Submission to the Australian Science Capability
Review
Helen MacGillivray, President, Australian Mathematical Sciences
Council, and FASTS Board member for the mathematical sciences.
The Australian Mathematical Sciences Council is a peak
body for its member societies, namely, in order of size of membership,
The Statistical Society of Australia Inc (SSAI) The Australian
Mathematical Society (AustMS) (including the Australian and
New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics organisation - ANZIAM)
The Australian Society for Operations Research (ASOR) The Mathematics
Education Research Group of Australiasia (MERGA) These societies
are the national professional societies for the range of areas of
the mathematical sciences. The total of full members is approximately
2000, plus approximately another 600 student or other members. The
Council is represented on the Board of FASTS. The societies and
their members have high standing, both nationally and internationally,
in research, industry and education, with members holding representative
positions on state and national education, industry and government
bodies, and positions on a range of international mathematical sciences
bodies. The submission is presented in two parts. The first presents,
with comment and information, key topics relevant to the Review
and current mathematical sciences capability in Australia. The second
part uses the information provided in the first part to give summary
comments on mathematical sciences with respect to the specific terms
of reference of the Review.
PART ONE - The roles and current situation
of mathematical sciences (including statistical sciences and operations
research) in Australia.
(1) The 1996 Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences and Advanced
Mathematical Services in Australia (Barton, 1996).
In 1995, a Working Party of the Australian mathematical community,
initiated by the Australian Research Council and appointed by the
National Committee for Mathematics of the Australian Academy of
Science, prepared a comprehensive report on the state of the mathematical
sciences in Australia. The review examined the health of research
in the mathematical sciences, investigated the provision of high
level mathematical services, and demonstrated how the nation gains
benefit from its investment in this discipline. In his introduction
to the Review, Professor Max Brennan, the then Chair of the Australian
Research Council, said
"The report demonstrates with clarity the extraordinary
way in which this most fundamental of disciplines is intertwined
with other disciplines, and with the life of the nation. It makes
a persuasive case that the mathematical sciences at an advanced
level play a crucial role in the nation's economic competitiveness."
The review emphasized how the mathematical sciences reach into every
application that needs quantitative analysis – medicine, commerce,
industry, life and physical sciences, social sciences, engineering
and technology. The four principal findings of the review are given
in appendix 1. Whilst the central findings of the Review remain
true, the prospects for the mathematical sciences in Australia have
declined sharply in the intervening 3-4 years. Professor Brennan’s
words on the intertwining with other disciplines are important in
emphasizing wherein lies both the strength and the potential weakness
of the national mathematics capability. Because mathematics underpins
the training, expertise and capability across all quantitative and
problem-solving areas, weaknesses within the national capability
may not be sufficiently evident due to dispersion and the same intertwining
that is an essential component of mathematical capability. Some
of the most recent threats to the health of mathematics capability
in Australia are due to the absence of a national strategy and the
piecemeal nature of changes. There is need for purposeful and coordinated
strategies, and greater public identification of the importance
and multi-faceted nature of mathematics capability throughout all
aspects of a knowledge-based society.
(2) What does capability in mathematics mean in the
national context? It is of value in considering mathematical
capability to identify three broad classes of capabilities: the
quantitative capabilities of the whole of society; the mathematical
capabilities in the broad spectrum of areas with quantitative links;
and the high level expertise capability of the discipline of mathematical
sciences. All three levels of capability are important to industry
and to the whole of a knowledge-based society. It is in the second
and third level that there have been recent increases in both importance
and danger signs.
(3) Recent trends in industry links and employment for mathematics
graduates (3.1) Evidence of value of mathematics training
to industry Evidence of the value placed on mathematical training
can be seen in job advertisements with a wide variety of job titles,
but which increasingly ask for mathematical or statistical training
in the requirements. Spokespeople for disciplines such as accounting
speak of the increasing quantitative needs in their professions.
