Presentations by RITEMATHS Team Members
2005 Annual Conference of Mathematical
Association of Victoria
Real Contexts, Graphics Calculators and
Linear Functions
Maxine Andrews Mount Clear
College
Sandra Herbert University
of Ballarat
Robyn Pierce University
Of Ballarat
F39 Lecture
Years 9 - 10
Linear
functions: many students have “trouble with the ‘word’ problems”. Our
experience suggests that initial teaching focused on carefully selected real
world problems, supported by the use of graphics calculators, enabled students
to make sense of linear functions. This ‘sense’ transferred to abstract
problems as well as new applications. In this session we will share our
experience of teaching linear functions using a graphics algebra approach.
A Hands-On Approach to Quadratics and
Cubics
John Buruma Luther
College
Jill Brown University
of Melbourne
B44 Workshop VCE
An activity based
approach to make the connection between expanded and factorised forms of
quadratics and cubics clearer. Practical activities involving hands-on
measurement leading to the various representations and determination of
appropriate constants using the TI-83. Students were interviewed by Jill Brown
(Melbourne University) and some of these results will be available.
My Year 9 Maths Class is Enjoyable
Ian Edwards Luther
College
Rita Visser Luther
College
Lynne Keefer Luther
College
B35, H31 Workshop Year 9
Engagement of students using technology that captures the real world has been the foundation for our Year 9 Investigation and Problem Solving strand. This session shall share our rich activities and assessment tasks, looking at how they have been developed over time, and the benefits it has been in engaging students in problem solving that is open-ended and integrated. It will have a practical session component.
Building Students’ Understanding of Rate
of Change: Years 7 to 10
Sandra Herbert University
of Ballarat
Robyn Pierce University
Of Ballarat
G30 Lecture Years 7 - 10
An understanding of rate of change is both
important for everyday life and fundamental to the study of calculus, however
many students form limited or incorrect ideas. In this session a map will be
proposed for the development of the concept of rate-of-change through early to
mid-secondary years. Various contexts for good teaching examples will be
explored and a range of approaches including the use of technology will be
demonstrated.
BMX Bicycles, Dirt Jumps, Movies and
Mathematics
Bernie McCann Santa Maria
College
Robyn Pierce University
Of Ballarat, ITMS
H33 Lecture Years 9 - 10
The thrills and excitement of the speed and
tricks of one of the world’s top BMX bicycle stunt riders in action provide a
strong context for engaging students in modeling paths, analysing quadratic
functions and discussing rate of change. In this session these possibilities
will be used to illustrate the use of video analysis tools in teaching
mathematics. Issues related to the mathematics and the technical aspects of
suitable movie clips will be discussed.
CAS: To
Everything There is a Season
Sue Garner Ballarat Grammar School
Robyn Pierce University
Of Ballarat, ITMS
Keynote Years 9 - VCE
A time to use CAS.
A time to refrain.
A time to explore.
A time to remember.
A time to extend.
A time to underpin.
A time to enrich.
A time for change.
Recent VCAA decisions regarding Computer Algebra
Systems in the VCE present both challenges and possibilities. This session
addresses key issues facing Year 9-12
mathematics teachers as they introduce the benefits of CAS to
their classes.
Morning
Maths - A Way To Help Struggling Students
Beth Price Canterbury
Girls’ Secondary College
Rhonda Farkota Australian Council for
Educational Research (ACER)
Daria Buschtedt Canterbury Girls’
Secondary College
A28, E31 Lecture Year 7
Year 12 volunteers work on a roster with
supervising teachers to deliver a structured program to Year 7 strugglers.
Students attend each morning before regular classes begin. Rhonda Farkota’s
book “Elementary Maths Mastery” provides the script for the daily sessions.
(Commercial Presentation? No copies of the book will be available for sale)
Middle School CAS: Opportunities and
Challenges for Teachers and Students
Kaye Stacey University
of Melbourne
Lynda Ball University of Melbourne
C35 Lecture Years 9 - 10
Having CAS creates the opportunity to rethink
teaching approaches for various topics in Years 9 and 10. This session will
illustrate how CAS can used to scaffold middle school students’ mathematical
learning, by providing examples of approaches for teaching topics such as
simultaneous equations, quadratics, exact arithmetic and trigonometry. Possible
classroom challenges in dealing with CAS, such as dealing with unexpected
output, will also be discussed.
Surds, Spirals, CAS and Dynamic Geometry
Kaye Stacey University
of Melbourne
Elizabeth Price Canterbury
Girls’ Secondary College
G32 Workshop
Years
8 - 11
This session aims to enrich the teaching of
surds. The exact value mode of CAS may support students’ work with surds,
allowing them to construct patterns and share a world of beautiful mathematics.
We use explorations with spiral and other geometric patterns, supported by
dynamic geometry, to link surds with length through Pythagoras’ theorem,
emphasise their relative size and to provide attractive contexts for simple and
complex surd calculations.
Encouraging Students to Think
Mathematically in VELS
David Tynan MacMillan Education Australia
Jill Vincent University of Melbourne
Gloria Stillman University
of Melbourne
Jill Brown University
of Melbourne
F35 Workshop Years 7 - 8
Ever since ancient civilisations began to explore mathematical concepts,
communication has been central to the spread of mathematical knowledge. This
aspect of mathematics is often overlooked in school mathematics, but
communication is now a key element of the VELS. In this session we will
demonstrate various strategies and tasks that can be used to stimulate
mathematical discussion and to facilitate students’ understanding by empowering
them with the language of mathematics. The examples used in the session are
highly relevant for Years 7 and 8.