A Padlet by West Suffolk College. This padlet by West Suffolk College provides resources and reading materials based on an enquiry into whether it is possible to align or integrate two complementary CPD programmes designed to strengthen maths teaching and to highlight resources available to do so.
The aim was to investigate the potential for aligning and or integrating two CPD programmes in the context of Government policy drives: firstly towards enhancing the professionalism of FE Sector teachers through the new Professional Standards, and secondly developing enhanced maths skills in the workforce. One of the latter courses focussed on maths pedagogy (The MEP) and asked practitioners to explore their maths knowledge separately, the other (a L3 award) focussed on maths content knowledge.
The MEP and L3 award have similar starting points: both assume 'secure and confident' Level 2 skills before starting the programmes, and emphasise the importance of developing both mathematical knowledge and pedagogic content knowledge and skills. The project found many interactive and multimodal on-line resources available that complement both courses; some making links between the different foci (hyperlinks are provided). As one of the programmes was still in development it was not possible to explore the effectiveness of further steps towards alignment. What did emerge however was the importance of recognising that the study and construction of the conceptual understanding of maths requires time and commitment from those using the materials.
emCETT