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This paper describes part of a study which involved 29 third year pre-service student teachers answering Maths Anxiety and Maths Self-efficacy questionnaires and questions regarding previous and current mathematical experiences. Results indicate that previous depth of mathematics learning is not a factor in the level of Maths Anxiety and neither is the level of success in current mathematics teacher education courses, and that Maths Anxiety is highly correlated with Maths Self-efficacy.

The argument in this paper is that identity as a mathematical thinker develops through self-directed learning within a supportive community of practice. This paper discusses how identity as a mathematical problem solver and investigator develops through selfregulation. This development is illustrated by considering students undertaking a mathematics and technology subject in a primary teacher education degree. It shows how students set goals, plan, organise, self-evaluate, record keep and structure their learning environment to achieve self-regulation. The role of the tutorial group and technology is also important in establishing their identity as a mathematical problem solver and investigator.

Following a concern for the engagement of boys in a NSW Year 6 classroom, action research was undertaken to explore the effect of the use of computer technology and the change in role of the teacher from a giver of knowledge to a facilitator, on the motivation and engagement of the boys in the class. Data were obtained from a number of sources, including a Motivation Scale, focus group discussions, observations, student reflective logs and a teacher diary. Initial results indicated that while boys responded enthusiastically to the challenge of manipulating data using the Tinkerplots software and developing their own questions and research topics, there was no indication that they preferred to use technology.

This paper reported the influence of the Numeracy Development Projects (NDP) in revision of the number strand of the New Zealand mathematics curriculum. It documented how four types of teaching and learning research frameworks were synthesised to provide evidence for validity of the number framework and associated pedagogies. Examination of students? responses across number domains showed consistency and suggested a general growth path. Strategy stage norms to set expected levels of achievement were described and challenges posed for mathematics teaching and learning.

Everyone has beliefs about how learning should take place and what the best practices are to enable this to happen. Although it is believed that students? beliefs about ?best practice? will mirror those of their teachers, and change as they change teachers (Kershner & Pointon, 2000; Kloosterman, Raymond, & Emenaker, 1996) the importance of listening to the ?students voice? is becoming recognised (McCullum, Hargreaves & Gipp, 2000). This paper reports on one aspect of a larger study that explored Pasifika student achievement in mathematics at Year 7. What is it that these students consider ?best practice? in learning mathematics? Do their beliefs truly mirror those of their teacher?

This paper reports on a study of five, Year 2 students? strategy choice, flexibility and accuracy when answering 20 addition and subtraction mental computation questions. All five students were identified as being inaccurate. However, two students employed a range of calculation strategies while the other three students remained inflexible in their strategy choice, choosing low order strategies. Individual interviews were conducted to identify these aspects of calculation. Two conceptual flowcharts developed by Heirdsfield (2001b) were utilised to identify factors and relationships between factors that impact on mental computation. Use of these flowcharts provides an avenue for identification of the breakdown in the structures thereby providing an understanding of where the child is operating and how they may be moved forward.

The development of place value understanding is an essential foundation concept that enables students to have a strong number sense. However, place value is a common problem area experienced by students and pre-service teachers alike. This paper reports the results of an initial investigation of pre-service teachers? understanding of the symmetry of the place value system. The results suggest that pre-service teachers? mathematical content knowledge with respect to the symmetry of the place value system is weakest for fractions and when they are asked to generalise their understanding to a base a system. Overall more of the pre-service teachers had a pre- or uni-structural understanding of the symmetry of the place value system.

Student misconceptions of projectile motion in the physics classroom are well documented, but their effect on the teaching and learning of the mathematics of motion under gravity has not been investigated in the mathematics classroom. An experimental unit was designed that was intended to confront and eliminate misconceptions in senior mathematics secondary school students studying projectile motion as an application of calculus to the physical world. The approach was found to be effective, but limited by the teacher's own misconceptions. It is also shown that teachers can reinforce student misconceptions of motion because they cannot understand why students have difficulty understanding it.

Derived initially from the observation of children's methods of counting, Mathematics Recovery and Count Me in Too, the New Zealand Numeracy Projects have, as a starting point for the training of teachers, the understanding and use of a strategy framework that traces children's development in number reasoning. Research indicated the usefulness of teachers interviewing students in their own class, and viewing video clips of strategic reasoning across of a wide range of ages of student. This paper outlines how interviews and the video clips are incorporated into the initial stages of teacher Professional Development in learning to use the strategy number framework.

Since finishing a Masters in Mathematics Education, I have taught mathematics concepts in industry and in a secondary classroom, and have frequently come across able students who have difficulty learning and achieving to their academic potential in mathematics. These difficulties seem to stem from anxiety that the students experience when doing mathematics. This is case study of Year 10 students (14-15 years old) who are in the top achievement class of an Otago secondary school. Students were chosen for this class by the school at the beginning of Year 9 because they demonstrated excellence in one or more fields, not necessarily mathematics. Through mainly qualitative methods (classroom observations, questionnaires, and individual interviews), the following is being investigated: ? the mathematical identities of students in the class; ? the identification of maths anxiety and potential maths anxiety in students; ? interventions to improve the mathematics experience of anxious and potentially anxious students.

