This study investigates the beliefs of Aboriginal children, their parents, Aboriginal educators and non-Aboriginal teachers towards the learning and teaching of mathematics in years 5 and 6 in a rural community in New South Wales. Areas explored include the beliefs expressed by the students, their parents and educators about mathematics education, how these sets of beliefs compare and contrast, and what the pedagogical consequences are for mathematics education based on these beliefs. The study was conducted in a rural school following trials in other sites. Conversational interviews were conducted and from the transcript sixteen core categories of beliefs across all participant groups were identified. The belief statements demonstrate the complex nature of the social, cultural, economic, historical and political contexts in which the learning of mathematics takes place. A number of actions intended to enhance Aboriginal children's learning of mathematics are proposed. Non-Aboriginal teachers need to share their beliefs with the Aboriginal community, and conversations need to occur between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people about mathematics education. Teachers require pedagogical strategies that address Aboriginal children's learning of mathematics, and educational systems need to include an Aboriginal perspective in mathematics curricula. Future collaborative research in mathematics education has to be based on the premise of researchers working in close co-operation with Aboriginal people / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/236826 |
| Date | January 2001 |
| Creators | Howard, Peter T., University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, Education and Social Sciences, School of Education and Early Childhood Studies |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Source | THESIS_CAESS_EEC_Howard_P.xml |
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