User:Nharrian
Return to: ETAP 623 Spring 2022 (Byrne) | Name's mini-course front page
About Me
Hello, my name is Nickolas Harrian and I am currently in my second year of teaching 7th grade Mathematics and Geometry. I am also enrolled as a graduate student at the University at Albany in the Curriculum Development and Instructional Technology Masters program.
I am from a very small town near Corning, New York and I still live and teach in the surrounding area. During my free time I love coaching Basketball and getting outside to enjoy a round of golf.
My Topic and Purpose
Intent of Project:
Conceptual vs. Procedural Learning in Mathematics
The intent of this course is to provide educators with the difference between conceptual and procedural mathematical applications as well as strategies on implementation.
Topics that will be covered:
- What is the difference between conceptual and procedural learning?
- What is the importance of procedural learning?
- What is the importance of conceptual learning?
- How can I incorporate conceptual learning into the curriculum?
Scope of Learning Outcomes and Content
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Identify the difference between conceptual and procedural learning.
- Provide unique examples of how to implement conceptual learning.
- Provide unique examples of how to implement procedural learning.
- Understand the importance of conceptual learning in a mathematics classroom.
- Choose to implement the skills for implementation.
Needs Assessment
The Instructional Problem:
Two key elements of mathematical proficiency and mathematical literacy is procedural and conceptual learning. In today's education, procedural learning tends to take the forefront while conceptual learning is pushed to the side. Teachers often do not know what kind of ratio of conceptual to procedural questions to have. Therefore, math classes often become inconsistent. I believe that with the right balance of conceptual and procedural learning mathematics will become a subject that students find themselves enjoying and understanding much more efficiently.
What Will Be Learned:
In this course, learners will be exposed to the difference between conceptual learning and procedural learning in a math classroom. Learners will find, the meaning of each, resources for implementation, and an in depth analysis on the ratio of conceptual to procedural learning in a math setting. Learners will find themselves self-evaluating their own teaching practices and deciding if they have a good ratio of conceptual to procedural learning. If not, they will learn ways that we can incorporate more conceptual learning.
Analysis of the Learner and Context
Analysis of Learners:
Due to the nature of this problem and the span of its implementation K-12, learners will be more thatn just classroom teachers looking to improve their instructional practices. Below are the learners that will benefit from this course:
- Classroom Teachers
- School Administrators
- Professors of Education
- Student Teachers
- Instructional Designers
- Student Teachers
- Board of Education Members
- Paraprofessionals
Context for Learning:
This course will be taught in a fully online format. Two main topics will be covered throughout the course, and these topics will be broken down into units. This course will be learner driven, as learners can work through the units at their very own pace. As learners are reading through the modules and units, there will be multiple checks for understanding. In order to access this page, the learner must need a device such as a laptop, tablet, smartphone that allows for the viewing of websites, videos, graphics, etc.
Exploring the Problem and Solution:
This course will help teachers learn about the difference between conceptual and procedural learning. It is often an overlooked aspect of teaching. Course participants will learn of ways to implement both procedural and conceptual learning.
Goals:
The goal of this course is for educators to gain an understanding of the need for conceptual learning in addition to procedural learning. Further, educators will gain access to a variety of tools to help the implementation of conceptual learning within their classroom.
Performance-Based Objectives
Learners will be able to do the following at the end of this mini-course:
- Describe the need for both conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge.
- Identify the appropriate balance of conceptual and procedural knowledge implementation.
Task Analysis
Module 1: Introduction: What is Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge?
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Define and give an example of procedural knowledge.
- Define and give an example of conceptual knowledge.
- Describe the difference between procedural and conceptual knowledge.
Module 2: Procedural Knowledge
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Describe the importance of procedural knowledge.
- Explain why procedural knowledge is important in mathematics.
- Identify the applications of procedural knowledge.
Module 3: Conceptual Knowledge
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Describe where conceptual knowledge fits in mathematics lessons.
- Identify the importance of conceptual knowledge.
- Solve some basic real-world math questions that require the use of conceptual knowledge.
Module 4: Balancing our use of Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Find the right balance of conceptual and procedural knowledge based questions.
Module 5: Exploration of Project-Based Learning with Conceptual Knowledge
At the end of this module, learners will be able to:
- Identify the connection between project-based learning and conceptual knowledge.
- Find the correct balance of conceptual and procedural based questions when creating their own quiz.
Curriculum Map
Procedural vs. Conceptual Knowledge!
References and Resources
Nickolas Harrian's Mini-Course on Conceptual Knowledge vs. Procedural Knowledge in a Math Classroom