Investment and risk management companies ask mathematics departments
for help in finding the combination of mathematical training and
talent they want, and frequently either do not advertise or hold
their recruiting while waiting for students to graduate. There are
increasing signs of job offers to undergraduates who then have to
complete their degree part-time – an undesirable trend for both
students and their employers in the longterm. Areas such as information
security and computer science recruit amongst mathematically-trained
graduates. Companies such as Boston Consulting, after an Australian-wide
graduate recruitment, find their short list consists of able mathematics
and electrical engineering graduates. Companies that come into contact
for the first time with mathematics honours graduates or double
degree or double major students in mathematics/information technology
or mathematics/business, tend to "want more". From both
Australia and, more frequently, the USA, come reports of competition
for such students before they graduate. There are signs that the
USA is extending its recruiting to Australia. Evidence of the value
of mathematicians and statisticians to the economic wellbeing of
the nation can be seen in the extraordinary variety of areas that
seek help from mathematicians and statisticians – through the Maths
in Industry Study Group, through student projects and industry placements,
through the work of consulting groups in CSIRO, universities and
privately. The examples of benefits to industry and business that
can be found in the reports of the Maths in Industry Study Group
(MISG), of the CSIRO Mathematical and Information Sciences, and
of the SPIRT projects and university consulting groups, are also
increasingly reflected in industry/university functions, where companies
ranging from transport to finance to energy to resources to manufacturing
to hospitals, want to talk to the mathematicians and statisticians.
However, despite the extent and variety of examples of business
and industry consulting high level mathematical expertise, the level
of knowledge within industry about the capability of high level
mathematical expertise to significantly help industry, still tends
to be too much a matter of chance.
(3.2) Lack of supply And yet from 1989 to 1997, while
EFTSU in Science increased by 47.3%, for mathematics/statistics
major studies it decreased by 5.4%, with the decrease in recent
years being greatest. A contributing factor is the lack of public
awareness of the role of mathematical training, and the lack of
high-profile acknowledgement of mathematics from industry and business.
The effects of the above can be seen in the crisis in supply of
well-qualified mathematics teachers (see below) and in the decrease
in honours and postgraduate students in mathematics, particularly
in the areas in most demand. From the USA come reports that approximately
900 jobs annually require mathematical PhD’s, while the USA produces
approximately half this number in US citizen mathematical PhD’s.
From South Australia comes a report that Motorola have been/are
seeking approximately 300 graduates with postgraduate qualifications
in software engineering/mathematics.
(3.3) What is valued It is fashionable recently to speak
of lack of careers and perceived rewards for science graduates,
including mathematics. For mathematics, particularly the applicable
and real problem-solving areas such as statistics, operations research,
computational mathematics, industrial mathematics and mathematical
modelling, such comments do not represent the reality. The demand
for able graduates with mathematical training, particularly with
an honours degree or, more recently, an add-on such as a double
degree with mathematics, comes from a wide variety of sectors and
employers. It is important to remember in any discussion of graduate
destinations, that education is value-adding. The demand for the
generic skills of quantitative training comes from everywhere. Thus
one message is that mathematical training adds both generic and
specific skills. Both play important roles in employment generally,
with individual experiences varying depending as much on the individual
as on the training. The mathematical community’s increasing recognition
of the role of mathematical generic skills, is reflected in recent
course innovations in a number of universities (see below). A frequent
topic for discussion and speculation is what sort of training do
business and industry want in mathematical graduates? At the generic
skills level, what appears to be valued is the capacity:
-
to think both systematically and laterally;
-
to function as problem-solvers; and
-
to effectively use new technology.
At the more advanced level that combines generic skills
with mathematical expertise, what appears to be valued is:
-
the above generic skills plus a commitment to
problem-solving;
-
a combination of traditional core mathematical
skills with at least some expertise in one or more of the applicable/real
problem areas such as statistics, operations research, industrial
mathematics, mathematical modelling;
-
the capacity to learn new technologies, and to
develop technologically-linked problem-solving techniques.
