Location
Mezzanine M4
Start Date
8-8-2016 2:45 PM
End Date
8-8-2016 4:00 PM
Subjects
STEM education, Mathematics achievement, Mathematical aptitude, Mathematics attitudes, Student engagement, Difficulty level, Numeracy, Academic aspiration, Enrichment, Secondary education
Abstract
Mathematics is the foundational enabling discipline that underpins STEM and its other constituent disciplines of science, technology and engineering. Central to Australia’s mathematical vitality is universal access to high-quality mathematics education. Without this, young people are at risk of early school leaving, low participation in post-school education and training, poor employment outcomes, and social isolation (COAG, 2008; Parsons & Bynner, 2005). But Australia faces significant problems in ensuring that all young people are successfully engaged in learning mathematics at school, and in providing them with teachers who can inspire their learning. This paper explores approaches to addressing two problems that continue to challenge researchers, practitioners, and policy makers: (1) raising students’ mathematical aspirations and (2) enhancing mathematical literacy across the school curriculum. It draws on the findings from two current research projects. The first project is developing case studies of schools that have increased student participation in higher-level mathematics in the senior secondary school years. The second project builds on a long term research program for embedding numeracy across the curriculum by creating a suite of online videos illustrating what numeracy looks like in real classrooms in different school subjects.
Recommended Citation
Goos, M. (2016, August 08). Enhancing students’ mathematical aspirations and mathematical literacy as the foundation for improving STEM learning [Paper presentation]. Research Conference 2016 - Improving STEM Learning : What will it take?. https://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference/RC2016/8august/16
Copyright Statement
Copyright Australian Council for Educational Research 2016
Place of Publication
Melbourne Vic
Publisher
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)
Included in
Enhancing students’ mathematical aspirations and mathematical literacy as the foundation for improving STEM learning
Mezzanine M4
Mathematics is the foundational enabling discipline that underpins STEM and its other constituent disciplines of science, technology and engineering. Central to Australia’s mathematical vitality is universal access to high-quality mathematics education. Without this, young people are at risk of early school leaving, low participation in post-school education and training, poor employment outcomes, and social isolation (COAG, 2008; Parsons & Bynner, 2005). But Australia faces significant problems in ensuring that all young people are successfully engaged in learning mathematics at school, and in providing them with teachers who can inspire their learning. This paper explores approaches to addressing two problems that continue to challenge researchers, practitioners, and policy makers: (1) raising students’ mathematical aspirations and (2) enhancing mathematical literacy across the school curriculum. It draws on the findings from two current research projects. The first project is developing case studies of schools that have increased student participation in higher-level mathematics in the senior secondary school years. The second project builds on a long term research program for embedding numeracy across the curriculum by creating a suite of online videos illustrating what numeracy looks like in real classrooms in different school subjects.
Comments
Concurrent session Block 2