Advancing Mathematics Education Research Within a STEM Environment
In presenting the final chapter for this Research into Mathematics Education in Australasia (RiMEA) book, I first give consideration to the official curriculum and the operational curriculum as a basis for exploring how we might advance mathematics educat
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Advancing Mathematics Education Research Within a STEM Environment Lyn D. English
Abstract In presenting the final chapter for this Research into Mathematics Education in Australasia (RiMEA) book, I first give consideration to the official curriculum and the operational curriculum as a basis for exploring how we might advance mathematics education research within our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) environment. Next, I present an overview of some of the core features of the current national and international spotlight on STEM education. From this basis, I argue that the roles and positioning of mathematics are in danger of being overlooked or diminished within the increased STEM framework. As one approach to lifting the profile of mathematics, I explore problem-solving and modelling across STEM contexts. In utilising findings from the chapter reviews together with my own research, I offer suggestions for (a) developing content and processes through idea-generating problems, (b) promoting in-depth content understanding, and (c) fostering general skills and processes. Next, I address the advancement of modelling across STEM contexts and illustrate this with a problem set within an environmental engineering context. I conclude by offering a few avenues for further research.
Keywords STEM education Official curriculum Operational curriculum Problem solving General skills and processes Modelling 21st century skills Workplace learning
1 Introduction Each of the chapters comprising this Research into Mathematics Education in Australasia (RiMEA) monograph presents an in-depth and insightful review of the Australasian mathematics education research undertaken over the previous 4 years. Major longstanding issues are addressed together with new concerns emerging from L.D. English (&) Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia e-mail: [email protected] © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 K. Makar et al. (eds.), Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2012–2015, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1419-2_17
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the changing political and educational agendas both nationally and internationally. Challenges in the learning and teaching of mathematics from early childhood through to tertiary and professional education are examined, with a number of common threads appearing across the chapters. These include broad concerns about the National Curriculum and how it is enacted, the impact of national and international assessments, how we might close gaps in students’ mathematics learning, and ways to advance teacher professional development and leadership. A focus on core content topics appears not as prevalent across the chapters as the foregoing issues. It is not the intention of this final chapter to review each of the chapters in turn; collectively they present a wealth of research for our current and future mathematics education communities. Rather, I draw upon some of the key findings in the reviews that appeared pertinent in framing my suggest
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