The above also demonstrates why areas such as biotechnology
and information sciences are concerned about Australia’s mathematical
capacity – such capacity is of vital importance in supporting, underpinning
and sometimes leading significant developments in these areas. The
increasingly high level of mathematical expertise of value in business,
industry and other areas, is also demonstrated by the increasing
trend for mature-age graduates in other areas to seek further training
in mathematical areas, particularly the cutting edge applicable
and real problem areas. No matter how applied are their topics of
interest, their success depends crucially on the soundness of their
original mathematical base.
(3.4) Summary messages The message for able
students, is that mathematical training adds significant value,
particularly if the training combines theory and applications. The
message for all students studying mathematics or mathematically-rich
courses, is that the generic skills acquired are as potentially
valuable as the specific skills. The messages for business, industry
and government are that quantitative training cannot be taken for
granted. Quantitative training is under threat in Australia throughout
the education system. Specific messages are:
If able students with mathematically-rich training
are valuable, then this must be publicised amongst school students
and amongst parents. Many able students would like to be persuaded
to study mathematics, but they need support from more than just
one small sector of the community;
similarly, if the generic skills provided by
quantitative training are valued, then this should be stated
– loud enough for the whole community to hear.
A message for the entire community, but particularly
government, educational and university administrations, is that
a deficient mathematical base in a person’s original education is
one of the most difficult aspects to compensate for at a later date,
no matter how strong the individual’s motivation.
(4) Education matters (4.1) Secondary, particularly senior
secondary The crisis of increasing national shortage of appropriately-qualified
mathematics teachers is receiving particular emphasis. The focus
is on mathematics teachers at the senior secondary school level,
but the flow-on effects to all levels of schooling of the shortage
at this level can be just as damaging for Australia. From around
Australia the last few years have seen consistent anecdotal evidence:
-
of the near-desparate search for able mathematics
graduates with educational qualifications;
-
of the paucity of quality in responses to advertisements
for mathematics teachers even at the most sought-after schools;
-
of education graduates with majors such as physical
education getting jobs as maths teachers on the strength of
a small number of barely-passed introductory mathematics subjects;
-
of the rarity of finding any maths qualifications
amongst those teaching maths in grades 8-10.
In appendix 2 are the officially-stated state qualifications
for teaching maths at the secondary school level. These illustrate
how little protection there is in times of severe shortage of well-qualified
mathematics teachers. FASTS is currently suggesting that some form
of HECS equalisation be granted to mathematics and science graduates
who choose to obtain teaching qualifications and proceed into teaching.
Such a proposal has merits on both equity grounds and for the benefit
of Australia, but it must also be understood that the crisis in
supply of well-qualified mathematics teachers is part of the overall
inconsistency between the numbers of able students studying mathematics
and the increasing need across all sectors for able mathematically-trained
graduates. The problem of inadequate numbers of able students studying
mathematics to their capacity, has, and continues to, spread to
senior secondary school. Over the seven years since 1992, the number
of year 12 students enrolled in high-level maths has declined by
almost half – down from around 60000 to 35000. The figures indicate
that the major component in this decrease, from 1993 to 1996, moved
to the intermediate maths level. Then, in just one year, from 1997
to 1998, the number of grade 12 students studying intermediate maths
dropped by 20000 (from 120000), with a mirrored increase of more
than 20000 in the lowest level of mathematics. To make matters even
worse, there are consistent and ongoing reports from mathematics
teachers in the senior grades (that is, 11 and 12) of more and more
pressure being placed on the senior mathematics schooling due to
decreasing mathematical preparation throughout primary and thus
into junior secondary school.
