News
- ARC grants recognise QUT researchers
- National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008
- Deadly Maths on Life Matters
- Indigenous students find maths is a good yarn
- Deadly Maths brings numbers to life
- Todd takes Indigenous education message to world
- Deadly Maths Logo Design Competition
15 October, 2008
ARC grants recognise QUT researchers
Two QUT academics on a mission to upskill Indigenous Australians by developing culturally relevant teaching methods in maths have received $837,000 in the latest round of ARC Linkage grants.
They, and 21 other research groups from QUT, have received a total of $6.22 million in the latest round of the Federal Government's ARC Discovery and Linkage grants.
The project aims to develop a theory about numeracy instruction, providing strategies for Vocational Education and Training (VET) teachers to assist Indigenous student's mathematics learning in a manner that is culturally empowering, builds pride and sustains community linkages.
Dr Baturo and Professor Cooper have extensive experience in teaching numeracy to Indigenous communities, and are also the founders of the Deadly Maths program which sees them travel to remote Indigenous communities throughout the State.
Dr Baturo said she found working with Indigenous communities a rewarding experience.
"At the start, we had had little experience with Indigenous communities, but we know about mathematics education and hoped that would be enough to be able to help," she said.
"We have had to get out of the way of thinking that we were teaching maths to these kids so they could get a good job, or things like that, and realise that these kids were more interested in learning for the pleasure of gaining knowledge.
"To create effective learning environments, there are many cultural factors which need to be taken into consideration."
The title of Dr Baturo and Professor Cooper's project is Skilling Indigenous Australia: Effective numeracy learning for employment by regional and remote Indigenous students in vocational education and training courses. More
1 September 2008
National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008
Deadly Maths' Tom Cooper is a National Literacy and Numeracy Week (NLNW) Ambassador again in 2008.
The theme for NLNW 2008 is Partnerships in Learning. Across Australia, parents, teachers and communities are working together to develop the literacy and numeracy skills of Australia's young people. Literacy and numeracy are fundamental skills that are critically important to Australia's future prosperity and position in the world. The promotion of strong literacy and numeracy skills amongst young people assists in countering educational and social disadvantage.
To read more about NLNW, click here.
This year's ambassadors are:
- Christopher Cheng, NSW
- Beth Powell, WA
- Judith Rivalland, WA
- Tom Cooper, QLD
- Beryl Exley, QLD
- Damian Callinan, VIC
- Jane Watson, TAS
- Steve Thornton, ACT
- Phil Cummings, SA
- Charlie King, NT
To view each ambassador's profile, click here.
21 August, 2008
Deadly Maths on Life Matters
Dr Annette Baturo and Prof. Tom Cooper were interviewed by Richard Aedy for ABC Radio National's Life Matters Program. They tell the serendipitous story of how Deadly Maths research began and where it is headed.
Life Matters is a unique daily interview program about social change and day-to-day life. Richard Aedy talks with the main people behind our social policies - from workplace reform to education, health, family relationships, and social change.
13 August 2008
Indigenous students find maths is a good yarn
Dr Annette Baturo and Prof. Tom Cooper teach Deadly Maths, but not as in deadly boring. Rather, the two Queensland University of Technology academics have spent years working out ways to make the Queensland high school maths syllabus relevant, even appealing, for remote Indigenous students.
Dr. Tom Cooper with students from Doomadgee State School
This article appeared in The Australian's Higher Education section on 13 August, 2008.
11 July 2008
Deadly Maths brings numbers to life
Two QUT academics are on a mission to make maths accessible to and enjoyable for everyone in Queensland, and have travelled to rural communities and Indigenous schools to ensure this happens.
Dr Annette Baturo and Prof. Tom Cooper, both from the Faculty of Education are the founders of the Deadly Maths program, which has, since 2001, seen them devote much of their time and energy to educating Indigenous students in maths.
Dr Baturo said the project started after a visit to Woorabinda Aboriginal Community where they were asked by two principals to come back and work with the schools. More
Dr Annette Baturo and Prof. Tom Cooper
26 March 2008
Todd takes Indigenous education message to world
We are very proud of Education student and QUT Research Assistant and Teacher Associate Todd Phillips, a valuable member of the Deadly Maths team. More
Todd Phillips with Bill Clinton in New Orleans
17 March 2008
Deadly Maths Logo Design Competition
We received many entries for the Deadly Maths Logo Design Competition.
We enjoyed the pictures, and especially the children's descriptions of their drawings. While none of the entries were suitable for use as a logo, we will use some of the images on our website, so keep an eye out in the near future. Dr Annette Baturo mailed a letter and a certificate of participation to each entrant.
Participating schools were Doomadgee State School, Urandangi State School and St Josephs Catholic Primary School at Murgon.
Last Modified: 12:27:07 Tuesday, 6 January, 2009
