industry & reform
Teaching the teachers
Experts question report arguing ITE programs are ‘ failing ’ prospective maths teachers .
By Wade Zaglas
A group of teacher education experts have questioned a Centre for Independent Studies ( CIS ) paper that argues beginning teachers are not being trained in evidence-based teaching practices for mathematics .
Dr Dung Tran , Associate Professor Michael Cavanagh and Professor Rebecca Bull are based at Macquarie University and work in the fields of mathematics education , curriculum , pre-service mathematics teaching , and cognitive skills development .
“ We question the report ’ s claim of an ideological preference for ‘ constructivist ’ teaching practices , as though there is no experimental evidence for the positive outcomes of such an approach ,” they say .
“ The report needed to take a broader view of what teacher education students learn throughout their initial teacher education courses . For example , all teacher education students at Macquarie complete a unit where they are taught about explicit instruction to support diverse student learning .”
The CIS reports that Australian student achievement in the Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ) has “ declined more steeply and consistently than any other country in the world , except for Finland ”.
“ The decline has been greatest in mathematics , with implications that extend to senior secondary and tertiary participation in mathematics ,” the analysis says .
Using PISA as the yardstick for student achievement In making their assessment , the authors of the CIS paper contend the OECD-led PISA test for 15-year-olds is the most appropriate assessment for gauging student achievement in “ the fields assessed ”.
“ Although some tests such as the Trends in International Maths and Science Study ( TIMSS ) and National Assessment Programme – Literacy and Numeracy ( NAPLAN ) show relatively static outcomes , achievement trends in the OECD ’ s Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ) have shown consistent declines ,” the authors say .
“ PISA is one of the most , if not the most , important educational achievement measurements available . Unlike TIMSS and NAPLAN — which are curriculum based — PISA measures competency in the fields assessed . Its relatively long time series and international significance , together with the fact that it is based on the achievement of students approaching school-leaving age , make PISA crucial to assessing the performance of Australia ’ s school system .”
The CIS paper noted that the latest PISA results were “ particularly stark ”, highlighting :
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