(4.2) Primary and into junior secondary; side-effects
of the national benchmarks. There are a number of factors at
the primary and into the junior secondary level contributing to
the above problems. These include a lack of open acknowledgement
of the need to provide strategies throughout formal schooling to
cater for the range of mathematical abilities, a neglect of meeting
the capacities of above average students, and the embracing of excuses
to decrease teaching time and upper standards in mathematics. As
stated above, there is increasing concern with the inadequate aggregate
of appropriate mathematical training amongst those charged with
teaching junior secondary mathematics. But the need for mathematics
teaching does not stop there. It is vital in providing a sound national
quantitative base, that primary school teachers and the appropriate
educational authorities, have sufficient love for, and commitment
to, teaching mathematics as one of the most important cornerstones
to enable children to fulfil their capabilities. The current federal
government’s project of national benchmarks in numeracy and literacy
has the stated aim of identifying minimal levels in these
areas. This aim is valid and worthwhile, and the government has
demonstrated to the AMSC that it understands that bodies such as
the AMSC should be involved, and that there is a need to ensure
that these minimalist level benchmarks should not interfere with
the education of the average and above average students – that is,
the students most likely to strongly influence Australia’s continuing
and future progress, or lack thereof, as a knowledge-based society.
However this is precisely the threat in the implementation of the
national numeracy benchmarks because of the various deficiencies
in the understanding and acknowledgement of the fundamental nature
and role of mathematical training for the complete range of student
capabilities. The AMSC has again and again tried to obtain clear
and loud public statements that the benchmarks are intended to be
relevant as benchmarks only for a small percentage of students;
that they must not drive curricula or adversely affect the education
of the average or above average students; and that the act of testing
the whole student cohort at particular levels must not prejudice
the collection of sampled and therefore richer data on the wide
range of student achievements at different levels. Evidence is already
emerging of these threats becoming reality.
(4.3) The tertiary squeeze, particularly in courses
other than maths majors The pressure on maths teachers in grades
11 and 12 due to the pushing back of maths from below, is being
trebled at the tertiary level where the pressure from the "above"
of employers and other areas for more and better mathematical expertise
is added to the pressure from "below" – often delayed
pressure from aspects neglected before grades 11 and 12 –
which is added in its turn to the "sideways" pressure
of reduced prerequisites without compensation plus articulation
from TAFE’s and/or overseas institutions. The pressure from "above"
is due to the increasing importance of mathematics in a technological
and knowledge-based society. The pressure from "below"
is due to lack of understanding of this plus a lack of strategies
that meet the needs, current and future, of the whole student cohort
AND therefore of Australia’s needs, current and future. The "sideways"
pressure is in many ways the least excusable at a tertiary level
because it is often imposed in the name of equity when in fact it
actively discriminates against students with less mathematical preparation.
It often comes either from refusing to admit the full role of mathematics
in other areas, or from a refusal to recognise that an individual’s
mathematics capability is intertwined with the individual’s confidence
and familiarity with mathematical thinking, concepts and tools,
and that this needs TIME. Reducing/removing the mathematics prerequisites
for university courses on the grounds of equity or other, and reducing/removing
the quantitative components of courses, have enormous potential
for longterm damage. Students without the prerequisites must be
given sufficient time to "make up". Courses that need
quantitative knowledge and skills should not pretend that students
can acquire these by some mysterious osmosis process or by a speed-reading
process. Acquiring mathematical capability is not a mere matter
of information, but of time and effort in gaining confidence and
familiarity. Watching university teachers in business, computing,
health and other areas struggle to explain key concepts and techniques
in their disciplines to students who have not been given the opportunity
to acquire the mathematical essentials, is frightening in its implications.
The "sideways" pressure from the various forms of articulation
is of the same misguided nature. Alternative entry schemes with
below standard pseudo-quantitative testing, and block credit from
other institutions, whether in Australia or overseas, without ensuring
at least a reasonably smooth progression in mathematical training,
is disadvantaging students under the pretext of helping them.
