Abstract
When questioned, secondary mathematics teachers in rural and regional schools in Australia refer to their limited opportunities to engage and share experiences with peers in other schools as an under-utilised and cost-effective mechanism to support their professional learning and enhance their students’ learning. The paper reports on the creation and evaluation of a network of learning communities of rural secondary mathematics teachers around a common purpose—enhancement and increased engagement of student learning in mathematics. To achieve this goal, teams of teachers from six rural schools identified an issue hindering improved student learning of mathematics in their school. Working collaboratively with support from university personnel with expertise in curriculum, assessment and quality pedagogy, teachers developed and implemented strategies to address an identified issue in ways that were relevant to their teaching contexts. The research study identifies issues in mathematics of major concern to rural teachers of mathematics, the successes and challenges the teachers faced in working in learning communities on the issue they identified, and the efficacy of the professional learning model.
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Acknowledgements
The academic team thanks the Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) grants scheme for the money to initiate the project. Our appreciation is also extended to the mathematics teachers involved in the project, and for their commitment to pursue quality-learning outcomes for rural students.
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Pegg, J., Panizzon, D. Collaborative innovations with rural and regional secondary teachers: enhancing student learning in mathematics. Math Ed Res J 23, 149–167 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-011-0009-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-011-0009-0