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Accessibility statement

This module is designed to:

Successful study of this module should enhance your skills in communicating mathematical ideas clearly and succinctly and explaining mathematical ideas to others.

The full content list is on the Open mathematics and statistics website.

The module starts from the assumption that mathematics education is an intrinsically worthwhile enterprise; therefore, it is worth striving to understand its processes to do it better. The module aims arise from the nature of mathematics education as a process of human interaction, which means that certain aspects of the module can only be engaged with through practice. You will be expected to work on mathematics tasks yourself and with a learner, and consider the processes you have worked through regarding your thinking. From this perspective, the module offers ways of working that contribute to your mathematical development and can enrich learning and confidence by enhancing your work with other learners.

This module has particular vocational relevance for teachers, trainers, teaching assistants, tutors or anyone aspiring to teach or communicate mathematics. This module counts towards the mathematics degree content required to start secondary mathematics teacher training. It introduces some potential new approaches to teaching and learning. You’ll learn to communicate about mathematics and identify mathematical learning.

You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.

They’ll help by:

Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.

Course work includes:

For this module, we may use an assessment verification process to meet the requirements of relevant accrediting, professional, statutory or regulatory bodies. As part of this process, you may be asked to attend a short post-assessment video discussion, lasting around 15 minutes. During the discussion, you’ll need to show a photo ID and talk through your answers to a small number of questions with a tutor or a member of the module team. The discussion is not graded and is only used to confirm that you completed the assessment yourself.

You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:

Additionally, the website includes:

You can study this module on its own or use the credits you gain towards an Open University qualification.

ME620 is a compulsory module in our:

ME620 is an option module in our:

Mathematical thinking in schools (ME620) starts once a year – in October.

It will next start in October 2026.

We expect it to start for the last time in October 2031.

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

There is no formal prerequisite study. However,

You can find out more about our mathematics education modules here.

The free course Teaching mathematics is good preparation for this module.

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying ME620 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.

Start	End	Register by	England fee
03 Oct 2026	30 Jun 2027	10 Sep 2026	£2,044

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).

Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

Over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module.

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).

Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2027. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our

Fee Rules