Whilst educational goals in recent years for mathematics education are foregrounded the development of mathematical competencies, little is known about mathematics teachers' competencies. In this study, a group of practising teachers were asked to solve an algebra problem, and their solutions were analysed to determine the competencies apparent…

This paper reports on early years teachers and how often they should devote planning time to anticipating student responses in advance of the lesson. Sixty-five Foundation to Year 2 teachers (students 5-8 years of age) completed questionnaires at the beginning and end of a year-long research-based professional development program. Participants…

In mathematics education, subject matter knowledge matters! This paper reports findings from a study of relationships between teachers' understandings of content, the tasks they design and their interpretations of student thinking. A combined methods approach was used to gather multiple data sets from 64 upper primary teachers. The study found…

Research in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education suggests development of STEM competency requires effective learning environments, including the use of varied representations (e.g., visual, symbolic) and opportunities for students to make connections among them. Although such practices have been advocated in the teaching…

Information and communication technology (ICT) is an integral aspect of the current Australian Curriculum: Mathematics. The language, strategies and resources required in mathematics education today can be very different to the mathematics lessons experienced by current teachers when they themselves were at school (Sousa, 2015). Learning…

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is an emerging initiative in Australia, particularly in primary schools. This qualitative research aimed to understand Year 4 students' involvement in an integrated STEM education unit that focused on science concepts (e.g., states of matter, testing properties of materials) and…

There is growing worldwide interest in Japanese lesson study as a model for professional learning, with large-scale adaptations of lesson study taking place in many countries. This paper describes how teachers and researchers collaborated in a lesson study project carried out in three Victorian schools. It describes Japanese lesson study and the…

The problem-based learning (PBL) literature presents the shift from teacher-directed transmission models of instruction to facilitation as a challenge for PBL tutors. This article reports an in-depth thematic analysis of reflective written responses on PBL of 63 teacher education students enrolled at an Australian university. Attitudes, skills and…

A recent international study of pre-service teachers identified that proportional reasoning was problematic for pre-service teachers. Proportional reasoning is an important topic in the middle years of schooling and therefore it is critical that teachers understand this topic and can rely on their Mathematical Content Knowledge (MCK) when…

This study explores how teachers understand and translate curriculum statements into concepts that are better suited to supporting student progress with rich mathematical problem-solving tasks. We report the actions of one experienced teacher of primary mathematics in charting the sequence of concepts and processes relevant to the above issue. We…

Despite the emphasis that children should have a robust sense of number and a thorough understanding of fraction (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008), many students continue to struggle with these concepts. Booker Diagnostic Assessment Framework (Booker, 2011) can inform decision about teaching that improves students' learning outcomes.…

Fundamental for mentoring a preservice teacher is the mentor's articulation of pedagogical knowledge, which in this research draws upon specific practices, viz.: planning, timetabling lessons, preparation, teaching strategies, content knowledge, problem solving, questioning, classroom management, implementation, assessment and viewpoints for…

This paper reports on change in teachers' perceptions of important elements of their role as teachers of mathematics at the conclusion of a two-year professional learning project. Analyses of written responses to survey items indicated shifts in four categories describing important elements of their role: teaching skills, knowledge, concepts;…

To capture aspects of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) not illuminated in an earlier written survey, an interview protocol was used with 40 middle school teachers. The scenarios were intended to elicit teachers' understanding of the big ideas, ability to anticipate students' answers, and intervention strategies for the classroom. This was…

The theme of the 38th meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 38) and the 36th meeting of the North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA 36) was "Mathematics Education at the Edge." Academically, the theme provides opportunities to highlight and examine…