Curriculum and Assessment : A Question of Politics?

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) has been subject to ongoing modifications since its full introduction in 1992. These changes were largely driven by vocal opponents of this educational reform. In this paper we give voice to teachers charged with implementing the curriculum and assessment directives of the VCE. Specifically, we draw on the experiences of close to 500 senior mathematics teachers – through interview and survey data - to consider the impact on them of the evolution of the VCE

Mathematics, computers in mathematics, and gender: public perceptions in context

In Australia, national tests of mathematics achievement continue showing small but consistent gender differences in favor of boys. Societal views and pressures are among the factors invoked to explain such subtle but persistent differences. In this paper we focus directly on the beliefs of the general public about students’ learning of mathematics and the role played by computers, and then we compare the findings with data previously gathered from students. Although many considered it inappropriate to differentiate between boys and girls, gender based stereotyping was still evident. Matemáticas, ordenadores en matemáticas y género: percepciones públicas en contexto En Australia, los test nacionales del logro matemático continúan mostrando pequeñas pero consistentes diferencias de género en favor de los chicos. Las presiones y visiones sociales están entre los factores invocados para explicar tales diferencias sutiles pero persistentes. En este trabajo nos centramos directamente en las creencias del público en general acerca del aprendizaje matemático de los estudiantes y del papel desempeñado por los ordenadores, y después comparamos las conclusiones con datos previamente obtenidos de los estudiantes. Aunque muchos consideran inapropiado diferenciar entre niños y niñas, todavía son evidentes estereotipos basados en el género.Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10481/1601

Mathematics, English and Gender Issues: Do Teachers Count?

Pedestrians were stopped in the street and asked about their views on the teaching and learning of mathematics and English for boys and girls. Many commented on the importance of teachers for both subject areas; some respondents self-identified as teachers. In this article we present findings on the gendering of mathematics and English and the impact that teachers can have on learning outcomes in these disciplines. The data reveal that mathematics is endorsed by many as a male domain and English as a female domain, and that teachers play an influential part in the learning outcomes – achievement, future participation, and attitudes – in both disciplines

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

Matemáticas, ordenadores en matemáticas y género: percepciones públicas en contexto

In Australia, national tests of mathematics achievement continue show-ing small but consistent gender differences in favor of boys. Societal views and pressures are among the factors invoked to explain such subtle but persistent differences. In this paper we focus directly on the beliefs of the general public about students’ learning of mathematics and the role played by computers, and then we compare the findings with data previously gathered from students. Although many considered it inappropriate to differentiate between boys and girls, gender based stereotyping was still evident.En Australia, los test nacionales del logro matemático continúan mos-trando pequeñas pero consistentes diferencias de género en favor de los chicos. Las presiones y visiones sociales están entre los factores invocados para explicar tales diferencias sutiles pero persistentes. En este trabajo nos centramos directamente en las creencias del público en general acerca del aprendizaje matemático de los estudiantes y del papel desempeñado por los ordenadores, y después comparamos las conclusiones con datos previamente obtenidos de los estudiantes. Aunque muchos consideran inapropiado diferenciar entre niños y niñas, todavía son evidentes estereotipos basados en el género