(4.4) Innovations in mathematics teaching at school
and tertiary levels The problems outlined above tend to be
due to pressures external to mathematics and mathematics education
– to the increasing lack of understanding and/or acknowledgement
within the community in general of the nature and role of mathematical
training for the complete range of capabilities. Within the mathematical
community, including industrial, research and teaching mathematicians
at both school and tertiary levels, there will always be debate
about ways and means of the teaching of mathematics, but there is
never disagreement about the need for time and careful structuring
with a holistic approach throughout the whole education process
and across the wide reach of the whole cohort. Mathematical capability
is not something that can be acquired in a crash course of speed
reading. The work of the Australian mathematical and statistical
community in education has always been internationally recognised.
The past decade has seen increased understanding of children’s learning
in mathematics, and exciting developments at both senior secondary
and tertiary levels, oriented to emphasizing and integrating within
mathematical and statistical training, communication skills, real
problem-tackling, group work, project work, business and industry
links, use of technologies and cross-disciplinary contexts. A by-product
of such innovations is more transparent identification of the generic
skills of mathematical training.
(4.5) The many roles of the university mathematical
and statistical community, and the current dangers Mathematics
both underpins and bridges other disciplines. The health and strength
of a nation’s mathematical capability depends on continual interchange
between mathematics and the problems in the wide range of disciplines,
workplaces, and applications that need mathematical thinking and
techniques. The university mathematical and statistical community:
-
provides a key pool of high level communal expertise
for consultation by a range of clients from industry to postgraduate
students in other disciplines;
-
plays dual roles in education of the most fundamental
importance to Australia – educating both the future practitioners
and future clients of mathematics;
-
plays a significant role in the community through
participation and leadership in both formal and informal matters
relating to mathematics at all levels of school and extracurricular
mathematical activities.
And yet from 1995-1998, while the overall change
in EFTSU taught by mathematics departments changed little, the average
decrease in mathematics staff was 21% with 11% of departments having
a decrease in excess of 40%. This thin mathematical line is
trying to simultaneously:
-
meet the increasing needs and demands of industry
for help;
-
withstand and combat the treble pressures in mathematical
education from "below", "above" and "sideways";
-
develop and put into practice teaching innovations
of significance for a technological and knowledge-based society;
-
maintain its international standing in mathematical
and statistical research.
The mathematical and statistical communities of CSIRO
and the universities together provide Australia’s central and key
pool of mathematical expertise committed to mathematics across all
applications and disciplines. Without sufficient capability in these
communities, Australia’s mathematical capability cannot survive
or play the role it should.
PART TWO - Comments
and proposals based on the above under the headings of the terms
of reference of the Review.
1. The current state of Australia’s science base,
including its effectiveness and the costs and benefits to the community
and business. There is wide-ranging evidence of the fundamental,
valuable and varied extent of the key roles played by the mathematical
sciences in both the provision of high level expertise and the underpinning
of all quantitative endeavour in the community, business and industry.
This evidence comes from reviews, from consulting and research reports,
from graduate recruitment, and from patterns of criteria regarded
as desirable in recruiting by business and industry. Although this
evidence is both diverse and dispersed, it illustrates that technological
and information growth increase the national need for mathematical
sciences at all levels. At all the levels the cost to the nation
of an inadequate mathematical sciences is the cost of an inadequate
base for a knowledge-based economy across all disciplines. At the
high level of mathematical expertise, the evidence from projects
with business, government and industry is of the potential for both
savings and economic benefits ranging from thousands to millions
of dollars. And yet through lack of awareness, ignorance, neglect
or a taking for granted, at the very time when the national need
in order to exploit technology and information is to strengthen
Australia’s mathematical sciences base, it has been allowed to slip
at all levels.
-
An ongoing national collation of reports of projects
or problems in which the mathematical sciences helped industry
and/or collaborated with other areas, could significantly assist
both industry and the public profile of the mathematical sciences.
Such reports can be available from CSIRO, from the MISG, from
university (and sometimes private) consulting groups, and from
various industry research collaboration mechanisms including
SPIRTs, CRC work, student projects. The role of the national
collation should be to index these by a number of methods, including
by area of mathematics and area of application, to assist industry
and government in both search and overview of the national contributions
and potential of the mathematical sciences.
