2017 Conference Proceedings

CLEMENTS-FOYSTER LECTURE

In Search of Mathematical Structure: Looking Back, Beneath, and Beyond – 40 Years On – Joanne Mulligan

 

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

The “M” in STEM: National Perspectives – Alan Finkel

We are Still Learning to Integrate Affect (and Mathematics) into our Research – Naomi Ingram

 

PANEL: MERGA1 to MERGA40

Progressing Along a “Road Less Travelled”: The History of School Mathematics – M.A. (Ken) Clements

Forty Years On: Mathematical Modelling in and for Education – Peter Galbraith

Mathematics Performance and Future Occupation: Are They (Still) Related? – Gilah C. Leder

“Does This Mean That Kindergarten Will Be a Remedial Year?” – Bob Perry

Forty Years of Teaching Problem Solving – Kaye Stacey

 

BETH SOUTHWELL PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS AWARD

Framing, Assessing and Developing Children’s Understanding of Time – Margaret Thomas, Doug Clarke, Andrea McDonough & Philip Clarkson

 

SYMPOSIA

Reframing Mathematical Futures: Using Learning Progressions to Support Mathematical Thinking in the Middle Years – Dianne Siemon, Lorraine Day, Max Stephens, Marj Horne, Rosemary Callingham, Jane Watson, & Rebecca Seah

Research Engagement and Impact in Mathematics Education – Merrilyn Goos, Vince Geiger, Anne Bennison, Shelley Dole, & Helen Forgasz

STEM Practices: A Reconceptualization of STEM in the Early Years – Ann Gervasoni, Tom Lowrie, Tracy Logan, Kevin Larkin, Claudette Bateup, & Caroline Kinny-Lewis

Transitions in Mathematics Education – Gail FitzSimons

STEM Professional Learning: Evaluating Secondary School Teachers’ and Students’ Experiences – Judy Anderson, Kathryn Holmes, Deborah Tully & Gaye Williams

 

RESEARCH PAPERS

The Prevalence of the Letter as Object Misconception in Junior Secondary Students – Zarina Akhtar & Vicki Steinle

Developing Interactive ICT Tools for the Teaching and Learning of Vectors at A-Level – Khemduth Singh Angateeah, Savial Thapermall, & Ravi Jawahir

The Modelling Process and Pre-Service Teacher Confidence – Taryn Axelsen, Linda Galligan, & Geoff Woolcott

Re-Examining a Framework for Teacher Identity as an Embedder-of-Numeracy – Anne Bennison

Privileging a Contextual Approach to Teaching Mathematics: A Secondary Teacher’s Perspective – Raymond Brown & Trevor Redmond

Partial Credit in Multiple-Choice Items – Joan Burfitt

How Might the Use of Apps Influence Students’ Learning Experiences? Exploring a Socio-Technological Assemblage – Nigel Calder & Carol Murphy

Entangled Modes: Social Interaction in Collaborative Problem Solving in Mathematics – Man Ching Esther Chan & David Clarke

Investigating Teachers Perceptions of Enabling and Extending Prompts – Jill Cheeseman, Ann Downton, & Sharyn Livy

The Impact of a Measurement-Focused Program on Young Children’s Number Learning – Jill Cheeseman & Yianna Pullen

Snapshots of Productive Noticing: Orchestrating Learning Experiences Using Typical Problems – Ban Heng Choy & Jaguthsing Dindyal

The Argument from Matriculation Used by Proprietors of Victorian Secondary Schools Around 1900 – M. A. (Ken) Clements & Nerida F. Ellerton

That First Step: Engaging with Mathematics and Developing Numeracy – Audrey Cooke

“Maths Inside”: A Project to Raise Interest in Mathematics – Mary Coupland, Marco Angelini, Anne Prescott, Sandy Schuck, Tapan Rai, & Carmen Lee

Mastery Learning: Improving the Model – Mary Coupland, Danica Solina, & Gregory E. Cave

The Interplay Between Pre-service Teachers’ Intentions and Enacted Mathematical Content Knowledge in the Classroom – Leah Daniel

Exploring Ways to Improve Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching with Effective Team Planning Practices – Aylie Davidson

Primary School Mathematics Leaders’ Views of their Mathematics Leadership Role – Kerryn Driscoll

Historical Perspectives on the Purposes of School Algebra – Nerida F. Ellerton, Sinan Kanbir, & M. A. (Ken) Clements

Fourth-Graders’ Meta-Questioning in Statistical Investigations – Lyn D. English, Jane M. Watson, & Noleine Fitzallen

Essential Topics for Secondary Mathematics Success: What Mathematics Teachers Think – Melinda Evans

Hypothesis of Developmental Dyscalculia and Down Syndrome: Implications for Mathematics Education – Rhonda Faragher

