Carmel M. Diezmann

Supports and Concerns for Teacher Professional Growth during the Implementation of a Science Curriculum Innovation.

Internationally, considerable reform in science education is occurring which promotes constructivist philosophies and advocates constructivist-inspired pedagogical strategies that are new to many teachers. This paper reports on the supporting factors necessary for teacher professional growth and the issues of concern that were evident during one primary teachers successful implementation of a unit of work based on a draft of a new state-wide science syllabus which proposes such approaches. One researcher (CEP) provided guidance during the writing and implementation of the unit through professional development workshops complemented by ongoing collegial support. The analysis of the teachers practice reveals that professional growth required a willingness of the teacher to engage with change and modify his professional practice. The support factors for teacher growth consisted of an appropriate program of professional development, teacher understanding of the elements of the curriculum innovation, and successful experiences in implementing new approaches. In contrast, the issues of concern were: the adequacy of support for planning including the time required to understand the innovation and make changes to teaching practice; science equipment; teacher knowledge; classroom management strategies; and ways to cope with change. Understanding of these support factors and issues of concern is vital for the successful implementation of science curriculum innovations.

The Collaboration of Mathematically Gifted Students on Challenging Tasks

This study explored the collaboration of mathematically gifted children aged 11–12 years in solving complex, novel problems by examining the students preferences for collaboration in relation to the difficulty of the task being undertaken. Using a qualitative methodology, we show that there is a relationship between the complexity of the task and the extent and type of collaborative interactions in which students engaged. Collaboration was preferred only when the task was sufficiently challenging. However, in the context where collaboration was encouraged and students took advantage of working with peers, there was the development of mutual scaffolding, shared cognition, critical thinking, and the ability to discern and monitor goal states for the problems. The implications of this study for the education of mathematically gifted students are discussed.

National Numeracy Tests: A Graphic Tells a Thousand Words

Mandatory numeracy tests have become commonplace in many countries, heralding a new era in school assessment. New forms of accountability and an increased emphasis on national and international standards (and benchmarks) have the potential to reshape mathematics curricula. It is noteworthy that the mathematics items used in these tests are rich in graphics. Many of the items, for example, require students to have an understanding of information graphics (for example, maps, charts and graphs) in order to solve the tasks. This investigation classifies mathematics items in Australias inaugural national numeracy tests and considers the effect such standardised testing will have on practice. It is argued that the design of mathematics items is more likely to be a reliable indication of student performance if graphical, linguistic and contextual components are considered both in isolation and in integrated ways as essential elements of task design.

Identifying and Supporting Spatial Intelligence in Young Children

Intelligence is a concept related to behaviours that are valued in a social and cultural context. Since the establishment of formalised education for Westernised industrial society, education has focused on the development of literacy and numeracy skills and has acknowledged those areas as important in formal education. Intelligence, hence, has been valued in those who are highly literate and numerate. However, a careful analysis of highly creative people in the area of mathematics and science, and recognition of the impact of technology in an Information Age suggests that other behaviours broadly identified as spatial intelligence are significant areas of human capability. Spatial intelligence has been highlighted in recent years though the work of Howard Gardner. However, interpretations of this work have tended to emphasise the role of spatial intelligence in artistic domains and ignored the seminal contribution that spatial intelligence plays in mathematical and scientific domains. The article explores spatial intelligence in the sciences from a variety of perspectives, including a neuropsychological perspective, and uses Gardners developmental trajectory of intelligence to explore how to facilitate the development of spatial intelligence. We challenge practitioners to examine their practices in educational settings and reflect on the extent to which they provide opportunities for children to demonstrate and develop their spatial intelligence.

Catering for Mathematically Gifted Elementary Students: Learning from Challenging Tasks

Boredom is a major concern of gifted students and stems from a lack of challenge in academic tasks and a perception by these students of the limited value of the “learning” experience (Feldhusen & Kroll, 1991; Galbraith, 1985; House, 1987). Academic tasks constitute the “work” of the classroom and, ideally, provide the necessary challenge that affords learning (Doyle, 1983, 1988). A key feature of challenging tasks is their authenticity within a domain. For example, an authentic mathematical task is characterized by its complexity, the obstacle to a ready-made solution, and the need for high-level thinking and reasoning. Thus, challenging mathematical tasks for gifted students should be authentic tasks that provide opportunities for them to emulate the practices of mathematicians, though at a less-sophisticated level. Gifted elementary students recognize the fundamental relationship between the level of challenge of a task and mathematical learning.

