impose the mathematical relationship on the object.

"Doing mathematics" involves:

• Memorizing formulas and procedures

• Engaging in problem-solving, reasoning, and communication

• Completing repetitive drills

• Listening to lectures without active participation

Answer explanation

Doing mathematics means generating strategies for solving a problem, applying that strategy, and checking to see whether an answer makes sense.

Procedural understanding in mathematics refers to:

• Knowing how to carry out mathematical procedures and algorithms

• Comprehending mathematical concepts and relationships

• Applying mathematics in real-world contexts

• Reflecting on one's own mathematical thinking

Answer explanation

Procedural knowledge refers to how to complete an algorithm or procedure.

Which of the following is NOT one of the five strands of mathematical proficiency?

• Conceptual Understanding

• Procedural Fluency

• Strategic Competence

• Computational Speed

Answer explanation

The five strands of mathematical proficiency are conceptual understanding, strategic competence, procedural fluency, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition

Which of the following would NOT be observed in a mathematics classroom that focuses on the process standards?

• Students connect to previous material

• Students response with information beyond the required response

• Students will focus on memorizing content

• Students will conjecture or predict

Answer explanation

When students engage in mathematical processes and practices on a daily basis, they receive an empowering message: “You are capable of making sense of this - you are capable of doing mathematics!”

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is defined as:

• The range of tasks a learner can perform independently

• The range of tasks a learner can perform with guidance but cannot yet perform independently

• The set of tasks that are too difficult for a learner to achieve, even with assistance

• The range of tasks that a learner has already mastered

Answer explanation

ZDP refers to a range of knowledge that may be out of reach for a person to learn on his or her own, but is accessible if the learner has support from peers or more knowledgeable others