Questions in primary mathematics classrooms

In this paper the types of questions that primary teachers use when teaching mathematics are discussed. Teachers from five primary schools participated in a professional development program designed to improve the quality of questioning in mathematics classrooms. Changes in their practice as they perceived them are presented.

Windows on practice : investigating equity in technology based mathematics classrooms

The strengths and weaknesses of using ethnographic research to investigate equity in a study of a grade 9 class that used a dynamic geometry program with laptop computers will be presented. It will be argued that research approaches that involve “windows on practice” provide understanding of not only who is advantaged and disadvantaged in technology-mediated classrooms but how this occurs. The way that other paradigms such as reflexive methods may enhance qualitative research will be proposed. Studies that involve “windows on equitable practice” will provide mathematics educators with models for advancing equity in mathematics learning when teaching with technology.

Gender and socio-economic issues in the use of digital technologies in mathematics

This paper has been prepared to address the issues and questions of the theme ‘access, equity and socio-cultural issues’. Findings from two studies are reported. In the first study gender issues in mathematical learning environments when computers were used were investigated. In the second effective practices for teaching disadvantaged or marginalised students with digital technology are canvassed. Teaching for equity and social justice in the digital age is complex. Teachers need to be aware that their beliefs and classroom practices may exacerbate gender and cultural inequalities in mathematics learning. Approaches that are consistent with social-constructivist and democratic theories need further investigation.

Trends and factors concerning gender and mathematics in Australasia

For many years now gender differences in average mathematics achievement in Australia and New Zealand have not been significant in large-scale domestic and international studies. However there is some recent evidence, from Australia at least, that gender differences in achievement favouring males may be re-emerging and, despite some positive affective findings and trends with respect to affect and participation leading up to the turn of the century, a pattern of lower interest and declining participation in mathematics among girls is evident. In this paper, trends in gender equity with respect to participation, achievement and affect reported in the literature over the past decade will be presented and analysed. Of particular interest are the factors that may have influenced these trends. Findings from recent research will be discussed. However it would seem that the attempts made by researchers to explain these trends are either limited in their capacity to establish an explanation or imply a deficit view of girls. An alternate position on gender equity and explanation of these trends will be presented in this paper with the purpose of making a contribution to the debate on curriculum and pedagogy in mathematics education.

Deepening the mathematical knowledge of secondary mathematics teachers who lack tertiary mathematics qualifications

A professional learning program for unqualified practising secondary mathematics teachers regarding senior secondary mathematics teaching is described in this paper. The VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) mathematics professional learning program for senior secondary mathematics was designed for practising secondary teachers of mathematics who had no experience of teaching advanced senior secondary mathematics and who had not completed the recommended qualifications. Professional learning episodes, artefacts and reflections of three teachers who participated in the program are analysed to identify the development of these teachers' mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The PCK framework developed by Chick et al. was used to analyse teachers' knowledge, and the cases of teachers' knowledge presented in the paper illustrate the entwining of knowledge of mathematics and knowledge of teaching and learning The findings indicate that a program designed for senior secondary mathematics can enable practising teachers to deepen and broaden their understanding of junior secondary mathematical pedagogy.

Effects of blended online learning on students performance in vocational mathematics

This presentation reports on a study conducted at the Victoria University TAFE where a mathematics module was offered to students in an on campus delivery setting.

Understanding and developing structure - its importance for mathematics learning

This issue comes at a time when mathematics education research is becoming more intently focused on the development of "structure" as salient to generalised mathematics learning. Not surprisingly the attention on structure creates particular synergies with the increasingly rich field of research on algebraic thinking and arithmetic processes, particularly in the early years. In many ways, this special issue is concerned with describing the process of "structuring" that enables abstraction and generalisation. A recent MERJ special issue, Abstraction in Mathematics Education (Mitchelmore & White, 2007), illustrated theories of abstraction aligning these to notions of underlying structure. The importance of structure in the transition from school to university was also highlighted by Godfrey and Thomas (2008), and Novotna and Hoch (2008) in the previous special issue of MERJ (Thomas, 2008). In this special issue we present six papers that provide evidence of developing structure as critical for all learners of mathematics throughout schooling.

Mathematics curriculum reform : reproducing social inequalities

This book is essential reading for Australasian mathematics educators and other researchers with an interest in the history of mathematics curriculum, the culture of mathematics, gender, and social justice issues in mathematics. Drawing on the results of research conducted by the Educational Outcomes Research Unit at the University of Melbourne and historical documents, Richard Teese argues that the education system fails to diffuse the economic and cultural benefits assumed to flow from the completion of secondary schooling.

Girls back off mathematics again : the views and experiences of girls in computer based mathematics

The views and experiences of girls in two co-educational mathematics classrooms in which computers were regularly used were researched. Data were collected by observation and videotaping of lessons, questionnaire, and interviews of students and the teachers. In this paper case studies of six girls are presented. Their ‘stories’ reveal a diversity of experiences and views and multiple gender identities. High achieving girls persisted as “outsiders within,” other girls “backed off”, and exceptional girls challenged gender stereotypes. Implications for social justice in mathematics in the age of the super highway are discussed.

What do education students value in primary mathematics curriculum?

In this paper the priorities that second year education students hold for primary mathematics content and student learning are presented. Data were collected from students who participated in a tutorial task that was used to engage students in discussion about primary mathematics curriculum. The data were collected annually for four years. Reflections about the mathematics subjects in the course are made within the context of current research and mathematics curriculum policy. Inferences are drawn about education students’ beliefs.

Book review - Changing the faces of mathematics : perspectives on gender

Reviews the book 'Changing the Faces of Mathematics: Perspectives on Gender,' by Judith E. Jacobs, Joanne Rossi Becker and Gloria F. Gilmer.

Supporting "out-of-field" teachers of secondary mathematics

The key aspects of the recommendations made by the Council of Australian Governments in its National Numeracy Report (2008) to help reduce the shortage of teachers of secondary mathematics are discussed. The aims and objectives of the professional learning programs for 'out-of-field' mathematics teachers are highlighted.

Leadership to improve mathematics outcomes in low SES schools and school networks

Instructional and transformational leadership is reportedly required to improve the mathematics outcomes of students in low socio-economic status school communities. This study of 43 schools in two networks of schools in rural Victoria explored leadership practices and found evidence to support both these leadership approaches along with distributed leadership practice. School leaders established network and school structures and relationships at various levels of the network and school organisation to enable and support ongoing improvement in teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and teaching practice and to build the leadership capacity of teachers within their schools. The leaders’ knowledge of effective mathematics teaching practice enabled them to mentor teachers in their school or team and to support the practices of professional learning teams within their school.

Showcasing recent Australian research in gender and mathematics

In this paper findings from a recent review of Australian research on gender issues in mathematics education (Vale, Forgasz & Horne, 2004) are presented.

Student views of computer based-mathematics in the middle years : does gender make a difference?

How the use of computers in mathematics classrooms was viewed by students in two middle years mathematics classrooms was the focus of the research described in this paper. The primary data sources consisted of questionnaires, classroom observations supported by videotaping of mathematics lessons, and interviews with two girls and two boys from each class. Thus both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Girls viewed the computer-based lessons less favourably than did boys. In general, the boys were likely to believe that computers contributed to their experiencing pleasure in these lessons, and to making mathematics more relevant to them. Girls were typically more concerned about whether computers facilitated learning and enabled success in mathematics. The attitudes of students to computer-based mathematics were related to their views of computers.