Glyn Mather

Is there Life after Modelling? Student Conceptions of Mathematics

We have been investigating university student conceptions of mathematics over a number of years, with the goal of enhancing student learning and professional development. We developed an open-ended survey of three questions, on “What is mathematics” and two questions about the role of mathematics in the students’ future. This questionnaire was completed by 1,200 undergraduate students of mathematics in Australia, the UK, Canada, South Africa, and Brunei. The sample included students ranging from those majoring in mathematics to those taking only one or two modules in mathematics. Responses were analysed starting from a previously-developed phenomenographic framework that required only minor modification, leading to an outcome space of four levels of conceptions about mathematics. We found that for many students modelling is fundamental to their conception of “What is mathematics?”. In a small number of students, we identified a broader conception of mathematics, that we have labelledLife. This describes a view of mathematics as a way of thinking about reality and as an integral part of life, and represents an ideal aim for university mathematics education.

Business graduate skills in sustainability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review research and strategies in Australian business education that aim to foster graduate capabilities in sustainability concepts and practices, also to present a case study of teaching practice along with ideas for future development.Design/methodology/approach – The authors report on a research project by seven Australian universities, with financial support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), on how to develop and grade graduate capabilities with sustainability identified as a core graduate skill. An example is presented from the Faculty of Business and Economics of a strategy in action – the use of a case study (centred on sustainability practices at the university) to enhance the skills of merit scholars.Findings – Corporate social responsibility is a well‐established concept in business management theory, with sustainability principles emerging as a core feature. In the higher education sector, the spirit may be willing, but training ...

Creating examinations for a linguistically and culturally diverse student cohort

Assessments have a significant influence on what and how students learn. While there has been debate as to the merits of examinations as an assessment tool, they will form a major component of assessment in many disciplines for the foreseeable future. To ensure examinations fulfil the dual roles of an assessment tool and motivation for student learning, we undertook a linguistic analysis of examination papers. This research enabled us to develop a guide to creating examination papers with an emphasis on the wording of questions. In particular, our concern is the creation of examinations that are relevant to the learning outcomes and easily understood by a linguistically and culturally diverse student cohort. In this paper, we present the outcomes of the analysis and guidance for implementing change.