News

This semester students at schools all over Queensland will take their maths learning beyond the classroom incorporating hands-on experiences that will see their numeracy and science education improve.

The improvements are thanks to a primary school maths program developed by Queensland University of Technology (QUT) for Indigenous and low socio-economic students that has been bringing maths into the real world to make it more relevant to students.

The program has been developed by QUT's YuMi Deadly Centre (YDC) in the Faculty of Education.

YDC lead researcher, Dr Bron Ewing, said the revolutionary maths program was currently being brought to more than 50 primary and secondary schools across Queensland and achieving solid results.

"YuMi Deadly maths takes students out of the classroom and uses common objects and experiences to teach them about maths, for example, learning about angles by doing a 360° turn on a skateboard," Dr 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 by 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."

She said the program had made students much more motivated.

"They now want to attend school and participate in their lessons," Dr Ewing said.

"By taking them out of the classroom and teaching them to do things like make a toy tow truck and then relating the maths concepts and mathematics learning to this experience, they're learning the mathematics knowledge and skills they need.

"In many cases the NAPLAN results of students taking part in the program have improved."

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.

Schools involved in the YuMi Deadly program in the following regions are:
Far North Queensland
•Cairns West State School
•Mareeba State High School
•Cardwell State School
North Queensland
•Vincent State School
•Garbutt State School
Central Queensland
•Emerald State High School
•Maryborough State High School
•Blackwater State High School
•Gladstone Central
•Gladstone South
•Gladstone West
Darling Downs
•Dalby State School
Brisbane and south-east Queensland
•Marsden State School
•Beenleigh State School
•Beenleigh State High School
•Bray Park State High School
•Bremer State High School
•Burnside (Nambour) State School
•Caboolture State High School
•Clontarf Beach State High School
•Corinda State High School
•Deception Bay North State School
•Glenala State High School
•Hercules Road State School
•Humpybong State School
•Hymba Yumba (Springfield)
•Kingston State School
•Loganlea State High School
•Morayfield State School
•Morayfield State High School
•North Lakes State School
•Victoria Park State School
•Woodridge State High School

Media contact: Rose Trapnell, QUT media officer, 07 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901 rose.trapnell@qut.edu.au