Prominent messages in education and applied linguistic abstracts : how do authors appeal to their prospective readers?

This study investigates the rhetorical structure of abstracts of papers published in Applied Linguistics and Education. It examines how abstract authors in these two fields emphasise the significance of their research, and how they appeal to their prospective readership. Although abstracts in both disciplinary groups are found to display a coordinate textual development they exhibit a utilization of different relational schemata to indicate the functional prominence of textual propositions. In particular, different relational patterns are seen to be employed to fulfil the two primary objectives of an abstract: to provide a synopsis of the accompanying article, and to promote it to relevant research and professional communities. The way authors demonstrate the value of their research and their professional credibility appears to be conditioned by disciplinary writing conventions. It is proposed that relational choices, which result in differences in the accentuation of communicative messages in Applied Linguistics and Education abstracts, depend on the perceived relationship between the author and the discourse community in terms of expectations of prior knowledge.

Easier analysis and better reporting : modelling ordinal data in mathematics education research

This article presents an examination of the use of Rasch modelling in a major research project, 'Improving Middle Years Mathematics and Science' (IMYMS). It is unarguable that it is important to take students' perceptions, or views, into account when planning learning and teaching for them. The IMYMS student perceptions survey is an attempt to make visible these student viewpoints, and report them in a way that is accessible to teachers and researchers involved in the project. The project involves four clusters of schools from urban and regions of Victoria to investigate the role of mathematics and science knowledge and subject cultures in mediating change processes in the middle years of schooling. There are five secondary and twenty-eight primary schools. The project has generated both qualitative and quantitative data, with much of the qualitative data being ordinal in nature. Reporting the results of analyses for a range of audiences necessitates careful, well-designed report formats. Some useful new report formats based on Rasch modeling -the Modified Variable Map, the Ordinal Map, the Threshold Map, and the Annotated Ordinal Map - are illustrated using data from the IMYMS project. The Rasch analysis and the derived reporting formats avoid the pitfalls that exist when working with ordinal data and provide insights into the respondents' views about their experiences in schools unavailable by other approaches.

A technology of study applied in marketing education and supported by self-determination theory

The aim of this study is to assess whether universities are meeting the needs of marketing students in their specific university function of providing knowledge and knowledge processes. This viewpoint is not meant to overlook the university role as a civilizing agent in a constant search for truth (McKenna 2001), but the focus for this study (based as it is in a Faculty of Business and Law) is toward graduates entering the corporate world. Therefore, graduates with suitable discipline knowledge and reasoning skills, in this context, must be able to meet the needs of the corporate marketing sector. Extending this backward to the role of the university, this study is by default seeking to establish if universities are meeting the needs of the corporate sector. A comparison is made between marketing classes using a specific technology of study called an autarchic system, and those classes not using this method. As part of this analysis the study investigates the application of self-determination theory and psychological needs satisfaction. The basic needs scale, comprising of two constructs; Control and Caring was adapted and used to evaluate students' perception of subjects using autarchic study system and those not utilising this methodology.

Listening to students' voices in mathematics education

In many tertiary institutions, mathematics education staff teach courses from early childhood education through to professional development courses at Masters level. Similarly, research into teacher education processes spans these contexts. Common principles that underpin this work include staff willingness to be responsive to students’ needs. This symposium focuses on the importance of listening to students’ voices in mathematics teaching and research – no matter how old students are.

Using word problems in Malaysian mathematics education: looking beneath the surface

This paper reports on aspects of a project that investigated the influence of Chinese Malaysian students’ schooling in a tradition of abstract, technical mathematics and rote learning on ways that they responded to mathematical word problems. Data from an action research project are reported. Supposedly “shallow” and “ deep” learning are shown to be interlinked, and assumptions frequently made by Western educators about modelling and practice are questioned.

Sociocultural research on mathematics education : an international perspective

This volume--the first to bring together research on sociocultural aspects of mathematics education--presents contemporary and international perspectives on social justice and equity issues that impact mathematics education. In particular, it highlights the importance of three interacting and powerful factors--gender, social, and cultural dimensions. Sociocultural Research on Mathematics Education: An International Perspective is distinguished in several ways:

* It is research based. Chapters report on significant research projects; present a comprehensive and critical summary of the research findings; and offer a critical discussion of research methods and theoretical perspectives undertaken in the area.
* It is future oriented, presenting recommendations for practice and policy and identifying areas for further research.
* It deals with all aspects of formal and informal mathematics education and applications and all levels of formal schooling.

As the context of mathematics education rapidly changes-- with an increased demand for mathematically literate citizenship; an increased awareness of issues of equity, inclusivity, and accountability; and increased efforts for globalization of curriculum development and research-- questions are being raised more than ever before about the problems of teaching and learning mathematics from a non-cognitive science perspective. This book contributes significantly to addressing such issues and answering such questions. It is especially relevant for researchers, graduate students, and policymakers in the field of mathematics education.

Construction of social difference in mathematics education

This study investigated the social context in which the learning of mathematics occured. It examined the practices of schools and mathematics in order to identify the ways in which they contributed to the construction of social difference. Accordingly, this study was concerned with how schools and mathematics classrooms contribute to working-class students lack of success in mathematics. The differences that occurred in these practices could be seen to contribute to the different outcomes likely to occur in the later years of schooling. It was argued that these differences mean that students from middle-classes would be more likely to undertake and be successful in the study of mathematics than their working-class peers.

A curriculum innovation framework for science, technology and mathematics education

There is growing concern about falling levels of student engagement with school science, as evidenced by studies of student attitudes, and decreasing participation at the post compulsory level. One major response to this, the Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) initiative, involves partnerships between schools and community and industry organisations in developing curriculum projects at the local level. This project fulfils many of the conditions advocated to engage students in learning in the sciences. ASISTM is underpinned by the notion of innovation. This paper describes the findings of case study research in which 16 ASISTM projects were selected as innovation exemplars. A definition of innovation and an innovation framework were developed, through which the case studies were analysed to make sense of the significance of the ideas and practices, participating actors, and outcomes of the projects. Through this analysis we argue that innovation is a powerful idea for framing curriculum development in the sciences at the local level that is generative for students and teachers, and that these ASISTM projects provide valuable models for engaging students, and for teacher professional learning.

Technology for mathematics education : equity, access and agency

In this chapter, issues of equity – including gender, access, and agency – with respect to the learning of mathematics with technology are examined. Research findings are not equivocal. Compared to late developing countries, where issues of access to technology can be complicated by educational and cultural values and beliefs, there seems to be greater access to technology to be used for the learning of mathematics in developed nations. There also appears to be some disparity in findings on the relationship between technology use and gender differences in mathematics achievement; in some countries the gender gap favoring males may be closing, while in other countries, where there have been little or no gender differences in the past, the gap may be widening. Areas in which more research is needed have been identified.