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Recognising that there is now a globalised educational discourse about “failing boys” circulating in the privileged nations of the global north, this article provides a comparative perspective on educational policy responses to the “boy turn” in Australia and Iceland. Specificities of the responses to the boy turn in the two societies offer interesting insights into this policy domain. For instance, Australian policy has been state-centric with the media playing a significant role in backlash politics and with federal government funding interventions for boys, and Iceland was the only nation in which girls outperformed boys in all areas of mathematics in the PISA 2003 study. The article concludes by arguing the need for a renewed feminist and profeminist agenda to challenge dominant constructions of masculinity and for the establishment of a more equal gender order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning support in mathematics and statistics has arisen and developed in response to student needs in many universities. After discussing background to such support, this article gives a brief overview of learning support in mathematics and statistics in Australian universities as found in an Australian Learning and Teaching Council project and of the provision in Queensland University of Technology. Qualitative and quantitative data on student usage and student progression are discussed. Analysis of data for students studying mathematics and statistics contributes to growing evidence that such learning support is fulfilling needs across the range of student capabilities, including students choosing mathematics degree programs. The article closes with discussion of the contribution of learning support in the spectrum of learning in mathematics and statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent international studies have highlighted the success of students from Hong Kong in mathematics and problem-solving, and have begun to suggest some of the factors associated with this success. Other studies have suggested that Hong Kong students are averse to risk-taking, favouring memorisation and imitation in their solution strategies. Year 5 students in Hong Kong and Australia were given mathematics assessments of different types: orally presented mental computation problems, and a performance task that was undertaken in normal classroom conditions. Observations of the students' approaches to these tasks in the classroom and analyses of their responses revealed similarities and differences between the two countries. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of the curriculum diversity and differences in metacognitive skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews "problem solving" in mathematics in Australia and how it has evolved in recent years. In particular, problem solving is examined from the perspectives of research, curricula and instructional practice, and assessment. We identify three key themes underlying observed changes in the research agenda in Australia in relation to problem solving: Obliteration, Maturation and Generalisation. Within state mathematics curricula in Australia, changes in the language and construction of the curriculum and in related policy documents have subsumed problem solving within the broader category of Working Mathematically. In relation to assessment, research in Australia has demonstrated the need for alignment of curriculum, instruction and assessment, particularly in the case of complex performances such as mathematical problem solving. Within the category of Working Mathematically, recent Australian curriculum documents appear to accept an obligation to provide both standards for mathematical problem solving and student work samples that illustrate such complex performances and how they might be assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the continued gender imbalance in mathematics participation in senior high, which has implications for adolescents' future careers. It confirms persisting greater male participation in maths-related educational and occupational choices among this sample of Australian youth. Gendered course-taking in maths, along with participation intentions for maths-related careers, were explained using the Expectancy–Value framework of Eccles and colleagues (Eccles (Parsons) et al., 1983; Wigfield & Eccles, 2000). The influences of maths-related self-perceptions, intrinsic and utility values, and perceived task difficulty were assessed using longitudinal data from a sample of 442 adolescents spanning Grades 9 through 11 in Sydney, Australia. Gendered maths-related self-perceptions and intrinsic values were the major influences on gendered educational participation in senior high maths, which subsequently predicted maths-related career aspirations—over and above prior mathematical achievement. Utility value showed a curvilinear relationship with maths-related occupational intentions moderated by gender, whereby girls with the highest utility values planned for highly maths-related careers, while boys with mid through high utility values planned similarly highly maths-related careers. Recommendations focus on ways to enhance participation in maths, especially for girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we provide an understanding of the term numeracy as it is used in Australia and a description of numeracy education in this country. In particular, we discuss the role of outcomes-based curriculum frameworks and outline the dominant teaching approaches. The focus is on students with learning difficulties and how they are identified and supported in schools. We create two vignettes based on real students with difficulties in numeracy, which highlight two of the most common problems. We report on the prevalence of learning difficulties in numeracy in Australia and describe some of the initiatives related to the assessment and enhancement of learning in numeracy that are being undertaken in various states in Australia. Finally, we identify some of the future challenges facing the Australian education system in this area. These challenges relate to teacher knowledge, mandated assessment, and the role of parents. We conclude the article by calling for the evaluation of current assessment and intervention initiatives as well as the development of a national program to support the goal of numeracy for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the integration of science, mathematics and technology curriculums among ninth-grade students in Australian middle schools. Identification of one of the most contested areas of middle school education; Factors which influence the integration of these subjects; Methods used to collect data.

Focuses on the condition of the private schools in Australia. Increase in the enrollments of private schools; Success of state teacher unions and parents' committees with enrollment impact assessments in preventing funding of new schools or classes; Interpretation of the patterns of specialization in the humanities, the physical sciences and mathematics.

The cover and front matter of the October 2012 issue of "Journal of the Australian Mathematical Society" is presented.

The article focuses on Robert Fleming and his works. It states that Fleming received his Bachelor in Science degrees in mathematics and physics from Queen's University in Belfast, North Ireland in 1958 and 1959. He also finished his masteral degrees in physics from the same university in 1962 and 1985, respectively. He was employed as an Assistant Lecturer at Queen's University from 1962 to 1964 befor he left fot the Royal Military College of Science in Shriverham, Great Britain. In 1976 Fleming he became a Senior lecturer in the Department of Physics at Monash University in Victoria, Australia. He retired in 2000 as Reader and he remains as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow and still manages a laboratory.