Informal Australian discussion suggests that calculators are still widely regarded as devices for calculation, consistent with their naming, and are rarely recognised as potentially helpful to support students learning mathematics. In this paper, Barry Kissane explores some of the ways in which modern calculators might support students learning…

This position paper examines the phenomenon of the McNamara Fallacy to analyse flawed conceptions of "success" in mathematics learning, normalised assessment structures and their implications for mathematics education. The established presence of the McNamara Fallacy and the ramifications of this statistical fallacy provide a foundation…

The early elementary school years are widely understood to be critical to a child developing a strong foundation for future academic success. Children arrive at kindergarten from diverse settings and experiences, and not all of them are "kindergarten ready." Kindergarten readiness refers to the skills and abilities needed to succeed in…

In this paper we present statistical analyses of three textbooks used by Swedish teachers to support year one children's learning of mathematics. One, Eldorado, is authored by Swedish teachers, another, Favorit, is a Swedish adaptation of a popular Finnish series and the third, Singma, is a Swedish adaptation of a Singapore series. Data were coded…

The paper explores the relationship between the regulatory requirements to be registered to teach and the provisions to meet these requirements in the initial teacher education programs in Australia. This is part of a broader study of the regulatory requirements for music and art teachers in primary and secondary schools in Australia, and only the…

This supporting document sets out the content analysis technique and detailed findings that underly part of the research conducted for the report titled "VET for secondary school students: acquiring an array of technical and non-technical skills." That report is the first in a set of studies that aims to understand the value of…

We compared the learning from playing a linear number board game of preschoolers from middle-income backgrounds to the learning of preschoolers from low-income backgrounds. Playing this game produced greater learning by both groups than engaging in other numerical activities for the same amount of time. The benefits were present on number line…

The computer is widely recognised as a cultural tool with the potential to enhance learning, and children are considered to develop ICT skills with particular facility. However, young children still require assistance in order to gain the maximum educational benefit. This study investigates how such assistance was given to 3-6 year olds by their…

According to this author, the solution to the "phonics versus whole language" debate over the teaching of reading is balance and a focus on the needs of all students. There is similarly a need, in developing numerate young people, to focus on the teaching and learning of mathematics and mathematics skills some of the time, and on…

A systematic review of literature in the area of counting in Down syndrome was conducted to identify and analyze ability to count of children with Down syndrome. We firstly reviewed the most famous theories which have explained how typically developing children acquire counting, and then we discussed how children with Down syndrome acquire…

This paper investigates how teacher education programmes provide adequate preparation for its prospective teachers. It uses adult numeracy teacher education in the post-compulsory education sector in England as exemplar. Using findings from two research projects on adult numeracy teacher education courses, the article investigates the applications…

Background: Arithmetical skills are essential to the effective exercise of citizenship in a numerate society. How these skills are acquired, or fail to be acquired, is of great importance not only to individual children but to the organisation of formal education and its role in society. Method: The evidence on the normal and abnormal…