Gender and VCE Mathematics Subject Enrolments 2001-2015 in Co-Educational and Single-Sex Schools – Helen Forgasz & Gilah Leder

A Secondary Mathematics Teacher’s Perceptions of her Initial Attempts at Utilising Whiteboarding in her Classes – Tricia Forrester, Carolyn E. Sandison, & Sue Denny

The Development of Addition and Subtractions Strategies for Children in Kindergarten to Grade 6: Insights and Implications – Ann Gervasoni, Kerry Giumelli, & Barbara McHugh

Teaching Fractions for Understanding: Addressing Interrelated Concepts – Seyum Getenet & Rosemary Callingham

Teachers’ Understanding and Use of Mathematical Structure – Mark Gronow, Joanne Mulligan, & Michael Cavanagh

Initial Teacher Education Students’ Reasons for Using Digital Learning Objects When Teaching Mathematics – Ngārewa Hāwera, Sashi Sharma, & Noeline Wright

Peer Observation as Professional Learning about Mathematical Reasoning – Sandra Herbert & Leicha A. Bragg

Exploring Reasons Why Australian Senior Secondary Students Do Not Enrol in Higher-Level Mathematics Courses – Gregory Hine

Does (Problem-Based) Practice Always Make Proficient? – Sarah Hopkins & James Russo

Explicitly Connecting Mathematical Ideas: How Well Is It Done? – Chris Hurst & Ray Huntley

Exploring Undergraduate Mathematics Students’ Difficulties with the Proof of Subgroup’s Closure under Operation – Marios Ioannou

Is Mathematics Education Worthy? From Mathematics for Critical Citizenship to Productivity Growth – Dan Jazby

Grade 10 Students’ Mathematical Understanding and Retention in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Classroom – Premanan Juakwon & Duanghathai Katwibun

Knowledge, Beliefs, and Innovative Curriculum – Laurinda Lomas

Engaging Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers in Creating Spatially- Based Problems in a 3D Virtual Environment: A CAVE2TM Experience – Margaret Marshman, Geoff Woolcott, & Shelley Dole

Structure in the Professional Vocabulary of Middle School Mathematics Teachers in Australia – Carmel Mesiti & David Clarke

Using Coding to Promote Mathematical Thinking with Year 2 Students: Alignment with the Australian Curriculum – Jodie Miller & Kevin Larkin

Online, Anytime, Anywhere: Enacting Flipped Learning in Three Different Secondary Mathematics Classes – Tracey Muir

Learning from our Neighbours: The Value of Knowing Their Number History – Kay Owens

Generalising Fraction Structures as a Means for Engaging in Algebraic Thinking – Catherine Pearn & Max Stephens

First-Year University Students’ Difficulties with Mathematical Symbols: The Lecturer/Tutor Perspective – Robyn Pierce & Meredith Begg

11th Grade Students’ Self-Regulated Learning in a Mathematics Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Classroom – Supatpong Promsawan & Duanghathai Katwibun

Statistics Instructors’ Beliefs and Misconceptions About p-values – Robyn Reaburn

Revisiting Friedrich Froebel and his Gifts for Kindergarten: What are the Benefits for Primary Mathematics Education? – Simone Reinhold, Ann Downton, & Sharyn Livy

Perceived Changes in Teachers’ Knowledge and Practice: The Impact on Classroom Teachers from Leader Participation in Whole-School Reform of Mathematics Teaching and Learning – Anne Roche & Ann Gervasoni

Examining the Impact of Lesson Structure when Teaching with Cognitively Demanding Tasks in the Early Primary Years – James Russo & Sarah Hopkins

Pricing: Exploring the Intersection Between Values, Maths, Finance, and Entrepreneurship – Carly Sawatzki

Using Activity Theory to Understand a Mathematics Leader’s Motivations and Use of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching – Matt Sexton & Janeen Lamb

Exploring Critical Thinking in a Mathematics Problem-Based Learning Classroom – Rakkor Siriwat & Duanghathai Katwibun

10th Grade Students’ Participation in a Mathematics Problem-Based Learning Classroom – Ajaree Srikhamsuk & Duanghathai Katwibun

Examining Non-Traditional Pathway Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics – Dung Tran & Syed Javed

Indigenous Teacher Education: When Cultural Enquiry Meets Statistical Enquiry – Tony Trinick & Tamsin Meaney

Maths Anxiety: The Nature and Consequences of Shame in Mathematics Classrooms – Sue Wilson

Graphic-Rich Items within High-Stakes Tests: Indonesia National Exam (UN), PISA, and TIMSS – Destina Wahyu Winarti & Sitti Maesuri Patahuddin

