Technical Mathematics dominates discussions at USAf’s Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
The Community of Practice for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics (TLM CoP) held the first of its quarterly meetings for 2019, at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Delegates represented 15 universities. In welcoming the attendees, Prof Veronica Mckay, Acting Vice-Principal: Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support at UNISA, underscored the need for and importance of the TLM CoP, considering the current challenges in the teaching and learning of Mathematics, both at school level and at university.
Academics and practitioners in the TLM CoP engage actively with the current issues and debates on the teaching and learning of mathematics. Presentations and robust discussions were held on Technical Mathematics and the current accreditation dilemmas facing universities in this regard. In-depth analysis of how the Technical Mathematics and Pure Mathematics curricula and cognitive levels differ, and how this affects admission requirements into higher education institutions was presented by Mr Mogamat Hendricks from the Nelson Mandela University. The TLM COP will work on a position paper about this issue. The Extended Curricula Programmes (ECP), and how these are implemented across universities for mathematics students, what the lecturers’ experiences are of teaching on these programmes and future directions were interrogated at length in a session facilitated by Prof Alfred Msomi, from Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT). Prof Mdu Ndlovu, from the University of Johannesburg, led another session on using technology in teaching mathematics.
The TLM CoP continues to provide academics and practitioners teaching mathematics a much needed platform for collective learning, sharing of experiences, resources and good practice. The next meeting of the group will be in April/May 2019.