Students

EDUC8250 – Effective Instruction for Struggling Mathematical Learners

2026 – Session 1, Online-flexible

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer (Teaching and Leadership, Numeracy)
Susan Busatto
susan.busatto@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
25WW B652
By appointment
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MSpecEd or GradDipSpecEd or MInc&SpecEd or GradDipInc&SpecEd or GradCertLearnDiffSuppTeach
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit is designed to provide knowledge and skills necessary to guide instructional and assessment practices in the area of mathematics, including processes for providing effective support to facilitate learning for students with mathematical difficulties. It focuses on recent recommendations of evidence-informed and high impact practices, such as the use of explicit instruction, the need for clear and concise mathematical language, use of multiple representations and number-lines, deliberate instruction in word problems, and the importance of arithmetical fluency. Relevant diagnostic and instructional models are critiqued in terms of their theoretical bases, empirical support and implications for implementation.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: apply advanced discipline knowledge and scholarly understanding to evaluate student learning of mathematics
  • ULO2: draw on domain knowledge to critically reflect on your own professional knowledge and practice
  • ULO3: apply domain knowledge to examine and critically evaluate theories and research that underpin practice in the field of mathematics instruction
  • ULO4: develop appropriate assessment, monitoring and adaptation / intervention strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners
  • ULO5: synthesize concepts effectively through written and oral communication

General Assessment Information

General Submission Information

Please format assessments using 12-point font and 1.5 spacing.

All assessments must be submitted electronically. Turnitin plagiarism detection software is used to check all written assessments. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that their submitted work is in a format compatible with Turnitin software for plagiarism checking. Submissions must meet the required file type and formatting specifications outlined in the assessment guidelines. Failure to submit work in an acceptable format may result in delays in processing your submission and potential penalties for non-compliance with assessment requirements. If you are unsure about the file format or have technical difficulties, it is your responsibility to seek assistance before the submission deadline. Students should be careful to check that they submit the correct file for an assessment as no re-submissions will be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file. It is not the responsibility of unit staff to contact students who have failed to submit assessments. If you have any missing items of assessment, it is your responsibility to contact the unit convenor.

Students can use Turnitin’s Originality Report as a learning tool to improve their academic writing if this option is made available in the unit.

Word limits are strictly applied. Work above the word limit will not be marked.

Students should be aware of and apply the University policy on academic integrity (see: https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=3).

Special Consideration / Late Penalties

 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day to late submissions, up until the 7th calendar day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue.

Important to note:

  • Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs) will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.
  • Students should not request an informal arrangement from their tutor, lecturer or Unit Convenor (or equivalent).
  • Where an application for Special Consideration is approved and the outcome is an extension to the due date of a task, submissions that are received after the new due date will be subject to late penalties that are calculated from the new due date. This only applies where the outcome is an extension to the due date – see the Special Consideration Policy for a schedule of all possible outcomes.
  • A Special Consideration outcome may result in a new question or topic.

Applications must be made via Service Connect.

Marking

All assessments are marked using a rubric.

Marking of all assessments is moderated by the Unit Convenor.

University Policy on Grading

Assignments will be awarded grades ranging from HD to F according to guidelines set out in the University's Grading System and University Assessment Policy.

To attain a pass or higher grade in Professional Experience a student must obtain a satisfactory in both the Professional Experience component and a pass or higher grade in the academic component. For Professional Experience units the Professional Experience Evaluation Report is marked as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. The Macquarie Teaching Performance Assessment (MQTPA - in final WIL/PEx units) is marked as Not met, Met or Exceeds.

 

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed because they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit Service Connect.

Withdrawing from this unit

If you are considering withdrawing from this unit, please seek academic advice via Service Connect before doing so as this unit may be a co-requisite or prerequisite for units in the following sessions and may impact your course progression.

Assessment Dates

  1. The first assessment is due at 23:55 on Friday 24/04/2026
  2. The second assessment is due at 23:55 on Friday 5/06/2026.

More details are provided on the iLearn site.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI assisted?
Mathematics Problem Set 50% No 23:55 on 24/04/2026 Individual No Open AI
Annotated bibliography and essay 50% No 23:55 on 05/06/2026 Individual No Open AI

Mathematics Problem Set

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 33 hours
Due: 23:55 on 24/04/2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open AI

Students will be provided with a task (or a set of tasks) designed to develop and apply their knowledge of supporting students' learning of mathematics. For example, this may be conducting web and literature searches to find suitable tasks to assess different areas of mathematics, a case study where the student is asked to identify suitable methods of assessment and to explain an instructional approach or intervention that could be used to support the learning of the student, or a lesson plan where the student is asked to recommend adaptations to instruction, resources, and assessments to accommodate diverse learners. Word limit is 3000 words.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply advanced discipline knowledge and scholarly understanding to evaluate student learning of mathematics
  • draw on domain knowledge to critically reflect on your own professional knowledge and practice
  • apply domain knowledge to examine and critically evaluate theories and research that underpin practice in the field of mathematics instruction
  • develop appropriate assessment, monitoring and adaptation / intervention strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners
  • synthesize concepts effectively through written and oral communication

Annotated bibliography and essay

Assessment Type 1: Written Submission
Indicative Time on Task 2: 32 hours
Due: 23:55 on 05/06/2026
Weighting: 50%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?: Open AI

Students will work in small groups (up to 4) to conduct a literature search focused on one element of high impact, evidenced-based practice. The group together will produce a collated annotated bibliography. Each individual student will then write one essay that provides a summary and critical evaluation of this evidence, and a reflection of how this would impact your own professional practice. Word limit is 3000 words.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply advanced discipline knowledge and scholarly understanding to evaluate student learning of mathematics
  • draw on domain knowledge to critically reflect on your own professional knowledge and practice
  • apply domain knowledge to examine and critically evaluate theories and research that underpin practice in the field of mathematics instruction
  • synthesize concepts effectively through written and oral communication

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Resources

All readings will be available through the Leganto site on iLearn.  There will be additional reading materials including pamphlets that you will be able to download from the weekly tabs.

Learning and Teaching Activities  

This unit is delivered to allow fully online flexible learning. There are no scheduled tutorials. Each module will consist of a number of presentations, online resources, readings, and activities.

Information about the unit iLearn site 

This unit has a full web presence through iLearn. Information for students about access to the online component of this unit is available at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/index.php. You will need to enter your student username and password.

Please do NOT contact the Unit Convenor regarding iLearn technical help. Assistance is available from IT Helpdesk: via email onehelp@mq.edu.au or Ph: 9850 4357 or 1800 67 4357. On Campus: Ground floor at 18 Wally’s Walk.

Unit Schedule

A detailed outline of the weekly content, activities, and assessments will be provided on the iLearn site.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

School of Education Procedures

In addition, the following policies and procedures for the Macquarie School of Education apply to this unit.

 

Communication

It is the student’s responsibility to check all electronic communication on a weekly basis.  Communication may occur via:

  • Official MQ Student Email Address
  • The Dialogue function on iLearn
  • Other iLearn communication functions

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

nil

Unit information based on version 2026.01R of the Handbook