Suggested Enrolment Pattern for Students Wishing to Concentrate on Graduate Studies in Mathematics Education

It is recommended that persons wishing to concentrate on mathematics education studies for their graduate studies in education should enrol for a Master of Educational Studies. Normal entry requirements for the M.Ed.Stud. degree is a 4-year BEd, or a 3-year degree + Dip.Ed., or some equivalent qualification.

Award of the M.Ed.Stud. degree requires the successful completion of 80 credit points (cp) of studies, of which a minimum of 40 cp must come from 600-level subjects. That would be the equivalent of one year of full-time studies. Note, too:

1. Students who choose to study EDGS525, "Introduction to Research Methodology" will also be required to study either EDGS521, "Quantitative Research Methods" or EDGS522, "Qualitative Research Methods."

2. Students who have passed at least two coursework semester subjects (of 10 cp each) may enrol in a minor thesis, consisting of 30 cp and made up of Minor Thesis ED694, "Minor Thesis A" (10 cp), and EDED695, "Minor Thesis B" (10 cp) and EDED696, "Minor Thesis C" (10 cp).

Table 1 shows the set of subjects which is suggested for those wishing to do an M.Ed.Stud degree with a concentration on mathematics education. Note that once they are enrolled in the M.Ed.Studies degree students are free to reach the 80 cp needed for the degree using any possible combination of subjects, provided of course the requirement of a minimum of 40 cp from 600-level subjects is met. In other words, if your initial intention was to concentrate on mathematics education, but after enrolment (or having completed part of the course) you changed your mind, then you can do whichever combination of available subjects you like.

Suggested Subjects for Masters Students Interested in Mathematics Education

Code	Subject Name & Credit Points	Semester, 1996
EDGS646	Teaching Mathematics Through a Problem Solving and Problem Posing Approach 10 credit points	Semester 1, 1996 By distance mode, and on-campus at the Ourimbah Campus
EDGS645	Theoretical Bases for Contemporary Mathematics Education 10 credit points	Semester 2, 1996 By distance mode, and on-campus at the Callaghan Campus
EDGS685	Instructional Strategies in Computer Education 10 credit points	Semester 2, 1996 By distance mode, and on-campus at the Callaghan Campus
EDGS525	Introduction to Research Methodology 10 credit points	Semester 1, 1996 By distance mode, and on-campus at the Callaghan Campus
EDGS521	Quantitative Research Methods 10 credit points	Semester 2, 1996 By distance mode, and on-campus at the Callaghan Campus
EDGS522	Qualitative Research Methods 10 credit points	Semester 2, 1996 By distance mode,and on-campus at the Callaghan Campus

Although the Minor Thesis is one single piece of work, it counts for 30 cp and therefore has three subject codes:

ED**694	Minor Thesis A (10 cp)	Semester 1
ED**695	Minor Thesis B (10 cp)	Semester 2
ED**696	Minor Thesis C (10 cp)	Semester 1 or 2

All of these subjects will be available at the Masters level in 1996. It is anticipated that from 1997 onwards there will be two more mathematics education subjects available at the masters level. These subjects are expected to be: "Technology and Mathematics Curriculum" and "Mathematics Software Development and Evaluation." They will be developed during 1996, mainly by Stephen Arnold, who took up his appointment in the Faculty of Education at the University of Newcastle in August 1995.

EDGS645 and EDGS646 are specifically mathematics education subjects, as will be two new subject(s) developed by Stephen Arnold in 1996--and available from 1997 onwards. These subjects have been designed with the needs of practising early childhood, primary, secondary or TAFE teachers in mind. It will not be assumed that students taking the subjects have studied high-level mathematics. Indeed an attempt will be made to "begin where the student is at." That is another way of saying, attention will be paid to the needs of individual students.

To that end, students enrolled in the subjects will be encouraged to pursue their own special interests. Assessment in the mathematics education subjects will be by assignments which complement teachers' normal worked (but, of course, which link to theoretical issues discussed in the subjects).

There will be no compulsory on-campus attendance.