According to the report Algebraic Thinking in Adult Education (Ginsburg, 2010), workplace skills demand workers who are “comfortable with ideas and abstractions, can adapt flexibly to changes, and can generalize and synthesize” information. Per the report, to prepare our adult education students for these workplace skills, one focus of algebraic thinking should involve exploring representations and relationships using tables, graphs and equations.
The report further suggests that algebra instruction should emphasize mathematical modeling that involves analyzing and representing real situations, using mathematical structures that can be applied to both workplace and every day life problems. In fact, the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education (CCRSAE) Mathematical Practice 4 addresses mathematical modeling, and states that mathematically proficient students should be able to represent situations using tables, graphs and equations and analyze these “models” to make decisions.
- All teachers involved in adult numeracy who have completed the course "Building a Solid Foundation" or "Making Sense of Proportional Reasoning" are invited to enroll.
This professional development activity/course is designed for:
In this course, participants will explore linear relationships using real life applications and hands-on explorations. Participants will create equations and graphs from proportional and nonproportional situations looking at patterns and real-life situations. Building on those ideas, participants will then create systems of equations starting with a real-life situation and learn various strategies to solve the system: graphing, substitution, and elimination. Participants will extend their understanding of linear equalities to linear inequalities, interpreting solutions of linear inequalities. Digital technology will be addressed by utilizing Excel for graphing situations.
Exploring Linear Equations and Inequalities is a blended course composed of two face-to-face sessions and one online session. The online session takes about 4-6 hours to complete. The total completion time is approximately 18 hours. The course schedule is as follows:
- April 24, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.: Session 1 (face-to-face session, Devens, MA)
- April 25–May 28: Session 2 (online, self-paced, one lesson per week suggested)
- May 29, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.: Session 3 (face-to-face session, Devens, MA)
Participation in the online sessions involves contributing to online discussions and completing all activities.
To receive a certificate of completion, participants must fully complete the online session and attend both face-to-face sessions. For more information, please contact Mollie Behan (mollie_behan@terc.edu).
- Make equations from tables and graphs and differentiate between proportional and nonproportional situations.
- Create systems of equations based on real-life examples and solve them using a variety of strategies.
- Graph and solve inequalities based on real-life examples.
- Explain the intersection for linear system of inequalities.
Upon completion of this professional development activity/course, you will be able to:
Completed the course "Building a Solid Foundation" or "Making Sense of Proportional Reasoning"
Mount Wachusett Community College
27 Jackson Road (Room 103)
Devens, MA 01434
United States