-
Nationally collected information from (all) people
with a mathematics degree at some stage in their educational
background no matter what paths their careers/work have followed
since, could significantly contribute to increased industry
and community awareness of mathematical foundations and provide
invaluable information on the extent to which quantitative training
underpins a wide range of Australia’s development.
2. Mechanisms for funding and other
support for the mathematical sciences base which will help ensure
that resources most effectively meet the needs and opportunities.
-
School education systems across Australia should
demonstrate that their programs from grades 1 through to 12
are well-oriented to fulfilling the need for mathematical training
at all levels, by providing both the time and the programs needed
to ensure development to full mathematical capability of the
range of abilities, including the average, above average and
most able students. A reward system should be established for
state programs which demonstrate good allocation of time to
mathematics, a wide range of levels to permit the maximum development
of capabilities, and the continuing development of mathematics
capabilities in teachers.
-
Universities should be encouraged by a penalty/reward
system to reverse the recent weakening of the mathematical sciences
base, and to put into place systems that foster mathematical
sciences training in both mathematics and other courses, that
is oriented to a knowledge-based economy. Such systems should
be oriented to providing strong and effective links between
theory and application, current and future problem-solving,
research and industry, mathematics and other disciplines, and
the generic and specific skills of mathematics. Such systems
should include as a matter of prime importance, appropriate
and careful ranges of articulation in mathematics into and between
university courses.
-
The diversity of the mathematical sciences and
the range of its collaborators are essential in servicing Australia’s
needs. Current centre programs tend to work against diversity.
It was recently stated by a mathematical leader that the CRC
program tends to marginalise the mathematical sciences. Mechanisms
should be explored for better ways of supporting the mathematical
sciences at a national level that not just allows for, but fosters
the diversity that serves the national interest.
-
Mechanisms for more aware and coordinated national
strategies and development in education, training, research,
development and industry links, should be explored, particularly
in the challenging areas of articulation between stages of education,
between education and employment training, and between research
and industry.
3. The required characteristics of the
mathematical sciences base if it is to support the development of
leading edge industry in Australia.
Because the mathematical sciences provide the underpinning
for all quantitative development, the problem-solving in the unknown,
and the vehicle for transfer of problem-solving tools, techniques
and ideas across wide-ranging and often disparate disciplines, the
mathematical sciences base must be in place and maintained in order
to serve Australia. The lead time in establishing, maintaining and
using a healthy mathematical sciences base is considerable. This
has two key considerations for leading edge industry. Industry cannot
use mathematical sciences expertise unless it is available and accessible.
Because mathematical sciences expertise is often called on to tackle
the most challenging problems, it is never quite known which combination
of mathematical areas and expertise will be needed for the next
problem. Thus industry needs mathematical sciences strength in Australia
both throughout the education system and in availability and accessibility
of high level expertise. Perhaps one way of helping to meet the
various requirements expressed in 2 above and for industry, might
be to establish a national institute of mathematical sciences, with
nodes across Australia, to assist in the national coordination and
development in education, research and development and industry
links. It is often complained that industry in Australia does not
invest sufficiently in R&D, but R&D in partnership with
mathematical sciences is often characterised by a need for unrestricted
access to a range of expertise. If a national institute of mathematical
sciences includes embedding of the aims of the Mathematics in Industry
Study Group meetings, it may well mark the ideal way for industry
to participate in investment into R&D.
4. The contribution the mathematical sciences base should make
to economic development, particularly in contributing to an innovative,
ideas-based economy.
The mathematical sciences underpin all quantitative development,
quantitative problem-solving, and effective development and use
of technologies and information. Across all levels of education,
training and the provision of expertise, a healthy and modern mathematical
sciences base, oriented to problem-solving, is essential for an
innovative, ideas-based, knowledge-based economy.
