Accelerated Learning in Mathematics

Fiona Fox & Komathi Kolandai-Matchett

What is acceleration and how do we achieve it? Effective classroom pedagogy occurs in classrooms where the teacher has evidence of accelerating the progress of priority group learners. Accelerated Learning in Mathematics (ALiM) is a national intervention introduced in New Zealand in 2010 aimed at accelerating the learning of those students below and well-below national expectations. It focuses on the expertise within the school to evaluate the effectiveness of current practices that support accelerated mathematics learning and to closely monitor the impact of a 10 -15 week intervention for a small group of students. The attention is on supporting teachers and schools to inquire into how an effective teacher provides a short and intensive supplementary programme alongside their classroom programme to accelerate progress. The key themes for teaching are accelerated learning; pedagogical response to individual learning strengths and needs; carefully designed mathematics task in response to identity, language and culture; genuine engagement with parents and family; collaborative inquiry; and high levels of teacher reflective practice. In this round table presentation we will present findings from schools who participated in this intervention in 2012. We will examine the main focus for teaching these students and the impact this intervention had on the rest of the school. We will look at how these schools engaged the parent/family and what effect this had on the rate of acceleration. Finally we will analyse to what extent the teachers were engaged into inquiring into their own teaching practice and to what extent this impacted on the learning of the students.

Reviewing of research papers

Research papers will be blind reviewed by a panel of peers approved by the conference committee. The main purpose of the refereeing process is to contribute to the growth and development of quality practice in mathematics education research. Thus reviewers are asked to assist authors by providing helpful feedback and to comment on the suitability of papers for presentation at the conference. Accordingly, it will not be assumed that published papers presented at the conference will be as polished as articles in scholarly journals. Referees will be asked to assess papers being reviewed against the accepted norms for scholarly works presented at MERGA conferences, as set out above.

Each conference proceedings’ Editorial Team will exercise discretion over the reviewing process.

Reviewers’ comments will be returned to the authors. Authors whose papers are not accepted for publication may be invited by the editorial panel to present their paper at the conference, with an abstract (only) being published in the proceedings. Papers may be rejected outright, with no opportunity for presentation at the conference in an alternative form.

The MERGA website has detailed advice about criteria for reviewing of MERGA papers, review forms, and examples of strong and poor reviews of different types.

Accelerated Learning in Mathematics

Accelerated Learning in Mathematics

Short Communications

Presentation of short communications

Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award

Recent Winners

Applying for entry into the BSPIA

Judging of the BSPIA

History of the Award

Research Papers

Research papers can take two major forms:

i. Empirical investigations

ii. Theoretical or position papers

Originality

Reviewing of research papers

Presentation of research papers

Research Symposia

Early Career Research Award

Recent Winners

Applying for the Award

Early Bird Review Process