MAV works within an evolving context, and at a crucial time in education:
- Education is changing, and MAV must lead the way in supporting mathematics educators to make the best impact possible.
- The mathematics curriculum needs to respond to these changes: from VCE and VCAL to the early years of school, and early childhood education.
- Teachers require professional support and resources to develop in students the mathematics and numeracy capabilities needed in their personal, professional and civic lives.
- It is critical that students are prepared for life after school, progression to further study and for career pathways in a world that is data and information rich and technologically advanced.
- MAV must grow, evolve and become a sustainable organisation in a competitive and changing not-for-profit sector.
In order to maximise it's impact MAV undertakes advocacy and represents maths educators through various means including:
- meeting with stakeholders to raise and discuss various issues
- running focus groups or surveys to collate imformation
- developing partnerships
- providing advice to various panels and committees where possible
- submitting papers and submission to various inquiries and committees on behalf of maths educators
- and providing thought leadership.
The MAV Board points the way for MAV decisions and strategy based on their views in representing the members and maths eductors more broadly. An advocacy plan is currently being implemented by MAV staff. Some activities are undetaken with AAMT.
To contact MAV about advocacy related issues email: office@mav.vic.edu.au
MAV is represented on the following panels and groups:
Panel/Group | Purpose | Representative |
National Mathematics Summit for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders | Our responsibility is to drive a cultural shift to make a systemic difference in mathematics education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners. |
CEO |
Tech School Learning Advisory Panel, Victorian Department of Education and Training. 2018 to 2022 |
Provide advice on the development, design and implementation of the Tech School learning programs. | CEO |
International Mathematical Modelling Challenge (IM2C) |
Supporting the implementation of the IM2C in Australia. |
Peter Karakoussis |
Past Panels and groups: | ||
Economics + Maths = Financial Capability Research 2021 to 2022 |
Supporting research by Deakin University into financial education in schools, and the role of mathematics educators. Final report released November 2022. https://redi.deakin.edu.au/projects/economics-maths-financial-capability/ |
CEO, Jen Bowden |
GAT Redevelopment Project (GRP) Reference Group 2019 - 2020 |
To support VCAA's work in regards to the Numeracy GAT under development, providing assurances to the steering committee including advice on specific issues, endorsing changes, assessing progress to help facilitate the achievement of the project outcomes. | CEO, Helen Haralambous |
Review panels for Senior secondary schooling pathway reforms:
Feb 2020 - 2022 |
Review drafts, provide curriulum development advice. | CEO |
Victorian Maths Challenge, Victorian Department of Education and Training. 2016 to 2019 |
Providing advice and support in the development of the Victorian Maths Challenge, development and trialling of resources including the facilitation of family maths nights, and advising on the development of the Infinite Voyage app. | CEO and MAV consultants and representatives |
VCE Mathematics Expert Review Panel, VCAA 2018/2019 |
Provide advice to VCAA in regards to the review of VCE mathematics. (MAV also ran a VCE review forum to collect feedback from teachers for the VCAA.) |
CEO |
Papers and related resources:
Resource | Description | Link |
Valuing Mathematics in Society: a discussion paper. Updated October 2021 (Originally Released: September 2019) |
This thought leadership paper elaborates on the selected areas as a discussion starter, identifying areas where together we can advance mathematics education in Victoria for the decades ahead. Further papers that take a deep dive into specific areas will follow over time. This will allow stakeholders to engage in considered debate and action where required. | Click here to download |
Other recent work:
Activity | Purpose | Representative |
Article in Teacher Magazine June 2022 |
Get crypto-cool for school: Talking about investment risks and rewards in the classroom. |
MAV CEO Peter Saffin, with Dr Carly Sawatzki and Dr Jill Brown, from Deakin University's School of Education. |
Article in Australian Teacher Magazine by Education HQ. Mar 2022 |
It's time to do away with the false dichotomy in maths instruction: The proposed revisions to the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics have sparked lively public debate comparing explicit instruction and inquiry approaches. |
MAV CEO Peter Saffin |
Article in Teacher Magazine Feb 2021 |
MAV CEO Peter Saffin, with Dr Carly Sawatzki and Dr Jill Brown, from Deakin University's School of Education. | |
Article in Teacher Magazine Dec 2021 |
Strengthenthing your school's approach to finacial education: |
MAV CEO Peter Saffin, with Dr Carly Sawatzki and Dr Jill Brown, from Deakin University's School of Education. |
Editorial in The Age: Financial education Nov 2021 |
MAV CEO Peter Saffin, with Dr Carly Sawatzki and Dr Jill Brown, from Deakin University's School of Education. | |
