MA Mathematics Education

Mathematics is integral to so much in life. However, many people see themselves as lacking in mathematical ability and have little confidence in engaging with mathematics. The challenges to the teaching and learning of mathematics are therefore many – but so are the ways to explore and tackle them!

Our MA Mathematics Education (One Year – Full-Time; Two Years – Part-Time) is designed for graduates in mathematics – or in Mathematics-related disciplines – with an interest in the teaching and learning of mathematics. We also welcome applications from mathematics teachers at all educational levels.

You will learn about key Mathematics Education theories, about key findings from international studies that explore its improvement, and about the latest digital resources used in mathematics teaching. You will be trained in educational research methods and you will complete a research project on a mathematics education topic, with the support of specialists from UEA’s Research in Mathematics Education Group.

About

You’ll gain a thorough understanding of mathematics education, whether you are a recent mathematics or other graduate, a mathematics teacher at any educational level, or an education professional with an interest in the teaching and learning of mathematics. You will discover the latest research and thinking in a field that is strongly influenced by a range of disciplines such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy and history.

Perhaps you are intrigued by how we can foster greater appreciation, competence and confidence in mathematics in all classrooms – and for all learners.

You might wish to explore the foundations of mathematics that we typically encounter in primary school.

Your interest could lie in the social and emotional barriers to mathematical learning for secondary pupils going through adolescence.

Or, maybe, you want to learn about how digital resources can enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics, from the primary classroom all the way through to the university lecture.

The course consists of three mathematics education modules, each dedicated to the key theories, main findings and foremost digital resources for mathematics teaching.

You will also complete one module on educational research methods and one on critical reading, plus one optional module (for example, on quantitative research methods).

Finally, you will work on a dissertation project on a mathematics education topic of your own choosing under the supervision of a member of the Research in Mathematics Education (RME) Group, the vibrant community of mathematics educators at UEA that will welcome you to its activities throughout your studies.

Applicants with teaching experience are welcome on the course as is anyone considering a career in mathematics education. Our course is designed to allow a useful interchange of ideas between students with different – and often excitingly complementary – backgrounds.

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Alumni's Views

Read about our graduates’ first-class experiences on the MA Mathematics Education.

Current Research

Learn about our staff members’ ongoing research projects in Mathematics Education.

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MathTASK

We design situation-specific tasks and then use them for Mathematics Education research, professional development, teaching and assessment purposes.

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MathTASK in a Nutshell

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

You will be assessed through written assignments of 3,000 words, and a dissertation of 15,000 words. Each module will include opportunities for formative assessment.

Your assignments will involve reading and reviewing key texts in mathematics education as well as writing research-informed accounts of your experiences of learning and teaching mathematics. You will also review texts on educational research methods.

For your dissertation, you will design a small-scale study in mathematics education for which you will collect and analyse data in the light of the key mathematics education theories and research findings that you learned about in the core modules.

Structure

The course is designed to welcome you into the field of Mathematics Education as a research discipline in the Social Sciences that can inform and change practice and policy on the teaching and learning of mathematics.

To this aim, you will first learn about key theories that underpin research in the field of Mathematics Education. We cover a range of theories that originate in developmental psychology, sociology, discourse analysis, anthropology and neuroscience and allow insights into the many facets of mathematics and its pedagogy. To learn how to use these theories in order to prepare for your own Mathematics Education research project, you will trial their application in data samples from mathematics classrooms across educational levels and from your own prior experiences.

In tandem, you will be introduced to how these theories have been used in milestone studies in Mathematics Education. Crucially, you learn about key findings and applications that have emerged from these studies. The selected studies are from around the world and concern primary, secondary and university mathematics as well as uses of mathematics in the workplace and everyday life.

You will also learn about critical reading of academic and other works and you will explore techniques of criticality that you can apply in your own reading and writing.

As your studies progress, you will continue learning about milestone works in Mathematics Education, particularly those with a focus on the use of digital resources in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Again, the focus will span educational levels, contexts and mathematical topics.

You will also continue to build your research skills through learning about educational research methods: you will be introduced to key research techniques that you need in order to design, execute and write up your dissertation research project. To assist you further in this direction, you will also select one optional module from a range on offer. Examples include Quantitative Research Methods In Educational Research and modules from on learning, pedagogy, assessment, educational leadership and management, adult literacy, developmental studies and language education.

