Face-to-face and virtual mathematics enrichment for rural schools: intersection of teachers, students, technology and pedagogy

In this paper the authors report on the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Mathematics Rural and Regional Communities (MRRC) project. This project is an extension to the Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP), which has been running since 2007. Since the MEP’s inception, more than 500 students, 29 schools, 15 pre-service teachers (who are involved to gain practical teaching experience) and many volunteer university lecturers and other mathematics and education professionals have been involved. The MRRC project builds on USQ’s MEP to offer content in an online or virtual format. Through an interactive virtual environment, the MRRC project connects regional high schools to USQ’s two campuses to build the capacity of the teachers and students involved. The authors describe the overall aim and structure of the MRRC program, preliminary evaluations of the program, analysis of the virtual space and future plans for the program

The R in the ELR Process: Reflection and the Emotions of PreService Teachers. A Case Study

Reflective practice in mathematical teaching improves teaching skills and confidence. This paper investigates affect-based critical moments as a reflective practice for pre-service teaching. An embedded case study is presented by one regional university as a discovery into the reflective phase of the Enhancement-Learning-Reflection process to uncover the types of emotions and themes from student chosen critical moments. An analysis of these critical moments found students’ expressed mainly positive emotions combined with the negative emotion of anxiety. Themes emerged around pedagogical content knowledge: teaching strategies; student thinking; and appropriate mathematical content knowledge

Measured UV Exposures of Ironman, Sprint and Olympic-Distance Triathlon Competitors

Triathletes present an extreme case of modelled behaviour in outdoor sport that favours enhanced exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. This research presents personal solar ultraviolet exposures, measured using all-weather polysulphone film dosimeters, to triathletes during the distinct swimming, cycling and running stages of competitive Sprint, Olympic and Ironman events conducted within Australia and New Zealand. Measurements of exposure are made for each triathlon stage using film dosimeters fixed at a single site to the headwear of competing triathletes. Exposures are expressed relative to the local ambient and as absolute calibrated erythemally effective values across a total of eight triathlon courses (two Ironman, one half Ironman, one Olympic-distance, and four Sprint events). Competitor exposure results during training are also presented. Exposures range from between 0.2 to 6.8 SED/h (SED: standard erythema dose) depending upon the time of year, the local time of each event and cloud conditions. Cycle stage exposures can exceed 20 SED and represent the highest exposure fraction of any triathlon (average = 32%). The next highest stage exposure occurred during the swim (average = 28%), followed by the run (average = 26%). During an Ironman, personal competitor exposures exceed 30 SED, making triathlon a sporting discipline with potentially the highest personal ultraviolet exposure risk

Statistics poster competitions: an opportunity to connect academics and teachers

The Australian Statistics Competition (ASC) was a national statistics poster competition that ran from 2006 to 2016. One of the aims of the ASC was to create connections between academics and teachers. In this paper, we report a study that investigated the experience of the organisers of this competition. We administered a written survey and conducted semistructured interviews with the organisers by a semi-structured protocol, with the aim of exploring the experience of the ASC organisers (the academics) in relation to connecting with teachers. We found geographical, intrinsic, organisational and personnel barriers to continuing connections between academics and teachers. We provide a list of recommendations for those involved in, or planning on starting, a similar competition

Variations on a Theme: Pre-service Mathematics Teacher Reflections Using an Affect-based Critical Moment Protocol

Examining critical incidents in the mathematics classroom is a useful way for pre-service teachers to understand the experience of teaching. This paper examines the development and trialling of variations of a novel affect-based critical moment protocol that enables preservice mathematics teachers to reflect on their teaching performance. The emotions experienced in these moments were examined using self and group reflection, considering the thoughts and actions occurring immediately prior to, or during those moments. The four case studies presented report on trialled variations of this reflection process in a range of programs and delivery modes in four regional Australian universities

How are we progressing with academic numeracy at regional universities? Perspectives from first-year undergraduate studies

This study provides an overview of the support provided for academic numeracy for first-year students across six Australian regional universities. Survey analysis of university academics provided an overview of the approaches used in academic numeracy in diverse cohorts. Further investigations via semi-structured interviews and secondary data were performed, providing details of the level of academic numeracy required in the subjects offered, identification of at-risk students and strategies for student support, and student responses to service provision. A case study at one university provided a more detailed view of the factors influencing attrition in first-year academic numeracy subjects. This case study highlighted issues related to a one-size-fits-all approach and findings argue for a more nuanced cohort-based approach that combines conventional statistical analysis with analysis that provides a more detailed view of complex scenarios. The study suggests that while support services are not responding well to the issue of attrition, better targeting individual student support may lead to improvements

Defining special events from a gallery visitor perspective

[Abstract]: In their endeavour to become more visitor-focused, galleries are staging an increasing number of special events. Special events enable galleries to inspire and attract new visitors, and encourage people to become more regular visitors. With the increased use of special events however, it is important that galleries develop an awareness of how their visitors understand and respond to such events. This paper describes a current, continuing research project investigating visitors’ perceptions of special events in galleries. Stemming from a previous study that qualitatively explored this issue, the current study uses a quantitative methodology to build on, and further support the findings from the qualitative study. This paper details the set of categories that were developed from the initial qualitative study, and explains how the quantitative part of the study has been designed to test the importance and accuracy of those categories. The categories represent the perceptions visitors have of what defines a special event at a gallery and how special events differ from a gallery’s day-to-day program. While this paper presents a brief overview of the initial findings emerging from a preliminary analysis of the quantitative data, the focus is on explaining and subsequently reflecting upon the suitability of the quantitative methods used to supplement the qualitative research. The statistical data analysis methods used to interpret the questionnaire data, factor analysis and conjoint analysis, and their applications are therefore explained and reflected upon

New directions for art galleries and museums: the use of special events to attract audiences - a case study of the Asia Pacific Triennial

The role of art galleries is changing. New social patterns and demands have changed visitors’ expectations of their experiences at art galleries. In addition, the traditional boundaries that once defined the functions of art galleries have changed as these institut ions increasingly see themselves as part of the wider leisure industry. A frequent response by art galleries to the situation of changing roles and audiences has been the mounting of special events to bring in increased visitors and to modernise their appeal and therefore competitiveness. This paper examines visitor motivations for attending the Asia-Pacific Triennial Art Exhibition, a special event at the Queensland Art Gallery, to uncover some of the factors that motivate audiences to attend special events at art galleries. The paper also discusses the attendance behaviours of these visitors

The modelling process and pre-service teacher confidence

Many teachers and pre-service teachers of mathematics lack experience with teaching methods, such as mathematical modelling, that require a conceptual learning and problem solving approach. To address this problem, this paper presents a study of a method – the Enhancement, Learning, Reflection (ELR) process – that has been designed to improve preservice students’ confidence in teaching mathematics, with a particular focus on the use of modelling as a teaching method. Results from the case study show that the PST participants involved in the ELR process did indeed experience an increase in confidence in their ability to present the modelling concept to a classroom of high school students

The modelling process and pre-service teacher confidence

Many teachers and pre-service teachers of mathematics lack experience with teaching methods, such as mathematical modelling, that require a conceptual learning and problem solving approach. To address this problem, this paper presents a study of a method – the Enhancement, Learning, Reflection (ELR) process – that has been designed to improve preservice students’ confidence in teaching mathematics, with a particular focus on the use of modelling as a teaching method. Results from the case study show that the PST participants involved in the ELR process did indeed experience an increase in confidence in their ability to present the modelling concept to a classroom of high school students