Solving the problems of maths

Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge and his state counterparts have a responsibility to ensure the new national mathematics curriculum serves the needs of students as science, technology, engineering and maths skills are becoming increasingly important in the economy. Maths problems have long been part of the subject at school. But the concerns of dozens of senior academics from leading universities about the proposed curriculum should not be brushed aside. The academics want to see the proposed changes dumped and greater emphasis on teaching foundational mathematical knowledge and skills, Rebecca Urban reported on Monday.

The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute is backing the academics’ concerns. Recently retired AMSI director Tim Brown is concerned “a lot of non-mathematical content” is being introduced as part of a greater emphasis on problem solving. As a result, he said, “a lot of skills and content and understanding has been pushed back”.

Singapore, whose students excel in international testing, also has introduced a component of mathematical modelling and so-called real-world problems in its program. But it comes, AMSI founding director Tony Guttmann said, “on top of a very profound understanding of maths knowledge and skills”. An emphasis on real-world modelling is a “very poor mode for the practise of fundamental skills”. Australia has a lot of catching up to do in maths – in OECD testing, and stopping the slide in years 11 and 12 students taking the subject. Many students find maths hard. It needs expert teaching in all grades, not inquiry-based, student-driven learning, if students are to gain the skills to solve problems.