SMT research and professional education

The definition of numeracy used in the Numeracy Development Project is: "To be numerate is to have the ability and inclination to use mathematics effectively - at home, at work and in the community".

Peter Hughes, Principal Lecturer in the School of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, designed the project to help teachers effect this definition by changing the focus of teaching from teacher-led procedures to student learning, using a deep number sense.

Initially the project involved teachers of years 1 to 8. Currently Peter is involved in the development of the Secondary Numeracy Project.

Peter is also involved in developments aimed at improving teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. An effective teacher of mathematics needs:

• a thorough and deep understanding of the subject matter being taught, how students are likely to learn it, and the difficulties and misunderstandings they are likely to encounter.
• to understand that algebra arises from within number.

Associate Professor Bev France has been part of a team that has established biology/biotechnology focused classroom in The Liggins Institute, a centre of excellence for medical research at The University of Auckland. School students can visit the classroom and do practical work that may not be possible in their own classrooms and, more importantly, can meet scientists who are using these techniques in their research. This project has been supported by a Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) grant.

The aims of this project are:

• To provide teachers and students with access to the Liggins biological research community.
• To develop curriculum materials based on access to these university facilities.
• To develop the potential for teachers to contextualise the resources of the Liggins Institute for their classrooms.

Bev is also completing a research report that investigates the interactions between teachers, students and scientists in the project. Her aim is to assess the impact of the classroom project on secondary students’ attitudes to science and perceptions of scientists.