Pre-Service Teachers’ and Tutors’ Perceptions about the Value of Talk Moves – Vince Wright


SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

A Developing Framework for Identifying Young Children’s Engagement with the Spatial Features of Play Spaces – Catherine McCluskey & Joanne Mulligan

A Five Question Approach to the Teaching of Mathematics – John Ley

Challenging Teacher Perceptions: Those Children will Struggle No Matter What You Do to Them – Glenda Anthony, Roberta Hunter & Jodie Hunter

Evaluating Learning Analytics of an Online System to Improve Teacher Education Students’ Numeracy Skills Development – Thuan Thai, Amanda Yeung, Timothy Perkins, Kate Hartup, & Marguerite Maher

Exploring Mathematics Pedagogy in Collaborative Teaching Environments – Bilinda Offen & Naomi Ingram

Exploring Primary Teachers’ Conceptions of Mathematical Fluency: Are We Speaking the Same Language? – Katherin Cartwright

Factors Influencing Student Selection of Senior Secondary School Mathematics Subjects – Micheal Jennings, Merrilyn Goos & Peter Adams

Fitness for Purpose of Tertiary Algebra Textbooks: An Arabic Case Study – Hassnaa Shaheed

High-Potential Mathematics Students and Their Mathematics-Related Activities Outside School – Simone Zmood

Impact of Culture in Parental Control and Mathematics Achievement of their Children – Daya Weerasinghe

Improving Mathematics Curriculum Support for Indigenous Language Speaking Students – Cris Edmonds-Wathen

Influential Factors for Effective Problem Solving Practice in Primary Mathematics Teachers – Melody McCormick

Interbreeding Paradigms in Research on Mathematics Knowing and Learning – Thorsten Scheiner & Marcia Maria Fusaro Pinto

Linguistic Obstacles to Second Language Learners’ Access to Mathematical Talk for Individualised Sense-Making – Sally-Ann Robertson & Mellony Graven

Looking Inside the Black Box of Mathematics Teacher Noticing – Ban Heng Choy & Jaguthsing Dindyal

Numeracy in Action in Family Shopping Experiences: A View from the Trolley – Amy MacDonald, Angela Fenton, & Christina Davidson

Numeracy of Undergraduate Business School Students – Chris Linsell, Brigid Casey, & Christine Smith-Han

Practitioner Inquiry: Developing Capabilities in Mathematics Teachers – Jyoti Jhagroo

South African Vocational Engineering Students’ Conceptual Understandings of Area, Surface Area, Volume, and Flow Rate Measurement: A Case Study – Pamela Vale

Student Engagement in Mathematics – Alexandra Laird & Peter Grootenboer

Student Errors in a Mathematical Literacy Examination and the Correlated English Language Features – Pamela Vale

Students’ Espoused and Enacted Theories in an Inquiry Mathematics Classroom – Generosa Leach

Students’ Reflections on Portfolio Assessment in Mathematics – Hem Chand Dayal, Bronwen Cowie, & Salanieta Bakalevu

Task Modification to Facilitate Creativity by Korean Prospective Mathematics Teachers – Kyeong-Hwa Lee

Teachers Choosing Mathematics – Inge Koch & Janine McIntosh

The Road to Transformative Healing of Mathematics Anxiety: A Case Study in Progress – Timothy Perkins

The Use of Contextual Patterning Tasks with Young Pasifika and Maori Students in New Zealand Mathematics Classrooms – Jodie Hunter & Jodie Miller

Unidoodle – Michael Jennings

Use of Social Media in Preservice Mathematics Education Courses – Paul Brown

Using Peer-Reflection to Develop Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in Year 10 Mathematics – Karen McMullen

 

ROUND TABLES

Exploring Emotional Aspects of Pre-Service Mathematics Learning Environments – Joanna Higgins

Mathematics Leadership in Primary Schools – McMaster, Bobis, & Way

Rethinking Mathematical Tasks – Ban Heng Choy & Jaguthsing Dindyal

Scaling Up and Sustaining Successful Interventions in Mathematics Teaching – Merrilyn Goos, Robin Proffitt-White, & Anne Bennison

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

Short communications are suitable for reports 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.

Abstracts are required for short communications and round tables. They must be prepared using the conference template. The abstracts will be reviewed by the Editorial Team and, if accepted, will be published in the conference proceedings. Presenters are invited to prepare a paper for distribution at the conference, but these papers will not be included in the proceedings.

Presentation of short communications – Short communications are presented by author(s) only. At least 5 minutes is to be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

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. (Formatting details and WORD template are available from the submissions). 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, 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.

Presentation of research papers – Research papers are presented by author(s) only. A maximum of 30 minutes may be used for presenting the paper, and at least 10 minutes is then used for audience questions and open discussion.

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.