For the Winter 2022 term we are offering the following 4 courses (with more planned) as online, self-paced, content.
Operations Part 1
This module focuses on the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and will take you through them for whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and integers. It also discusses BEDMAS, various math properties, and focuses on breaking down why the algorithms, formulas, and rules we follow in math give us the answers they do. This course looks at both the rules and conventions we follow in math and also the representations of the math being explored. It attempts to give you a solid understanding of why the math works the way it does and how these concepts interconnect with one another. It also provides some tips, tricks, and important notes for you to take back to your own classrooms and students.
Mathematical Modelling
This course will focus on building a foundation for teaching math modelling including how it works, how to plan a math model, and a simple activity you can do with your students. We’ll look at different types of math models, how some of them work, and how big data and AI are currently being used. We’ll also look at bias in data and how math models can be used to both inform and manipulate.
Financial Literacy
This course focuses on looking at some of the concepts and foundations of financial literacy in a Canadian context. We’ll start with looking at concepts including money and its uses in retail, sales tax, creating household budgets, and ways to save and access funds. We’ll then build to exploring how banks work, calculating interest, making large purchases, and how various forms of tax work. Finally we’ll explore concepts such as inflation, opportunity costs, investing, and currency conversions. This course is designed to be interactive with lots of room for questions and practicing these vital skills.
Proofs and Logic
This course will explore how proofs and logic play a role in our classrooms and our lives. We’ll look at some of the underlying principles of logic, and how they apply to the newly added coding curriculum. We’ll also discuss the different types of proofs and how to solve them, investigate some famous proofs, and play some logic games. These concepts form the foundation of the field of mathematics, teach critical thinking skills, and there are some fascinating connections to the math we teach our students as well.
Please note this course assumes foundational knowledge of infinity, different types of numbers (rational, irrational, real, natural), and a comfort with operations with fractions and whole numbers. If you would like to take this course but are unfamiliar with any of these concepts, we strongly encourage you to take the self-paced Operations course prior to this.
We are offering these programs on a pay-what-you-can model. Our suggested fee for is \$30/course (\$15/course for teacher candidates).
Registration Opening Soon
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If you have any questions, or would like further details, please contact Pamela Brittain, Academic Coordinator at The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences at pbrittai@fields.utoronto.ca. You can also learn more about our programs for Elementary Educators and students at https://fieldsacademy.ca/eep/