MERGA

2006 Conference Proceedings

2006 Conference Proceedings

2006 Full Conference Proceedings

TABLE OF CONTENTS

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Creating Learning Spaces – Merrilyn Goos

New Directions for Research on Mathematical Problem Solving – Richard Lesh

 

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS AWARD

To heal and enthuse: Developmental bibliotherapy and pre-service primary teachers’ reflections on learning and teaching mathematics – Sue Wilson and Steve Thornton

 

SYMPOSIA

Becoming a teacher of mathematics: Wenger’s social theory of learning perspective – Tracey Smith

Bringing feminist poststructuralism to bear on [mathematics] teacher education – Will Letts

Researching Identity in Mathematics Education: The Lay of the Land – Peter Grootenboer, Tracey Smith and Tom Lowrie

Teacher Identity from a Bourdieuian Perspective – Robyn Zevenbergen

 

RESEARCH PAPERS

Game Playing to Develop Mental Computation: A Case Study – Paula Asplin, Sandra Frid and Len Sparrow

Grade12 Mathematics Teachers’ Views on Curriculum Reform in New South Wales – Paul Ayres and John McCormick

Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Primary Mathematics: A Case Study of Two Teachers – Monica Baker and Helen Chick

Teachers’ Confidence and Beliefs and their Students’ Attitudes to Mathematics – Kim Beswick, Jane Watson and Natalie Brown

Investigating Parental Roles of Mathematically Gifted Students – Brenda Bicknell

Authentic Learning in a Year 8 Classroom – Kathy Blum

Reform-Oriented Teaching Practices and the Influence of School Context – Janette Bobis and Judy Anderson

Transforming Practice: Using Collective Argumentation to bring about Teacher Change in a Year 7 Mathematics Classroom – Raymond Brown and Peter Renshaw

Identifying At-Risk Students: Is it Possible in a Tertiary Preparation Course for Adults?– Colin Carmichael, Peter Dunn and Janet Taylor

Mathematics Teachers and Working Mathematically: Responses to Curriculum Change – Michael Cavanagh

Examining the Changed Role of Numeracy Coordinators – Jill Cheeseman and Doug Clarke

The Numeracy Journey: How Long Does it Take to get on Board? – Linda Cheeseman

Probing Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Lessons from the Case of the Subtraction Algorithm – Helen L. Chick, Thuy Pham and Monica K. Baker

Historical Perspectives on Mathematical Elegance: To What Extent is Mathematical Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder? – Ken Clements and Nerida Ellerton

Many Dimensions: the Complex Picture of Student Encounters with a Computer Algebra System – Mary Coupland and Kate Crawford

The Leaving Certificate in New South Wales from 1939 to 1962 – Stephen Curtis

Primary Students’ Knowledge of and Errors on Number Lines – Carmel M. Diezmann and Tom Lowrie

The Singaporean Mathematics Curriculum: Connections to TIMSS – Jaguthsing Dindyal

Organisational Structure for Mathematical Modelling – Katherine Doyle

Introducing Young Children to Complex Systems through Modelling – Lyn English

A Model of Students’ Statistical Thinking and Reasoning about Graphs in an ICT Environment – Noleine Fitzallen

Australian year 12 “Intermediate” level mathematics enrolments 2000-2004: Trends and patterns – Helen J. Forgasz

A Justification for Mathematical Modelling Experiences in the Preparatory Classroom – Jillian Fox

Real World Problems: Developing Principles of Design – Peter Galbraith

Identifying Key Transition Activities for Enhanced Engagement in Mathematical Modelling – Peter Galbraith, Gloria Stillman and Jill Brown

Standing on the Outside: A Tale of How Technology Can Engage Those Working on the Margins of a Community of Inquiry – Vince Geiger

Living in the Gap: A Tale of Two Different Types of Researchers – Vince Geiger and Merrilyn Goos

One-Third is Three-Quarters of One-Half – Peter Gould, Lynne Outhred and Michael Mitchelmore

Mathematics Educators: Identity, Beliefs, Roles and Ethical Dilemmas – Peter Grootenboer

The Role of Abstraction in Learning about Rates of Change – Ibrahim Hassan and Michael Mitchelmore

Maori Preservice Primary Teachers’ Responses to Mathematics Investigations – Ngarewa Hawera

Issues in Teaching Mathematics to Aboriginal Students – Peter Howard and Bob Perry

Students in a Mathematical Community of Inquiry: What do They Think? – Jodie Hunter

Structuring the Talk Towards Mathematical Inquiry – Roberta Hunter

The Development of a Community of Practice and its Connection with Mentoring in Low Socio-Economic Secondary Schools in New Zealand – Barbara Kensington-Miller

What to Leave Out When Preservice Mathematics Education goes from Four Years to One: A Poststructural Account – Mary Klein

