The Australian Mathematics Curriculum: A Move Forward or Back to the Future?

Bill Atweh; Merrilyn Goos

doi:10.1177/000494411105500304

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Journal article

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The Australian Mathematics Curriculum: A Move Forward or Back to the Future?

Bill Atweh and Merrilyn Goos

Australian Journal of Education, Vol.55(3), pp.214-228

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/000494411105500304

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Abstract

mathematics curriculum

national curriculum

curriculum development

curriculum probems

curriculum evaluation

technological change

The release of the Australian curriculum: Mathematics has generated considerable debate in the education community. Some educators warn that this debate has centred on mathematical content and skills, setting the conditions for a ‘back to basics’ movement in line with the political rhetoric that accompanied the national curriculum development. But the Shape of the Australian curriculum: Mathematics document contains a commitment to provide a futures-oriented curriculum. This article provides a critical analysis of the released curriculum document in the light of these claims. It questions whether the direction taken in the curriculum demonstrates a futuristic view of mathematics education. It considers whether the document is aligned with a national focus on education for citizenship, identified in past government declarations on education as the basis for the development of the national curriculum, and the role of technology in teaching mathematics based on decades of theorising and research in this area.

Details

Title: The Australian Mathematics Curriculum: A Move Forward or Back to the Future?
Authors: Bill Atweh (Author) - Curtin University
Merrilyn Goos (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Australian Journal of Education, Vol.55(3), pp.214-228
Publisher: Sage Publications Ltd.
DOI: 10.1177/000494411105500304
ISSN: 2050-5884
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Education and Tertiary Access
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99554405402621
Output Type: Journal article

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