Finally, for your Mathematics Education dissertation, you will design and work on a research project under the supervision of a member of the Research in Mathematics Education (RME) Group. While the topic can be of your own choosing, you will be welcome to consider topics aligned with the current projects of the RME Group.

Full-time studies:

You will achieve the above within one year of studies.

Part-time studies:

Your work on the above will be spread across two years.

Teaching and Learning

You’ll engage with key elements of theory and practice in mathematics education, as well as the current methods of educational research at large. You will also get to grips with reading, writing and presentation skills, with a particular focus on academic texts as well as other sources relevant to mathematics education, including online resources.

For each taught module you will attend and participate in 20 hours of lectures, seminars, group discussions, individual tutorials, presentations and feedback sessions. You will also be expected to read and prepare a brief contribution for each session, such as a short piece of writing or a small presentation on the week’s theme. Your contribution will be based on the set reading for each session, as well as the reading of additional materials, which you will seek out and review.

The UEA library has an impressive range of online and hard copy resources, and engaging with them will be an essential element of your learning experience. Apart from key academic texts, the library also holds extensive mathematics teaching resources and materials that you will be invited to explore, especially when looking for examples and applications of mathematics teaching. You will also become familiar with a wide array of media and other electronic resources pertinent to mathematics education.

You will have opportunities to interact with the teaching team throughout the period of your studies. This will include group and individual tutorials, in which you will discuss the work you are doing in preparation for your assignments and dissertation.

You will also be welcome to the events and activities of the RME Group including group meetings and informal exchanges with the post-graduate researchers and academic visitors of the group. You will also be invited to the School’s regular research seminars.

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Assessment for Year 1

You will be assessed through written assignments of 3,000 words, and a dissertation of 15,000 words. Each module will include opportunities for formative assessment.

Compulsory Modules

KEY THEORIES IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

Code EDUE7024A

Credits 20

Following a brief exploration of the foundations of mathematics education as a research discipline, this module covers key theories deployed in research into the teaching and learning of mathematics. Starting out from theorists with a huge influence on mathematics education research such as Piaget and Vygotsky, we introduce key theoretical constructs employed in research into the learning and teaching of mathematics. We cover developmental / cognitive, sociocultural, discursive and anthropological approaches.

FINDINGS AND APPLICATIONS OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION RESEARCH

Code EDUE7026A

Credits 20

This module demonstrates the use of the theories introduced in the module Key theories in research into the teaching and learning of mathematics through a series of seminal studies into the teaching and learning of mathematics at primary, secondary and university levels.

DIGITAL RESOURCES IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING AND LEARNING

Code EDUE7027B

Credits 20

This module introduces seminal studies in the use of technology in the teaching and learning of a range of mathematical topics such as: • Number and Arithmetic, mainly at primary level; • Algebra and Geometry, mainly at secondary level; • Calculus and Linear Algebra, mainly at university level; • Mathematical Reasoning and Proof across educational levels; and, • Mathematical Notation, Language and Representations across educational levels. Issues of teacher knowledge, beliefs and teacher education in relation to the use of technology are addressed across levels.

CRITICAL READING

Code EDUE7035A

Credits 20

What does it mean to be a ‘critical’ reader? Why is critical reading important? How can you develop your criticality, both as a reader and a writer? What is the single question that reminds us to take a critical stance when reading a range of published ‘texts’?

DISSERTATION

Code EDUE7037X

Credits 60

Working with an individual supervisor, the student is required to design, research and write up an inquiry-based project for a dissertation. With guidance from the course team, the student chooses a dissertation topic according to his/her individual interests and/or professional needs.

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH METHODS

Code EDUE7038A

Credits 20

This module provides students with a grounding in the methodology of educational inquiry as well as with some preparation before they apply their own research skills. The module offers an introduction to some key research methodologies and covers crucial aspects of qualitative inquiry. A range of methodological approaches are explored, such as ethnography and case study, and various methods of collecting qualitative data are discussed (e.g. interviewing, doing observations). Students are equipped with some key skills that can help them design and conduct research in their own specialist areas of educational interest.

