As we seek to make mathematics relevant, and enjoyable to both teach and to learn, a great place to start is the interests of our children. What is it that really interests our learners? And how might we take those interests and build worthwhile and enjoyable experiences from those. Doug will share many examples that he has used in recent years, drawing upon the interests of primary students and his six grandchildren (four of whom are in early years or junior primary). And we’ll have some fun too!

Key takeaways:
Hopefully, some inspiration and examples of how participants might use the interests of their own learners as a springboard for mathematics learning.

Critical mathematical thinking (CMT) plays a pivotal role in nurturing students' mathematical reasoning abilities. To facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse during learning, teachers can use specific question types tailored to students. These encompass probing, factual, and guiding questions. In this presentation, Chrissy will offer practical strategies for teachers to foster CMT among students. This involves utilising open-ended questions backed by research and evidence, strategically aimed at enhancing students' reasoning skills.

Key takeaways:
Teachers will gain valuable insights into incorporating high-quality questioning techniques informed by research to enhance students’ reasoning abilities.

Naomi, as an experienced-informed and research-informed professional, will describe her own teaching journey in school and university classrooms. She will share her insights into mathematics education, and her discomfort about how teachers are sometimes portrayed in the media. Naomi will highlight the importance of teachers having a positive and robust relationship with mathematics and will suggest ways teachers and students can build a strong sense of the beauty, value, and importance of the subject.

Key takeaways:
Building confidence and expertise in teaching mathematics.

In 2024, mathematics education faces a unique global and local challenges that demand innovative solutions. This panel presentation will delve into these pressing issues, offering a comprehensive exploration of current mathematics curriculums and the resources available to support their implementation. Our discussion will extend to the evolving needs of the mathematics workforce sector, addressing both current demands and future projections. Recognising the critical role of educators, the panel will share examples of initiatives designed to enhance teacher well-being, foster collaboration, and cultivate leadership within the profession. We aim to provide valuable insights and practical recommendations that will empower educators and stakeholders to navigate the complexities of mathematics education in today's dynamic environment.

Key takeaways:
1. Insights into the latest innovative approaches to addressing the unique global and local challenges facing mathematics education in 2024.
2. Learn about effective initiatives designed to enhance teacher well-being, encourage collaboration, and develop leadership skills, equipping them with practical strategies to support educators in their professional growth.

In a learning landscape where there are many resources, options, and opportunities for mathematics lessons, teachers can feel overwhelmed and may lack direction. In this keynote, Leonie will highlight selected excellent resources and offer provocations for your practice. She will share her knowledge of how resources develop a culture of developing and enhancing expertise for teaching and learning in your school or classroom. You will leave with a clear understanding potential decisions and perspectives that can be used to create a balanced and cohesive mathematics program.

Key takeaways:
It is the learning that student do that matters. How does the resource empower a culture of trust and respect for learning and teaching?

In this session, teachers will be shown various strategies to personalise learning for students with special educational needs. Teachers will be learning strategies on how to incorporate assistive technology to enhance student engagement and comprehension in Mathematics such as using the app Proloquo2go. Additionally, using tools like video modelling provide visual and auditory reinforcement of routines, making abstract concepts more concrete. Teachers will learn on using visual supports like Colourful Semantics which can help students understand mathematical language with more ease, including those who are non-verbal. Teachers will also understand the importance of a collaborative approach, involving speech therapists, educational professionals, and parents to create a supportive and responsive learning environment. Participants will walk away from this session with a practical understanding of the supports required to effectively scaffold the learning of students with special needs in Numeracy.

Key takeaways:
1. Making learning more personalised for students with diverse learning needs 
2. Using technology and visuals as a support in mathematics, e.g. video modelling, Colourful Semantics and social stories
3. Learning how to implement practical and real-life lessons in the community

THE PRESENTER WILL BE RECORDING THIS SESSION

This workshop explores the definition and identification of high potential and gifted mathematicians, emphasising the pedagogical strategies that best support their development. Key instructional practices include differentiated instruction, the status of ability grouping, challenging tasks, and task modification. The implications of these practices for educational systems and policy are also shared.

Critical thinking is a crucial part of teaching and learning, especially when it comes to mathematics. It is a complex mental journey that requires students to transform information into knowledge and apply this knowledge to a variety of real-world contexts. Participants of this presentation will walk away with a handful of practical ways to embed critical thinking in their maths lessons. In this presentation, we'll use the comprehensive Maths Trek program resources to highlight effective strategies to purposefully teach and improve students' critical thinking skills. Maths Trek is a new resource which is aligned to the newest Victorian Curriculum and focuses on developing students' problem-solving, reasoning and critical thinking skills through explicit teaching and real-world application in investigations.