When contemplating the division of two common fractions, the ?invert and multiply? algorithm, does not develop naturally from using manipulatives. (Borko; Eisenhart; Brown; Underhill; Jones & Agard. 1992) suggest it is for this reason, that it is unlikely that children will invent their own ?invert and multiply? algorithm. Before a student can be expected to ?invent? this algorithm, knowledge of whole number division and basic fraction concepts, including the notion of equivalent fractions is essential. (Sharp, 1998). The purpose of this round table discussion is to take cognisance of the suggestions attested to by Borko et al. and Sharp and examine the teaching approaches adopted by classroom teachers, as they relate to the process of division with fractional numbers. To highlight this, six Year 7 and Year 8 teachers were asked to solve and then describe their mathematical approaches and processes used to calculate 2/3 ? 1/2; illustrate the meaning of the operation and describe the means by which they would explain their respective methods for solving problems involving the division of fractions with their students. The opportunity to examine the use of mathematical equipment that may be used to support and illustrate the mathematical process of division with fractions, will also be examined with the view to generating a conceptual representation of the meaning of the division of fractions. References Borko., H; Eisenhart., M; Brown, C.A., Underhill, R., Jones, D., & Agard, P. (1992). Learning to teach hard mathematics: do novice teachers and their instructors give up too easily? Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 23 194-222. Sharp, J. (1998). A constructed algorithm for the division of fractions. In: The Teaching and Learning of Algorithms in School Mathematics. Morrow, L.J. & Kenny, M.J. (editors) Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

New Zealand, along with many other countries, has been investigating ways of raising children?s achievements in mathematics by improving teachers? professional knowledge, skills and confidence. The Numeracy Development Project (NDP) in New Zealand grew out of The New South Wales Department of Education and Training initiative ?Count Me In Too? in 2000, and was further developed by ?research evidence about mathematics education, effective teaching, teacher learning, effective facilitation practice, and educational change? (Ministry of Education, 2004). Pivotal to the success of the project are facilitators, principals and lead teachers who work with classroom teachers to effect changes in teaching practice. Schools participating in NDP can expect continuous and focussed support throughout their year long professional development. Sustaining the numeracy momentum within a school is a difficult task and can be further complicated by the employment of untrained numeracy teachers or provisionally registered teachers with varying levels of understanding. During their time in the project, lead teachers have mainly an administrative responsibility. However, in subsequent years, it is magnified to include a complex, multi-layered facilitation role. This small study by Deborah Gibbs and Marilyn Holmes highlights two challenging aspects: (a) The needs of untrained numeracy teachers as they try to come to grips with the numeracy project as well as the school?s mathematics programme; and (b) the complexity of the lead teacher?s responsibility in mentoring new untrained staff. Discussion generated around this study will highlight the implications for facilitators in numeracy and pre-service educators. References Ministry of Education. (2004). The Numeracy Story continued. What is the evidence telling us? Wellington: Learning Media.

This round table discussion will focus on the efficacy, pedagogies and practice of nonspecialist teachers of mathematics in the middle years of schooling in a regional Victorian setting. Case study data, collected through questionnaires and interviews of 26 junior secondary teachers with no mathematics methods in their training, from six, rural, coeducational Victorian Government schools, will be presented. Current middle years? reform and initiatives such as Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) provide guidelines for effective teaching strategies to engage young adolescents generally. However, in order to provide expanded learning opportunities in mathematics, teachers require professional knowledge of their subject. Being able to present an understanding to student of big ideas, the main branches and concepts of mathematics, and providing a sense of their interconnections aids students to engage in mathematics. This research project was undertaken to investigate whether non-specialist mathematics teachers? pedagogical practices in secondary schools were influenced by their limited training and mathematical pedagogical knowledge. The findings indicate that lack of method training and knowledge of pedagogical content impacts on both the teachers and the students? mathematical engagement at junior secondary level. Through this round table I invite other researchers to discuss their experiences of working with middle years mathematics teachers to seek their input in the possible development of further work in investigating the challenges of non-specialist mathematics teachers in junior secondary schools and overall student engagement in mathematics.

Researchers and educational policymakers have given encouragement to the use of electronic technology in the teaching and learning of school mathematics and in the assessment of senior mathematics and statistics courses. If used appropriately (judiciously) is hand-held technology able to offer secondary mathematics and statistics teachers and their students a significantly richer mathematics learning experience? Little research into hand-held technology and statistics has been done and during this round table discussion, the researcher describes the use of hand-held technology [graphical calculators] in three, N.C.E.A. Level 3, statistics classrooms in a large co-educational urban secondary school and the impact that they had on teacher pedagogy, student learning and understanding of statistical concepts will be presented. The roundtable is to discuss aspects of this study and to invite other researchers to share their experiences in working with secondary school teachers in statistics. The feedback provided in this round table is to assist and inform the researcher about planning, implementing and appropriate methodology for a more in-depth study in hand-held technology use and statistical literacy and thinking.