Catering for Individual Differences: Lessons Learnt from the Australian Mathematics Competition – Gilah C. Leder

Departing from the Traditional Long Division Algorithm: An Experimental Study – Issic Leung, Regina Wong and Wai-sum Pang

In the Hands of the Learner: The Impact of Self-Assessment on Teacher Education – Sandi Tait-McCutcheon and Brenda Sherley

Emerging Issues in the Investigation of the Construct of Partitive Quotient – Lucas McGee, Lisa Kervin and Mohan Chinnappan

What does Effective Teaching for Numeracy Look Like? The Design of an Observation Schedule – Tracey Muir

Improving Early Numeracy Through a Pattern and Structure Mathematics Awareness Program (PASMAP) – Joanne Mulligan, Marina Papic, Anne Prescott and Mike Mitchelmore

Building Powerful Understanding by Connecting Informal and Formal Knowledge – Trish O’Toole

‘Is that right?’: Asking questions and appealing for help in mathematics – Angela Page

Using the Internet in Teaching Mathematics in Primary School – Sitti Maesuri Patahuddin and Shelley Dole

Linking Powerful Mathematical Ideas and Developmental Learning Outcomes in Early Childhood Mathematics – Bob Perry, Sue Dockett, Elspeth Harley and Nicole Hentschke

The Notion of Carried-Number, between the History of Calculating Instruments and Arithmetic – Caroline Poisard

An Investigation of Pre-service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Beliefs as They Begin Their Teacher Training – Anne Prescott and Michael Cavanagh

Promoting Change in Teacher Practices: Investigating Factors which Contribute to Sustainability – Ruth Pritchard and Fiona McDiarmid

The VideoPaper: Issues in Implementation of a Multimedia Tool for Professional Self-Dialogue and Communication in Mathematics Education – Robin Rider and Robert Hunting

Mathematical Teacher Professional Development Incorporating an External Critical Friend – Pauline Rogers

Unpacking the Rules of Class Discussion: Young Children Learning Mathematics within a Community of Inquiry – Abigail Sawyer

Self-Study Through Narrative Inquiry: Fostering Identity in Mathematics Teacher Education – Tracey Smith

Describing and Exploring the Power of Relational Thinking – Max Stephens

Student Thinking about Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors: Formal, Symbolic and Embodied Notions – Sepideh Stewart and Michael O. J. Thomas

Developing Guidelines for Teachers Helping Students Experiencing Difficulty in Learning Mathematics – Peter Sullivan, Judy Mousley and Robyn Zevenbergen

Moving into Third Space: High School Students’ Funds of Knowledge in the Mathematics Classroom – Steve Thornton

Equity and Technology: A Case Study – Colleen Vale

Scaffolding Numeracy: Pre-service Teachers’ Perspective – Irina Verenikina and Mohan Chinnappan

Classroom Arrangements That Benefit Students – Margaret Walshaw and Glenda Anthony

Supporting Learning in Early Algebra: A Model of Professional Learning – Elizabeth Warren

Teacher Professional Development in Patterns and Algebra: Being Sensitive to a Teacher’s Zone of Proximal Development – Elizabeth Warren, Tom Cooper and Janeen Lamb

Teachers’ Knowledge of their Students as Learners and How to Intervene – Jane Watson, Kim Beswick and Natalie Brown

Spreadsheets in Year 5 Chance and Data: A Professional Development Experience – Anne Williams

Student-Engineered ‘Space to Think’ – Gaye Williams

Cognitive and Metacognitive Aspects of Mathematical Problem Solving: An Emerging Model – Asmamaw Yimer and Nerida F. Ellerton

Students’ Perspectives on the Nature of Mathematics – Jenny Young-Loveridge, Merilyn Taylor, Sashi Sharma and Ngarewa Hawera

Using ICTs to Support Numeracy Learning Across Diverse Settings – Robyn Zevenbergen and Steve Lerman

 

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

Breaking the Cycle: Maths Anxiety and Pre-service Primary Student Teachers – Gillian Frankcom

Developing Identity as a Mathematical Thinker – Kay Owens

Engagement of Boys in Middle School Mathematics – Beth Southwell and Catherine Attard

Frameworks: Climbing Aids or Entrapments? – Vince Wright and Jenny Young-Loveridge

If You Don’t Listen to the Teacher, You Won’t Know What to Do – Pamela Perger

Inaccurate Mental Computation: Identifying Flawed Thinking – Ann M. Heirdsfield and Janeen T. Lamb

Primary Pre-service Teachers’ Understanding of Place Value – Romina Jamieson-Proctor

Teacher Misconceptions about Projectile Motion – Anne Prescott and Michael Mitchelmore

The Initial Professional Development of Teachers Learning to Use a Framework for Determining Students’ Strategic Thinking – Peter Hughes

