Confronting the Assumptions Underpinning Mathematics Education in Remote Indigenous Communities: When “Knowing” Is Not Enough

• In Event: Roundtable Session 95
  In Roundtable Session: Indigenous Cultures and Knowledge—and Teacher Education

Abstract

For Indigenous students in remote communities, the issue of teacher quality is compounded by the relatively high turn-over of non-Indigenous teachers, culturally disconnected curriculum, and the lack of consistent access to first language speakers. This situation is exacerbated by the increased focus on verbal reasoning and explanations in school mathematics, which, while highly desirable from the perspective of mainstream mathematics educators, disadvantages remote Indigenous students and teachers for whom this type of interaction may be culturally inappropriate. This paper will draw on the experience and outcomes of a recent four-year research project in a remote school setting to question what we think we know about quality mathematics teaching and learning.

Author

• Dianne E. Siemon, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology