A primary school maths program developed by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) for Indigenous and low socio-economic students has proved so effective that it has been implemented in Victoria.
QUT's YuMi Deadly Centre (YDC) in the Faculty of Education has been bringing maths into the real world to make it more relevant to students and as a result achieving good results.
"We're seeing some solid results across the 75 primary and secondary Queensland schools our program is running in," YDC lead researcher Dr Bron Ewing said.
"YDC maths puts maths into an everyday context for students - we teach maths in ways that make connections with the real-life experiences of students.
"For example, equivalent fractions can be introduced to reflect real-life experiences such as cutting an apple into pieces. An apple can be cut into two halves. One half is cut into two quarters. The two quarters can then be compared with the half and the same can be done with pizzas, pies and cakes.
"Students find this more engaging, they are more attentive and the results speak for themselves."
Dr Ewing said the implementation of the maths program into Victorian schools was significant for two reasons.
"Firstly, it's a professional endorsement of our maths program and secondly it's great to know that children from Prep to Year 6 in a regional cluster of Victorian schools will have this opportunity to learn maths that makes sense," she said.
"Maths impacts on so much of our daily life that those of us who have learnt maths take it for granted.
"For those who haven't, even doing the weekly budget can be an ordeal."
Dr Ewing said a good grounding in maths would help to improve opportunities for students to further their education, training and eventually employment opportunities.
"YDC maths aims to equip students for lifelong learning," she said.
Dr Ewing recently led the professional development learning workshops for 76 principals, numeracy coaches and teachers at 12 Victorian schools.
"Teachers were from culturally diverse and low SES schools as well as one that specialised in teaching the hearing impaired," she said.
"For the first time we'll be working with a school for deaf children and we look forward to learning about the students' progress.
"Teachers participating in the project will monitor, gather data and report to the Centre on their progress and that of their students as they trial the ideas from the YDC program in their classrooms.
"We hope that with evidence, the success of the project grows to include more Victorian schools," she said.
The workshop received funding from the Victorian Department of Education and Early Years Development and involved Professor Tom Cooper and Paul Walker from YDC as well as Dr Ewing.
Media contact: Rose Trapnell, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901 rose.trapnell@qut.edu.au
