Mathematics, Numeracy and e-Learning

The integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into school educational practice is seen as being crucial to prepare "young people to participate in and contribute to an information society that requires high levels of literacy, numeracy, technological competence and a spirit of creativity and enterprise". In National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2002, the Commonwealth Bank e-Learning Grants program was launched, and has continued annually since then, providing a total of $350 000 funding each year for literacy and numeracy e-learning projects in Australian primary schools. In the first year, applications were submitted by 1300 Government, Catholic and Independent schools, which represented almost 20% of all primary schools in Australia. Four hundred and sixty-four schools provided consent for the information contained in their applications to be analysed with the purpose of determining the characteristics of e-learning in this context. This article presents a description of the nature of the projects that focused on using ICT to support the teaching and learning of mathematics and numeracy (e-learning). The innovative ideas these schools proposed might encourage or inspire other teachers to attempt similar uses of ICT in their mathematics programs. (Contains 1 figure.)