Key takeaways:
1. Learn how and why students should be carefully guided through their critical thinking journey.
2. Identify different explicit and implicit teaching strategies to help develop students’ critical thinking skills.
3. Apply the strategies in your classroom immediately, either by adopting the principles discussed to your own maths resources, or  by using the scaffolded critical thinking resources and activities from the Maths Trek program.

You just have to read the daily newspaper to realise that there is change afoot in the world of Education. Evidence-informed decisions are now, more than ever, critical to ensure we are leading our schools effectively. As a Numeracy Leader, principals and colleagues often look for guidance, support and informed advice on the best course of action for the school to follow. Yet sometimes we may not be sure what the 'best steps' are, or the steps suggested by 'higher powers' may not align with our personal beliefs about quality instruction. In this session Ange shares five practical tips to support Numeracy Leaders to remain sane, confident and clear in their vision for their school. Participants will walk away from this session with an understanding of important research to be aware of as we make school-based decisions about our Numeracy instruction.

Key takeaways:
1. Understanding of the current ‘state of play’ in numeracy education.
2. Understanding of the importance of making researchinformed decisions.
3. Five practical tips for leading numeracy with confidence.

As teachers we are constantly being told to give students lots of experiences with problem solving. Teachers try so hard to teach students how to problem solve. However, many of the examples we are being shown are based around worded problems. There are many other ways for students to develop problem solving skills. In this presentation I will provide a variety of examples of ways class teachers from F to 6 can encourage students to think deeply, work collaboratively and reason their way to mathematical solutions while promoting maths as a fun subject.

Key takeaways:
1. Mathematics classrooms should be places where students are required to think deeply.
2. It is important to use a variety of activities to develop students that are able to problem solve.
3. Problem solving is an essential life skill and maths is a wonderful vehicle to encourage these skills.

The session will identify areas of intersection between AI and Mathematics and will help teachers of Mathematics understand how AI works and show that what students learn in Mathematics underpins AI and provides a foundation for appreciating the strengths and limitations of AI. Facial recognition, robotics, and autonomous vehicles provide new contexts to apply mathematical content. The way in which we determine position and location and navigate spaces using GPS and other geolocation processes (such as those used by drones and automated delivery services), and new ways of creating, generating, representing, augmenting, and distorting images, require sound geometric skills and spatial reasoning to work within and move between different dimensions. Students also apply mathematics when making ethical decisions concerning data, recognising intentional and accidental errors or distortions, and to think critically about the output of AI systems, especially predictive algorithms.

Key takeaways: 
1. Helping teachers of mathematics in both the primary and secondary years appreciate the connections between AI and the mathematics students are learning.
2. Identifying key areas where AI and mathematics interconnect.
3. Showing how mathematics is essential for fostering and understanding and critical disposition towards AI.

In this session, I will define and describe a growth mindset—what it is and what it isn't—using classroom examples. Two areas in research where a growth mindset is important are motivation and maths anxiety. In this session, we will look at a mathematical activity from a student's perspective and use resources developed by the Academy of Teaching and Leadership and ACER to support students' emotional regulation and the impact it can have on learning.

Key takeaways:
1. Re-framed ideas regarding a growth mindset.
2. Resources to support emotional regulation (in mathematics but easily adapted to all areas).

Wish you could get your students thinking deeply about maths in every lesson? In this session, you'll learn about two powerful maths routines that are specially designed to unlock new ideas, insights, and reasoning about mathematics. Both routines are suitable for P-12 classrooms and can be easily adapted to be used across curriculum topics. You'll also explore strategies and techniques for facilitating routines that you can then use to help your students articulate their thinking, form connections, and learn more maths than would be possible if working alone from a textbook or worksheet.

Key takeaways:
You’ll learn about;
1. A different view on ‘routines’ in the maths classroom.
2. Two powerful routines you can use with all students and across topics.
3. Five strategies you can use to get the most out of any maths routine.

Computational thinking is integrated into the Victorian Curriculum Mathematics V2.0. A useful starting point for students and teachers is to consider algorithms that are already familiar. In this session, we will look at the long division algorithm and use a computational thinking approach to understand how the algorithm works, and what it tells us about numbers and divisibility. This includes answers to the following questions: * Why do we work from left-to-right (instead of right-to-left as in other addition, subtraction and multiplication)? * What does the long division algorithm actually do? * How can we link the long division algorithm to our understanding of divisibility? * What can we learn about algorithms in general from this process?

