Opinion- 29 September 2009 |
|
Jan Thomas* ̶ Access to Mathematics is Vital for Equity |
Photo credit: Michael Shaw, AMSI |
The following contribution appears in the
October 2009 issue of
Australasian
Science as the "conScience" column and
The disastrous state of mathematics
education in
The elephant
in the room for science, innovation and social inclusion in
In the
mid-1980s a respected Scandinavian mathematics educator, Stieg Mellin-Olsen,
argued that mathematics was nearly as important to a student’s life chances as
being literate. Mellin-Olsen died on Australia Day 1995, a year that was a
watershed for Australian mathematical sciences. It heralded a steady decline of
mathematical sciences in Australian universities that now underpins a situation
in schools that is the antipathy of what Mellin-Olsen believed.
A review of
Australian mathematical sciences in 1995, published early in 1996, identified
challenges but was generally optimistic about the future. However, when the
Howard government reduced funding to universities from its first Budget later
that year, it had a profound impact on university mathematics and statistics
departments. Reasons for this included a faulty funding model for the teaching
of mathematics and statistics and falling numbers of Year 12 students completing
intermediate or advanced mathematics courses.
The subsequent
flight of many of
While other
English-speaking countries with similar mathematics curricula have begun to
improve in international tests,
In the past
two decades
The ultimate
solution lies in rebuilding mathematics and statistics in our universities so
that the supply of graduates increases. There was a brief glimmer of hope in
2006 when funding for the teaching of mathematics and statistics was increased
by nearly $3000 per equivalent full-time student. However, very little of this
extra money found its way to mathematics and statistics departments.
The subsequent
federal government has now endorsed the Bradley review’s recommendation for
ambitious national targets of 40% of 25-34-year-olds attaining bachelor level or
above by 2025 and 20% share of undergraduate enrolments from low socio-economic
status by 2020. Unless mathematics in the universities and schools is greatly
enhanced these targets will only be met by creating courses that do not prepare
students for jobs in the modern world where mathematical skills are virtually
mandatory.
Students
equipped with adequate mathematical skills are already in a privileged position
in gaining access to rewards in a world of science and technology. In
In other parts
of the world mathematics education is discussed around values like “opportunity
for citizenship and the global economy”, “civil rights”, “equity” and “social
justice”. We urgently need debates in these terms in