Understanding mathematics anxiety in a New Zealand secondary classroom – Naomi Ingram

 

ROUND TABLES

Approaches for Teaching the Division of Fractions – Leyton Walker

Keeping it Going: Challenges in Sustaining Numeracy Practice – Deborah Gibbs and Marilyn Holmes

Non-specialist teachers of mathematics: Pedagogical challenges in the Middle Years of Schooling – Barbara Tadich

The use of hand-held technology in the learning of statistical concepts – Derek Smith

Short Communications & Round Tables

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a short communication or round table to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the abstracts which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
  • MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the abstract submission

Submissions not exceeding one page are required for short communications and round tables. The submissions must be prepared using the conference template, and can include essential references. They will be reviewed by the Editorial Team and, if accepted, will be published in the conference proceedings as one-page abstracts (not as papers). Presenters are invited to prepare a paper for distribution at the conference, but these papers will not be included in the proceedings.

Short communications are suitable for reports on research in mathematics education that do not fully meet the requirements for published papers. These might include works in preliminary stages, reports of pilot projects, initial reviews of literature, ideas or suggestions for future study, and briefer discussions of particular issues. Short communications allow new researchers to obtain feedback on projects in a constructive and supportive environment, and foster the building of links between researchers with similar interests.

Short communications are presented by author(s) only, allocated half of the time for research reports (in past, this was 20 minutes). At least 5 minutes is to be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

Round tables are suitable for presenters seeking involved interaction with the audience in relation to their research or topic of interest in mathematics education, and for those sharing their insights and advice with the early career colleagues. These might include discussion of an emerging topic, co-analysis of provided student work, solving a mathematical task, or discussing the demands and benefits of reviewing for high quality journals. Round tables allow finding peers with similar research interests, exploration of new research avenues, and building the capacity of MERGA community.

Round tables are led by author(s) only, allocated the same time as research reports (in past, this was 40 minutes). The abstracts should make clear the interactive element of the proposed activity, with no more than 15 min of the session time in a presentation mode.

Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award

The Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award (BSPIA) recognises high-quality mathematics education that produces insights for the teaching profession and/or student learning.

The award consists of $500 and a plaque to be presented at the Conference.

Nomination process 

There are two ways a paper can be nominated for the BSPIA:

  • Self-nomination: When you submit your conference paper, check the box that asks if you would like to apply for the BSPIA.
  • Nomination via peer-review: Anyone who submits a Conference paper for peer-review will be considered for nomination by the reviewers. 

Single and co-authored papers are eligible for consideration.

When you write your paper, please ensure that you observe all general paper submission requirements including the maximum page length.

Judging process

Submissions must be deemed eligible for publication in the Conference proceedings by the initial reviewing panel. Submissions accepted for presentation only will be excluded from consideration.

The judging panel will consist of two MERGA members and two AAMT nominees and will be chaired by the VP Development.

The judging criteria are:

  • Identification of a persistent and significant research problem
  • Synthesis of recent research literature and relevant policy initiatives
  • Robust methodology producing valid, reliable findings
  • Insightful discussion of practical implications for the teaching profession and/or student learning
  • Clear, succinct style of academic writing

Winners are notified four weeks prior to the Conference and are invited to present a keynote at the annual conference.

The Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award page on this website provides further information, including the history of the award and recent winners.  

Research Papers

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a research paper to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
  • MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission

Research papers can take two major forms: 

1. Reports of empirical investigations 

When empirical investigations are reported (such as in an experimental intervention, confirmatory study, or action research, etc.), the paper should also include

  • a statement of rationale for methodologies used in collecting and analysing data;
  • a critical discussion of data findings in the light of the research literature; and
  • in the literature review, prior work in the area should be acknowledged and an explanation of how the work reported in the paper builds on that earlier work should be included.

2. Reports that are not based on empirical research including:

  • a theoretical discussion;
  • a position paper;
  • a report of scholarly enquiry in progress;
  • a literature review, a meta-study;
  • an account of a new initiative;
  • a reflective critique of practice; or
  • any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms.

When the work is a theoretical discussion, a position paper, a report of scholarly inquiry in progress, a review of literature, a theoretical study, a meta-study, an account of a new initiative, a reflective critique of practice or any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms, the material presented must be discussed critically, and alternative points of view relating to themes presented should be appropriately argued.
It is expected that presenting authors will have 40 minutes to present their work at the conference. At least 10 minutes must be allowed to field questions and comments from the audience.

Structure of research papers – All papers for publication in the conference proceedings should contain the following:

  • a statement of the problem/issue and a discussion of its significance;
  • a critical analysis of the research literature as it relates to the topic of the paper; and
  • conclusions and implications for mathematics education derived from the study.

