The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) welcomes Boeing Australia’s commitment to a third year of funding to expand its online teacher-training resources in 2016.
AMSI Director, Professor Geoff Prince praised the funding as a show of support for STEM.
“This investment sends a strong signal to the community about the value of quality STEM education and the mathematical sciences in Australia,” he said.
The global aerospace leader is providing $80,000 AUD for development of additional video resources to support teachers delivering senior mathematics modules.
“Boeing Australia’s continued investment is a testament to the quality and effectiveness of these resources. The inclusion of senior modules is essential to equip teachers at all levels with the skills and confidence to make mathematics both compelling and engaging for students,” says AMSI Schools Program Manager, Janine McIntosh.
Adding to the existing library of resources in Supporting Australian Mathematics Project: Senior Years, the new modules will cover essential, general and specialist senior mathematics subjects. These will support AMSI’s general outreach activities to improve senior mathematics education outcomes in Australia.
Janine McIntosh says, “AMSI hopes these new resources will further empower teachers to maintain student engagement at this critical point in their education.”
Teacher training initiatives remain a key priority as part of AMSI’s Vision for a Maths Nation with figures in the 2015 Discipline Profile showing a staggering 30 per cent of years 7 – 10 teachers and 26.7 per cent for years 11-12 are teaching mathematics out-of-field.
“Reform at the early stages of the mathematics pipeline is critical to empower teachers with the confidence to teach maths as well as encourage students to pursue high-level mathematics subjects,” says Janine McIntosh.
Providing a snapshot of the past decade, Janine McIntosh believes AMSI’s 2015 report on Year 12-mathematics participation is a timely reminder of the challenges facing Australian STEM education.
“This is a time of renaissance for Australian mathematics and STEM with innovation and science firmly on the national policy agenda. We are excited to be working with Boeing Australia to ensure Australian students have access to quality mathematics education opportunities to equip them for the future,” she says.
For Interview:
Janine McIntosh, Schools Program Manager
Professor Geoff Prince, AMSI Director
Media Contact: Laura Watson
E: media@amsi.org.au
P: 04215 18733