Optional A Modules

(20 credits)

EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND PRACTICE FOR DEVELOPMENT

Code DEV-7011B

Credits 20

The aim of this module is to help you understand and critically examine, policy-making processes and specific policies for educational development. You will discover the relationships between policy and practice in a range of international, national and local development contexts. Through this module you will explore different approaches to policy development and familiarise yourself with dominant global policy agendas in education - asking who makes or influences policy, and considering policies as socially situated documents, practices and processes. The module introduces you to educational policy-making to address a range of development challenges and how related strategies are enacted in practice; drawing on policy theory and ethnographic and school-based research, as well as practical sessions to critique policy-related writing, examine models of educational quality and curricula, and explore issues of school-related gender based violence.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN EDUCATION

Code EDUE7025B

Credits 20

The content of this module complements and elaborates the 20-credit Research Methods in Education compulsory module of the full-time MA programme in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning. It aims to you to elementary concepts and methods in statistical analysis and to help them make well-informed choices in their uses of appropriate methodological techniques and tools in their own research. The module is of relevance if you want to understand the way quantitative evidence is generated, analysed and interpreted and if you choose to collect quantitative data (e.g. through questionnaires) or use mixed methods (i.e. both qualitative and quantitative).

CONCEPTUALISING EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES

Code EDUE7028A

Credits 20

You may wonder why this module encourages you to explore some ‘obvious’ concepts and ideas such as ‘learning’. Isn’t it obvious what ‘learning’ is? Not if we take into account the fact that a google search yields millions of different answers to the question: ‘What is learning?’ Or that it is rather difficult to answer the question: ‘How do we know that someone has learned something?’ The meaning of ‘learning’ may not be as ‘obvious’ as we think. This module provides an introduction to key concepts and ideas about learning and teaching in compulsory, post-compulsory and lifelong learning that are often taken for granted as ‘obvious’. You will explore how different theoretical perspectives on learning illuminate different aspects of learning and teaching interactions. You will examine these within the broader context of educational organisations and systems. The key concepts and ideas studied in this module include: ‘learning’; ‘cognition’ and ‘emotion’; learning and teaching as ‘social interaction’; ‘agency’, ‘structure’ and ‘culture’; ‘education leadership’ and ‘education policy’. You will also explore how diverse approaches to learning and teaching offered by psychologists, sociologists, educational researchers and policy-makers influence everyday educational practice. The core approach to our module discussions will be based on challenging concepts and ideas that appear ‘obvious’ but, on closer examination, turn out to be problematic. In writing an assignment on a topic of your own choice, you will have an opportunity to challenge some of the ‘obvious’ ideas about your topic.

ADULT LITERACY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING

Code EDUE7041B

Credits 20

Starting with the concept of literacy as a social practice, we draw on ethnographic research to unpack the relationship between literacy and international development. We will discuss current theories in adult learning and their relevance for policy, planning and practice in lifelong learning, as well as including an introduction to key debates and approaches in development theory.

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN PRACTICE

Code PPLC7007B

Credits 20

Do you wish to pursue a career in international management and relations, multilingual business, or international development? Are you interested in becoming a more effective communicator in other professions such as translation, interpreting, education, and cultural mediation? In this module we will explore the issues fundamental to intercultural communication (IC) in practical contexts. You will examine the different ways of thinking about effective communication in a variety of work/organisation-based environments. During the seminars/lecture series, invited practitioners will introduce you to how IC operates in specific organisations, including government agencies or in multilingual business management. On completion of this module, you will have developed the linguistic skills, cultural competence, and critical thinking required for the production of an extended research project in intercultural communication. You will also have acquired a sense of how cultural assumptions may influence communication with others from different backgrounds, and developed a greater willingness to enter into dialogue with the values prevalent in cultures other than your own.

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Open Days

Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring and review of modules. Where this activity leads to significant change to a programme and modules, the University will endeavour to consult with affected students. The University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. Availability of optional modules may be restricted owing to timetabling, lack of demand, or limited places. Where this is the case, you will be asked to make alternative module choices and you will be supported during this process.

Entry Requirements

Degree classification

UK 2.1 or equivalent

Degree subject

Mathematics, STEM subjects or Social Sciences

Additional entry requirements

Teaching experience in Mathematics is welcome but not essential.

Students for whom english is a foreign language

We welcome applications from students whose first language is not English. To ensure such students benefit from postgraduate study, we require evidence of proficiency in English. Our usual entry requirements are as follows:

IELTS: 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in all components)
PTE (Pearson): 67 (minimum 64 in all components)

Test dates should be within two years of the course start date.

Other tests, including Cambridge English exams and the Trinity Integrated Skills in English are also accepted by the university. The full list of accepted tests can be found here: Accepted English Language Tests

INTO UEA also run pre-sessional courses which can be taken prior to the start of your course. For further information and to see if you qualify please contact intopre-sessional@uea.ac.uk