Mathematics – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

Teachers Learning Mathematics: Professional development research

Introduction The issue of mathematical knowledge of teachers has been documented in New Zealand for 80 years, but no effective long-term solution has been found; indeed, the situation has worsened. For example, the 2004 New Zealand Ministry of Education Teacher Census (Ministry of Education, 2005) showed that 25 percent of secondary school mathematics teachers had no university mathematics qualification—a rise from 21 percent in 1977. This one-year research study, undertaken in 2007, aimed to investigate the development of teachers’ own mathematical knowledge for teaching. Seven secondary teachers used action research methodology to investigate, develop and evaluate some aspect of their mathematical knowledge, completing two cycles over the year. In addition, the

Mathematics: She’ll be write!

1. Introduction – Mathematics: She’ll be write! How students learn to speak, read, and write science and mathematics, and what is taking place in the classroom, laboratory, or informal learning context are critical areas for research. (Lerman, 2007, p. 756) The focus of this Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) project was to discover effective ways to develop students’ mathematical writing in te reo Māori. It was assumed that this would lead to better understanding of mathematics. The investigation was undertaken at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Koutu which caters for students from Years 0–13, many of whom are second language users of te reo Māori. It involved all the

TLRI Mathematics Enhancement Project: Professional Development Research

1. Introduction The research project on professional development reported here was conducted within the context of the Mathematics Enhancement Project. The Mathematics Enhancement Project involves the Mathematics Education Unit of the Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, working with senior mathematics teachers in low decile secondary schools in the Manukau region. It was the result of a needs analysis conducted in 1999–2000 and is an ongoing development and research endeavour that aims to enhance mathematics achievement at a time when students are making the transition from secondary school to tertiary education. The project works at the student level, at the teacher level, and at the school and parent community level. The