This study examined changes in beliefs and confidence of 24 pre-service mathematics teachers after they participated in professional learning in an algebra pedagogy course, which addressed an under-researched area about their domain-specific beliefs in teaching algebra. A single-group pretest-posttest design was adopted. Quantitative data were…

School leaders employ various school-based actions to influence students' subject enrolments at senior secondary levels (Years 11 and 12), which in turn affect students' entrance into tertiary courses and career choices. In the context of reported declines in the proportion of students opting to study higher-level mathematics, this qualitative…

The levels of engagement in mathematics experienced by students during the middle years of schooling (Years 5 to 8 in New South Wales) has been of concern in Australia for some years. Lowered engagement in school has been attributed to factors such as inappropriate teaching strategies, curricula that is unchallenging and irrelevant, and cultural…

In Australia, concerns about the quality of mathematics education that students experience are particularly salient in rural schools. These schools typically report great difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified teachers of mathematics. Teachers in non-metropolitan locations may also experience professional isolation if they have limited…

Students' mathematical lives are characterized not only by a set of mathematical ideas and the engagement in mathematical thinking, but also by social relations, specifically, relations of authority. Watching student actions and speaking to students, one becomes cognizant of a "web of authority" ever present in mathematics classrooms. In…

There has been a broad wave of change in tertiary calculus courses in the past decade. However, the much-needed change in tertiary pre-calculus programmes--aimed at bridging the gap between high-school mathematics and tertiary mathematics--is happening at a far slower pace. Following a discussion on the nature of the gap and the objectives of a…

Teacher quality has become a national policy concern in the US, especially in mathematics. This study provides insights into the conceptualisation of high quality mathematics teaching from the perspective of approximately 750 students in grades nine through twelve. Results from Rasch analysis yield information about the quality of the "Mathematics…

The findings of a study that examined the connection between the beliefs of secondary mathematics teachers and their classroom practices are reported in this article. Classroom practice was defined in terms of the extent to which classroom environments could be characterised as constructivist. Cluster analysis was used to group teachers according…

Recent immigrants to Australia from non-English-speaking countries have experienced difficulties in mathematics methods courses. Reports survey results on how these students perceive their problems and how they think courses could be adapted to meet their needs. (MDH)

Discusses the development of a mathematics attitude model guided by the analysis of mathematical life-history interviews, Vygotsky's developmental theories, and research on attitudes toward mathematics. Explores implications for curriculum planning and development. (Contains 36 references.) (MDH)

Reports on research using a convenient questionnaire designed to allow mathematics teachers to assess teacher-student interpersonal behavior in their classrooms. Describes how mathematics teachers can and have used the questionnaire to assess perceptions of their own teacher-student interpersonal behavior, and how they have used such assessments…