Multimedia Resources to Bridge the Praxis Gap: Modeling Practice in Elementary Science Education

Numerous research studies have shown that science methods courses based on constructivist approaches can enhance teacher knowledge and confidence in ways that foster more positive attitudes to the teaching of science. However, a critical part of reflective practice is the opportunity to observe competent professionals practising their craft. Opportunities to observe teachers engaging in constructivist and inquiry based practices in many undergraduate programs are limited. Our goal was to make visible the pedagogical practices and assumptions of teachers through a suite of multimedia resources that provided visual examples of professional practices. In this paper, we report on the development and use of these multimedia resources. These resources incorporated interactive CDROMs, videos and websites and supplemented an instructional program that engaged learners in a range of reflective practices. Evaluation data were derived from focus group interviews with preservice teachers, from interviews with instructors and from surveys with inservice teachers. Analysis of these data supports the value of multimedia material as a vicarious learning experience; and highlights the extent that multimedia can demystify science teaching.

Supervision and scholarly writing: writing to learn—learning to write

This paper describes an action research project on postgraduate students’ scholarly writing in which I employed reflective approaches to examine and enhance my postgraduate supervisory practice. My reflections on three distinct cycles of supervision illustrate a shift in thinking about scholarly writing and an evolving understanding of how to support postgraduate students’ writing. These understandings provide the foundation for a future‐oriented fourth cycle of supervisory practice, which is characterized by three principles, namely the empowerment of students as writers, the technological context of contemporary writing, and ethical issues in writing.

Growing scholarly teachers and educational researchers: a curriculum for a Research Pathway in pre‐service teacher education

This paper advocates the development of high‐level research capability in some students in their undergraduate Bachelor of Education course. The rationale for this viewpoint is presented in relation to three questions: ‘What is educational research?’ ‘Why should universities develop high‐level research capability in some pre‐service teacher education graduates?’ and ‘What type of curriculum can support the development of high‐level research capability in some pre‐service teacher education graduates?’ The first two questions are addressed broadly. The latter question is addressed with reference to an existing Research Pathway within a Bachelor of Education course. The paper concludes with the identification of a priority issue for subsequent iterations of the Pathway and a reflection on the shift in my role as a teacher in this Pathway from ‘teacher researcher’ to ‘scholarly teacher’.

An Instrument for Assessing Primary Students' Knowledge of Information Graphics in Mathematics.

Information graphics have become increasingly important in representing, organising and analysing information in a technological age. In classroom contexts, information graphics are typically associated with graphs, maps and number lines. However, all students need to become competent with the broad range of graphics that they will encounter in mathematical situations. This paper provides a rationale for creating a test to measure students’ knowledge of graphics. This instrument can be used in mass testing and individual (in‐depth) situations. Our analysis of the utility of this instrument informs policy and practice. The results provide an appreciation of the relative difficulty of different information graphics, and provide the capacity to benchmark information about students’ knowledge of graphics. The implications for practice include the need to support the development of students’ knowledge of graphics, the existence of gender differences, the role of cross‐curriculum applications in learning about graphics, and the need to explicate the links among graphics.

Developing young children's multidigit number sense

Enrichment for mathematically gifted students in the elementary school needs to extend beyond puzzles or busywork and support the development of mathematical power through a differentiated curriculum. This article describes a series of enrichment experiences that were designed to develop young gifted childrens understanding of large numbers, which was central to their investigation of space travel. Although large numbers are not traditionally included in the mathematics curriculum for young children, the children in this group responded enthusiastically to the enrichment experiences. These experiences provided the children with an opportunity to understand the large numbers they encountered in science resource material and to develop their mathematical power.