Dr Craig McInnis: Enhancing the Training of Mathematics and Science Teachers

Craig McInnis Director PhillipsKPA

Enhancing the Training of Mathematics and Science Teachers

2013-2016

Australian Council of Deans of ScienceSydney 21 October 2014

The ETMST program

Part of the Investing in Science and Maths for a Smarter Future initiative

2012–13 budget provided:

•$54.0 million over four years for ‘Mathematics and science—increasing participation in schools and universities’

•$20.0 million over four years directed towards university-led outreach projects to encourage school students to study mathematics and science.

•$10.9 million to raise the ‘engagement, curiosity and participation’ of school students.

•$4.3 million for National Mathematics and Science Education and Industry Adviser to ‘champion’ the role of mathematics and science.

•$18.9 million for ETMST via the Office for Learning and Teaching - improving the quality of pre-service teacher training and providing support and training for teachers.

Related programs

Australian Maths and Science Partnerships Program

•Improving student engagement in maths and science courses at university and schools, through innovative partnerships between universities, schools and other relevant organisations.

•Competitive Grants Round 2014-$16.4 million over three years.

•Fifteen projects across 10 Australian universities.

Related programs

Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (October 2014)

$12 million to improve the focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects in primary and secondary schools across the country.

•$7.4 million for innovative mathematics resources for primary and secondary school teachers and students.

•$3.5 million to provide greater exposure to computer coding across different year levels in Australian schools to expand the pool of ICT skilled workers.‑

•$500,000 for an innovation-focused ‘Pathways in Technology Early College High School’ (P-TECH) pilot program to help develop the next generation of innovators and job-ready graduates.

•$600,000 to extend ‘Summer schools for STEM students’

The ETMST program

• $12 million for a competitive grant process

• 5 project teams awarded grants from $1.0m to $3.2m

• involving more than 24 universities

Purpose of the ETMST Program

To drive a major improvement in the quality of mathematics and science teachers by supporting new pre-service programs in which faculties, schools or departments of science, mathematics and education:

•collaborate on course design and delivery

•combining content and pedagogy

•teaching mathematics and science as dynamic, forward-looking and collaborative human endeavours.

Nine priorities

1. Collaboration between faculties, schools or departments of science, mathematics and education which will produce teachers who have a contemporary and dynamic view of science that can inspire students.

2. Increasing the supply of graduates.

3. Curriculum arrangements that give pre-service teachers of science and mathematics a new vision of how mathematical and scientific content, thinking and pedagogy can work together.

4. Increasing the supply of graduates with an ability to manage this balance.

Nine priorities

5. Developing teachers' capabilities to engage middle years students, whether primary or secondary, in relevant and rigorous science and mathematics learning, including inculcating an understanding of how scientific and mathematical knowledge are created.

6. Developing particular capabilities for working effectively with students from diverse backgrounds.

7. Developing commitment to, and particular capabilities for, working in regional, remote and Indigenous communities.

Nine priorities

8. With the support of employers, including state education departments, retraining suitably qualified professionals/teachers to expand the pool of teachers with a contemporary view of mathematics, science and pedagogy.

9. Encouraging mathematics, science and education faculties, schools or departments to build long-term relationships with teachers to ensure their knowledge and skills are kept up to date.

Project 1: Opening Real Science Lead university - Macquarie University

“Authentic mathematics and science education for Australia”

•Funding: $2,300,000 •Expected completion: 2016•Partner Institutions:

• Australian Catholic University• Charles Sturt University • The University of Notre Dame Australia• University of Canberra • University of Western Sydney• Australian Astronomical Observatory, CSIRO• Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (USA)

Project 1: Opening Real Science Lead university - Macquarie University

Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes

• innovative curricula and pedagogies • specialised mathematics and science practicum• production and trial of learning modules • school based and practising scientists mentors • mentor training • specialist primary maths and science teachers• network of practising maths and scientists• website with links to resources

Project 2: Step Up!Lead university - QUT

“Transforming mathematics and science pre-service secondary teacher education in Queensland”


• Australian Catholic University• Griffith University• James Cook University• The University of Queensland• Queensland Department of Employment, Training and Education

Project 2: Step Up!Lead university - QUT

Example of activities, outputs and outcomes• step change in courses, partnerships, academic practice and

student recruitment • renew curriculum and resource structures• develop student recruitment and engagement strategy • recruit quality secondary maths and science teachers• increase retention and success of pre-service teachers• Virtual Classroom - access to resources, networks and support• build a strong evidence base

Project 3: It’s part of my lifeLead university – Southern Cross

“Engaging university and community to enhance science and mathematics education”


• Central Queensland University Australia • University of Ballarat• University of New England• University of Southern Queensland• University of the Sunshine Coast

Project 3: It’s part of my lifeLead university – Southern Cross

Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes • new modules for pre-service education curriculum to be

embedded across the RUN network • collaborative networking between university scientists,

mathematicians, educators and pre service teachers within and across the RUN network institutions

• engage pre-service teachers with the mathematics and sciencethat underpins everyday life in Australian regional communities and incorporate them into teaching practice

• sustainable and scalable approach for adoption in a range of regional, remote and indigenous contexts.

• active and sustained regional networks focused on improvement in mathematics and science UEC.

• project website with resources for pre-service teachers

Project 4: ReMSTEPLead university – Melbourne

“ Reconceptualising mathematics and science teacher education programs”


• Deakin University• La Trobe University• Monash University• Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

Project 4: ReMSTEPLead university – Melbourne

Example of activities, outputs and outcomes:

•develop new teacher education practices •engage undergraduate science students with schools•create new specialisations within primary pre-service teacher education programs•develop specialist science and technology centre collaborations•identify and provide practicum opportunities in world-class research environments•build recruitment of high potential maths and science teachers•improve visibility of teaching as a career•new and revised teacher education courses•maths/science education resources •network of science, maths and education researchers

Project 5: IMSITELead university – Queensland

“Inspiring mathematics and science in teacher education”


• James Cook University

• The University of Newcastle

• The University of Sydney

• University of Tasmania

• University of Wollongong

Project 5: IMSITELead university – Queensland

Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes

•develop and disseminate new interdisciplinary approaches to mathematics and science pre-service teacher education •foster collaboration between mathematicians, scientists and teacher educators•develop, implement and evaluate a coherent suite of teacher education strategies•produce implementation guides and exemplar materials•embed new teacher education strategies in courses and programs

ETSMT Evaluation project 2013-2017

The evaluation team Craig McInnis (PhillipsKPA)

David Phillips (PhillipsKPA)

Don Maconachie (University of the Sunshine Coast)

John Bartlett (University of the Sunshine Coast)

Key evaluation questionsFor each PROJECT

“To what extent has the project achieved its objectives and outcomes?”

For the OLT PROGRAMME overall

“Have the five projects together met the objectives of the ETMST Program?”

Role of evaluation team

• support for the project teams - designing and conducting project-specific evaluations

• support for the OLT - program implementation and evaluation

• annual evaluation workshops

• assistance with dissemination activities

• assistance with presentation of evaluation findings

Progress to date

• intensive period of activity setting up consortia governance, management and communication processes

• project teams appreciate the reality that the projects will not make a significant or measurable impact on the quality of mathematics and science teachers in the short life of the project

• cite 5-10 years as the minimum for these levels of program effects

• considerable potential for pooling baseline data collected by the project teams and organising it around some key themes.

Issues and challenges

• senior executive support and sponsorship

• the big picture

• clarifying the place of project evaluation and research• a coordinated approach to dissemination and

stakeholder engagement

• sustaining commitment and momentum