All papers must respect MERGA’s ethical guidelines relating to research work. Papers should not be more than the set length. In addition, papers must be: readable; free of grammatical, spelling and typographical errors; and adhere strictly to style requirements advertised by the conference proceedings Editorial Team.

Originality – Only research papers that are substantially different from work that has been published previously will be considered for publication in the conference proceedings and/or presentation at the conference.

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 as a Short Communication, with a 1-page abstract (which they will be invited to provide) being published in the proceedings. Papers may be rejected outright, with no opportunity for presentation at the conference in an alternative form.

Research Symposia

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a research symposium to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template (to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website)
  • MERGA Publication Agreement (to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission)

Presentation of groups of published papers related by theme in the form of a research symposium is encouraged. The symposium forum will be particularly suitable for presentations relating to a single large project or presentations that explore topical themes from different and/or related perspectives. Special Interest Groups [SIGs] are encouraged to consider the symposium option as a means for sharing and discussing current research.

A symposium should consist of no more than four presentations of about 15 minutes duration each. The written papers should be half the length of research papers as described for research papers. Both research report types – empirical or non-empirical – are acceptable as published symposium papers.

A brief overview of the symposium (limit one page), including a symposium title, an introduction to the theme/project, and a short introduction to each of the 3-4 contributions, must be submitted with the set of short papers. Please list the symposium convenors as the authors on the first page, and name the paper authors in the text description.

The symposium proposer will also nominate a person to chair the symposium, and a discussant can also be named if desired. This information should accompany the collection of papers submitted for review.

The set of symposium papers (and the overview) will be blind reviewed by a review panel. The main purpose of the reviews is the same as for published papers, and the same criteria are used. The reviewers will be asked to consider the cohesiveness of the set of symposium papers. They will indicate whether the symposium as a whole, and each paper within it, should be “accepted”, “rejected” or if it “requires revision”. If it is deemed that one, some or all of the papers are in need of revision, the reviewers will outline which papers need to be revised and provide suggestions for the required changes. When the revisions are made, the symposium papers will be re-submitted and the set of papers will be sent to the same review panel for further consideration. As with research papers, the final decision about which symposium papers will be published is at the discretion of the Editorial Team.

The date for submission of the collection of symposium papers is the same as for Early Bird papers. This date has been set for the benefit of the group of authors of symposia papers. Should the symposium papers require revision, the authors will have the time to make the corrections and resubmit the set of symposium papers to be re-reviewed by the original reviewers.

Presentation of symposia: Symposia are presented by author(s) only, usually within a 90 min block. At least 10 minutes must be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

Early Career Research Award

In order to encourage new researchers in mathematics education, MERGA sponsors an award to an author in the early part of her/his career. The award, for excellence in writing and presenting a piece of mathematics education research, consists of a plaque and a prize of $500 and is presented at the annual conference. 

Applying for the award

Entry for the Early Career Research Award is by submission of a written paper for presentation at the conference through the Early Bird process. Conditions of eligibility, information about the judging process, and the criteria judges will observe are indicated below. If you are applying for the Early Career Research Award, please ensure that when you upload your paper on the conference website, you also send an email to the Conference Secretariat indicating that you are an entrant for the Early Career Research Award. Note that at some MERGA conferences there is also a form to complete or a box to tick on the registration form, so check the conference website carefully. Please note that co-authored papers ARE NOT eligible for entry into the Early Career Research Award, nor are Round Table or Symposium papers.

Rules and eligibility for the Early Career Award

The Early Career Research Award page on this website provides further information about this award, including a list of recent winners.

Early Bird Review Process

The Early Bird review process is a form of mentoring, principally for new researchers. However, anyone is eligible to make use of it. Research papers submitted through the Early Bird process must be received by the Early Bird due date (i.e., the closing date in January). They must meet the requirements as set out for MERGA Research Papers. Early Bird papers should be uploaded following a link on the conference website. Authors will be asked to create a login into Oxford Abstracts (our conference management system) and submit the blinded file (anonymised) in the correct template for review.

Early Bird papers undergo a double-blind MERGA reviewing process. There are three possible outcomes of the review, and actions the authors need to follow.

  1. When the paper is accepted (for presentation at the conference and publication in the proceedings), the authors will be asked to provide their full unblinded manuscript and publication agreement.
  2. When small revisions are required, the revised papers will need to be resubmitted by the main submission deadline in March. The changes are considered by the editors, and the papers are not usually sent out for review again. The editors decide whether the paper is accepted for publication as well as presentation at the conference.
  3. When more major revisions are required, the reviewers will provide the author/s with feedback on how to how to strengthen the paper. The paper will need to be resubmitted by the main submission deadline in March, and it will be sent out for a new double-blind review.

Authors are notified of the outcome as soon as possible (usually within a few weeks, and in time for resubmission). Letters are sent to authors to indicate (a) accepted for publication, (b) small revisions required, (c) or major rewriting required.