NZMS Education Group

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-draft-english-and-maths-curriculums/IUZYFFYIABBM7H43TRJZQKSZ4Q/

Should a 5-year-old be able to count to 10 and accurately describe shapes? A big change is that both curriculums specify what children should be learning each year.

From the President of the New Zealand Mathematical Society

Here come the sums From the University of Auckland – Opinion: Education theory tends to be polarising, but one thing we should all agree on is that we need to move beyond political blame and focus on solutions.

Applications are warmly invited for the Kalman Teacher Excellence Prizes for 2024 for Mathematics and Statistics teachers. There are 6+ prizes of $5000 each to be won, and are open to primary, intermediate and secondary school teachers of mathematics and/or statistics in Aotearoa New Zealand. Applications are due Friday September 6, 2024. Please see the application form for more details, or visit the website below:

Kalman Charitable Trust prizes and fellowships - The University of Auckland The Margaret and John Kalman Charitable Trust offer Teacher Excellence Prizes and Fellowships each year to secondary school mathematics teachers.

Huge progress in Victoria, Australia, towards adopting explicit instruction in maths and structured literacy in reading. This initiative is led by Ben Carroll, a Labour MP. It's encouraging to see the left prioritising the science of learning over wishful thinking. Let's continue to keep politics out of education.

‘The evidence is clear’: Vic Govt commits to explicit instruction and structured literacy For some time Australia’s ‘education state’ has come under fire for its lack of commitment to drive evidence-based teaching practice at scale, but today Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll has announced ‘the evidence is in’, unveiling a plan to embed explicit instruction and structure...

The debate over the merits of explicit teaching vs inquiry-based learning is intensifying in Australia, and EducationHQ has been diligent in covering this ongoing discussion. A recent article reported: "A string of academics have come out in force to warn against a push by the NSW Department of Education for explicit teaching across all schools". However, one of our members was taken aback by statements from Mathematics Education researchers advocating for inquiry-based learning while challenging explicit teaching approaches with claims such as, "Those advocating for explicit instruction fail to acknowledge that the literature does not support its effectiveness in mathematics education." This statement from Assoc Prof Jill Brown from Deakin University is problematic for several reasons: it assumes the role of a spokesperson for the entire field ignoring the natural debate that is expected in a research field - it should not be an ideology. Second, it attempts to build a fence around what Maths Education is and is not - another sign of an ideology-building attempt to replace a research field. It is good to see that these statements by Prof Jill Brown have since been retracted. It has been replaced by let's-meet-in-the-middle kind of statements: "A pushback is critical – explicit teaching is not a magic bullet, nor should it be the single pedagogy in any classroom”. Those trying to find a middle ground fail to understand that there can't be a middle ground in the following aspect of teaching: as a teacher, you either think that explaining new maths concepts is beneficial for student learning or you think that it is best to minimise your explanations so that students discover 'new-to-them' mathematics. Redirecting the debate towards other stages of learning, such as reinforcing knowledge through challenging (inquiry-based) tasks sidesteps the core issue. The debate is about a specific aspect of teaching - when the new maths is introduced: are teacher explanations of new maths beneficial or not? Here is a new EducationHQ article based on an interview with one of us:

‘We need to go back to teacher-led explicit instruction’: maths expert When Dr Tanya Evans, head of the Mathematics Education Unit at the University of Auckland, first came across inquiry-based learning, she admits for a moment she was sold.

The academic debate on mathematics education has just intensified in NZ. Check out Dr Lisa Darragh's counter op-ed on a previous op-ed by one of our members, Tanya Evans. We invite your comments

Maths education more than just test scores Opinion: Teaching maths shouldn't be about getting bragging rights for high marks in international tests – that could contribute to students losing interest in mathematics altogether

Excited to share our new paper published, coauthored with my amazing summer research scholar Alice Smith. It is Open Access at https://doi.org/10.1007/s40841-024-00320-y
Using the TIMSS 2019 data set, we analysed gender-segregation effects on maths and science performance in New Zealand high schools (Year 9). We found that girls at low-decile single-gender schools are performing significantly better than their counterparts in co-ed schools with a large effect size. The effect size at mid-decile was close to small, and the high-decile effect was trivial. This contradicts much of the international evidence. We examine potential factors setting apart girls-only schools to provide an explanation of our results: (1) a mitigated influence of gender socialisation practices and stereotype threat and (2) explicit messaging aimed at challenging stereotypes and empowering girls to actively engage in STEM fields.

Gender Gap in STEM Pathways: The Role of Gender-Segregated Schooling in Mathematics and Science Performance - New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies According to the World Economic Forum, the occupational gender gap with men dominating well-remunerated STEM careers is a key factor in the gender pay gap. However, the problem of underrepresentation of women in STEM fields is mitigated or reversed in some Eastern European and Islamic countries. Thi...

Just out

Maths teaching fails pupils by ignoring cognitive science findings From the University of Auckland: We have to prioritise the science of learning over political expediency, to revitalise the mathematics curriculum and its teaching, argues Dr Tanya Evans

The NZARE Quantitative Studies in Education SIG is hosting an Expert Panel Discussion on Quantitative Research in the Aotearoa New Zealand Education Sector on Wednesday, October 4, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. (This is a free event hosted on Zoom.)

What: Data Down Under: an expert panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities for quantitative research in Aotearoa New Zealand. Topics will include tensions/challenges within the field, future directions, strategies to foster change, community engagement, and policy/practice.

This is an opportunity to hear from leading voices in the field and engage in a meaningful dialogue about the future of quantitative research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Who: Esteemed panel members, comprising experts in the field of quantitative research in the Aotearoa New Zealand education sector, will share their insights around the topics above.

• Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow, New Zealand Initiative.
• Professor Stuart McNaughton, University of Auckland, Officer of NZ Order of Merit.
• Agate Ponder-Sutton, Chief Data Scientist at the Ministry of Education.

This event is open to all educational researchers, policymakers, and educators/school leaders of quantitative research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Why attend:
Expert Insights: Gain knowledge from leading experts in quantitative research.
Stay Updated: Learn about the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field.
Community Building: Be a part of a community that values research and its impact on education and policy.
Influence the Dialogue: Contribute to a pivotal conversation that will shape the direction of quantitative research in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Register here:
https://nzare.org.nz/caucuses-and-sigs/quantitative-studies-in-education/data-down-under
(A Zoom link will be sent to you after the registration).

Data Down Under - » NZARE This is a free event hosted on Zoom. Attendees must register for the event.An Expert Panel Discussion on Quantitative Research in the Aotearoa New Zealand Education Sector. This event is hosted by the NZARE Quantitative Studies in Education Special Interest Group (SIG)

New Zealand Mathematical Society's Response to the Draft of the Common Practice Model (Ministry of Education) Formal feedback on the first draft of the Common Practice Model published by the Ministry of Education in March 2023

From the President of the NZ Mathematical Society, Dr Melissa Tacy

How higher maths can help with your mortgage The more that students study maths to a higher level, the better for society. No financial literacy course can replace understanding the fundamental mathematical concepts, argues Melissa Tacy

Te reo matatini me pāngarau, literacy & communication and maths strategies released Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education has developed Hei Raukura Mō te Mokopuna to support learners by strengthening Te Reo Matatini me Pāngarau across reo Māori education pathways, and it has also released the Literacy & Communication and Maths Strategy.