Editorial in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald: Response to the review of NAPLAN. November 2020
|
A Positive Way Forward for NAPLAN The Age: https://www.theage.com.au/education/the-positive-way-forward-for-naplan-20201006-p562dj.html SMH: https://www.smh.com.au/education/the-positive-way-forward-for-naplan-20201006-p562dj.html |
MAV Board |
Editorial in The Age, supporting parents with maths at home May 2020 |
Helping your kids learn maths at home doesn't have to be daunting |
MAV CEO |
Launch of Parent Support web pages and resources May 2020 |
MAV lauched new partent support, an area not previously focused on, see the pages here: https://www.mav.vic.edu.au/Resources/parents |
MAV staff |
Consultation meetings for Mathematics Online Interview (MOI) and the Fractions and Decimal Online Interview (FDOI) Review May 2020 |
Monash University was commissioned by the Department of Education and Teaching to review the Mathematics Online Interview (MOI) and the Fractions and Decimal Online Interview (FDOI) Review. The review will investigate (i) how the MOI and FDOI align with the Victorian Curriculum F-10: Mathematics in order to identify any gaps; and (ii) the effectiveness and usability of the current online platforms for implementing the MOI and FDOI reliably, and for analysing the outcomes to inform effective mathematics teaching and school improvement cycles. Jen Bowden joined these focus group consultations to provide expert opinion and feedback. | Jen Bowden (Primary Education Consultant) |
Consultation meeting with the NAPLAN review panel March 2020 |
The CEO attended a consultation meeting with the NAPLAN review panel, including Emeritus Professor Barry McGaw (Chair), Emeritus Professor Bill Louden (Panel Member) and Professor Claire Wyatt Smith (Panel Member) to further discuss MAV's views on NAPLAN and future directions. | MAV CEO |
Written response to NAPLAN review. March 2020 |
The MAV Board submitted a written response to the NAPLAN review. | MAV Board |
Article in the The Age and radio interview. Nov/Dec 2019 |
The Age arcticle: Success in year 12 maths adds up to better science results at uni. Radio interview with ABC in regards to PISA. |
MAV CEO |
Meeting with the Parliamentary Secretary for Schools, Tim Richardson MP. Monday 9 Dec 2019 |
Discuss how subject associations are working to support government initiatives, DET, VCAA and others. Outline key issues of concern for subject associations in regards to discipline based professional learning. | MAV CEO (With CEO of HTAV and DLTV) |
Presentation by The Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) to MAV Board. September 2019 |
A representative from the VIT provided an overview to governance and regulatory approach, current issues, and future strategic directions. There will be opportunity for MAV to provide advice to VIT as they work through changes around their teacher registration and its links to professional learning. |
MAV Board |
Consultation with Grattan Institute. September 2019 |
Discussion and provision of feedback on aspects of their their upcoming report on a school and regional staffing structures that could support discipline-based teacher professional learning and networking. | MAV CEO (With CEO of HTAV) |
Margaret Mackenzie re VCAA PLFramework. August 2019 |
The VCAA has commissioned a report on the current provision of professional learning for VCE teachers. Representatives from the teachers’ associations for Health and PE, Design and Technology, Geography, Maths and History met with Margaret Mackenzie, the consultant who has been appointed to write the report. We were able to describe some of the many ways in which teachers’ associations are supporting Victoria’s VCE teachers, and what we have learned about the needs of VCE teachers in the process. | MAV CEO with representatives of CPTAV (Council of Professional Teachers Associations) |
Victorian Governor's event for Maths and Science Teachers July 2019 |
MAV supported the organisation of an event to celebrate Maths and Science Teachers in Victoria, recognising them as an important part of the STEM ecosystem. MAV would like to thank The Honourable Linda Dessau AC Governor of Victoria (centre in image below) for taking a lead in making this important event happen. |
MAV CEO, plus attendance by invited Board and staff
|
University of Melbourne FATE July 2019 |
Consultation workshop led by the University of Melbourne team that have been commissioned by Commonwealth Dept of Education to develop a ‘Framework for Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness’. | MAV CEO |
Meeting withThe Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). June 2019 |
Discussed discipline-specific professional learning, out-of-field teaching, barriers to teacher access to professional learning, teacher autonomy in the idetificaton and choice of school-funded professional learning. Resulted in the addition of Teacher Associaton references and links on the professional learning pages of the VIT website, and an invitaton to engage in regular discussions in future. |
MAV CEO (With CEO of HTAV) |
VCAA Meeting on Capabilites. June 2019 |
MAV representatives were part of a workshop to explore the points of intersection between the Victorian Curriculum and the Capabilities, assist the VCAA to consider their way forward with the implementation of the Capabilities. | MAV representatives |