Appendix 1 - Principal Findings of the 1996 Strategic
Review
The 1996 Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences
and Advanced Mathematical Services in Australia (Barton, 1996) had
four principal findings, reprinted in full below:
1. It is essential for Australia to have a
sound research base in the mathematical sciences for the following
reasons:
-
to be able to respond to new research ideas and
opportunities
-
to capture benefit through collaborative research
and downstream technology transfer
-
to educate future mathematical sciences graduates
-
to contribute to the economic and cultural strength
of the nation
-
to benefit from international developments
In general, Australia possesses a sound research base,
although certain sub-disciplines, among them operations research
and financial mathematics, need to be strengthened.
2. The mathematical sciences are critical to
Australia's economic competitiveness and quality of life, and will
become more so. The mathematical sciences are generic and enabling
technologies. They are essential to the prosperity of many value-adding
industries in Australia.
3. The mathematical sciences make a vital contribution
to many fields of research and endeavour. The importance of this
contribution needs further emphasis because
-
much work in the mathematical sciences is multi-disciplinary
in nature
-
there is a spillover of concepts and techniques
from the mathematical sciences into other disciplines, particularly
through methods and software widely used in those disciplines
-
researchers in many other disciplines (including
the social sciences) who would not describe themselves as mathematical
scientists nonetheless make extensive use of mathematical and
statistical concepts
4. The mathematical sciences profession in
Australia faces a number of major challenges:
-
improving the image of the profession to match
its importance and effectiveness
-
balancing an age distribution which is currently
skewed by the growth in the profession in the late 1960s and
1970s
-
redressing the gender imbalance at senior levels
-
attracting good undergraduate students into mathematical
sciences courses
-
increasing opportunities for postdoctoral level
researchers
-
broadening the funding base for research
-
educating potential users to the value of the
mathematical sciences
-
improving technology transfer programs and associated
educational programs, particularly for SMEs (small to medium
enterprises)
If these challenges are not addressed successfully,
there will be significant diminution in Australia's capabilities
in the mathematical sciences, to the detriment of the nation.
Nothing has changed since 1996 to vitiate the strength
of Findings 1-3. Indeed, we argue that the forecast in Finding 2,
that the mathematical sciences will become more important to Australia’s
economic competitiveness, has been confirmed. One only has to look
at the rapid increase of use of mathematical techniques in the services
industry (finance, transport, tourism, health) to see this is so.
Appendix 2 - Official requirements for teaching
secondary school mathematics in each state
All states require four-year trained. This is sometimes
relaxed for overseas graduates, and in areas (e.g. country) where
there are shortages. All who require discipline studies also require
some maths methods. Note that a minor or sub-major is a very vague
definition and may mean just 4 first year subjects. Victoria
(03) 9637-2000
Qualified teacher.
"Guidelines, not rules, say" a sub-major
in mathematics (for new teachers) or acceptable experience (principal’s
judgement). Same standard for Years 7-12. New South Wales (02)
9561-8000
4 years teacher education including "specialisation"
in maths and 13 weeks of training in special education. ( "Specialisation
in" means "a major") Western Australia (08) 9264-4111
To teach senior maths, principals are "advised"
that applicants must have studied relevant discipline studies at
2nd year university level. For lower secondary, first
year maths or, no maths but second year chemistry, physics, etc,
is likely to be acceptable. Queensland (07) 3377-4777
Registration is general (primary and secondary include,
and all subject areas). District offices decide whether individual
applicants have the necessary strengths to teach particular levels
and subjects.
South Australia (08) 8226-1291
Major in maths. Northern Territory (08) 8999-5511
Maths major or minor, through to Year 12 (usually
either major or experience is required for senior years).
ACT (02) 6205-9280
Major in maths. May be possible to teach in lower
secondary with minor in maths and major in a hard science – depends
on principal and on experience. Tasmania 1300-135-513
No specifications. "Need to show that they could
deliver". On further query the reply was a person with teacher
qualifications "could teach rocket science – there are no specific
subject requirements".
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