Key takeaways:
1. A deep understanding of how the long division algorithm works.
2. An approach to analyse and understand mathematical algorithms.

No doubt many of us have had moments where we’re surprised by what our students haven’t remembered. In this workshop, we will begin by exploring some practical classroom strategies and approaches that research has shown to be effective in facilitating learning, retention and recall, for example: * explaining an idea, concept or solution to someone else * benefit of deliberately making an error and then correcting it * using faded worked examples * developing multiple ‘entry and exit’ points * spaced and interleaved practice You will have the opportunity to work in small groups to see how these strategies and approaches could be incorporated in lessons and topics. By the end of this session, you will leave with a range of practical strategies, a copy of the presentation and links to some related resources.

Key takeaways:
1. An understanding of some effective teaching and learning strategies and approaches.
2. Practical experience with applying the strategies .
3. Links to related resources.

Teachers often view digital and non-digital tools as alternative means of supporting mathematics learning. However, as a teacher, you may have wondered whether the two can in fact be complementary; whether sensory and visceral non-digital experiences can help to give meaning to what might otherwise be alien and disconnected concepts associated with digital technology. In this workshop, we explore how algorithmic thinking can be introduced through exploring seemingly simply designed analogue function machines. Through allowing students to physically ‘perform computation’, such experiences can facilitate the development of a deeper appreciation and fascination for how digital systems work.

Key takeaways:
1. A tactile, tangible experience of executing an algorithm inside a ‘human computer’.
2. Access to templates and designs that will allow teachers to recreate these experiences in their own classrooms.

For many people, ‘maths’ is synonymous with ‘calculating’. The facts and procedures taught in school have been known for hundreds and thousands of years, making it reasonable to believe that maths is ‘done’; that we know all there is to know, and the answer will always be in the back of the textbook (or just a Google away!). But maths is alive and well, with new facts and procedures being proven every day. In this talk, I will give a peek into some of the extremely accessible aspects of my research in knot theory, including some potential activities to take back to the classroom. The emphasis will be on maths that might not feel like maths, highlighting a puzzly, creative and not-so-calculation-heavy side of maths that many people never get to meet.

Key takeaways:
1. A basic introduction to the mathematics of knots.
2. Potential activities to take back to the classroom.
3. A fresh perspective on what makes something ‘maths’.

Planning, teaching, learning and assessment are ideally informed by the nature of mathematics in which explicit emphasis is on connections between ideas, flexible thinking, application of mathematics to practical contexts, and ways that problem solving and reasoning connect to understanding and fluency. This session will illustrate the characteristics of such teaching and will contrast this with approaches that reduce mathematics to routines and rules to be learned by rote.

Key takeaways:
1. Examples of tasks and lessons that foster mathematical thinking.
2. Insight into how this approach can enhance student engagement, agency and equity.

In this workshop, we’ll actively work through some maths problems which have the potential to build important connections—connections between the mathematics in the classroom and that of the world outside, and connections within mathematics also. Content addressed will be drawn from geometry, statistics, percentages, and measurement. Participants will leave with several activities ready to use in the following weeks with their students. And we’ll have some fun too!

Come along and join as we delve into puzzles, brainteasers, and intriguing mathematical conundrums that ignite curiosity and foster a love for mathematics. You will engage in problems that challenge conventional thinking, encourage innovative solutions and experience strategies designed to encourage collaboration.

Key takeaways:
1. Where to find great problems!

We will provide you with a dozen different ways to jazz up your senior maths classroom including a portfolio of fun activities, use of technology, brain breaks and more. Great ideas that have worked for us for many years and helped us to connect with a wide range of students.

Key takeaways:
1. Free, ready to use resources.
2. Ideas to engage your senior students.
3. Technology you may not be aware of.

Financial Basics Foundation (FBF) is an independent charity that provides free of charge to all Australian educators extensive resources and services designed to support students in developing financial life skills. FBF’s new website features financial literacy teaching and learning resources, videos, activities and games In addition, we have also launched the Financial Basics Classroom Academy, an e-learning portal featuring engaging online short courses with financial literacy micro-credentials led by the classroom teacher. As with all FBF resources, The Financial Basics Classroom Academy is integrated into our website and free to all Australian educators. This session will focus on free tools for student engagement with and understanding of mathematics in the ‘real-life’ context of personal finance. It will showcase the freshly launched Financial Basics Classroom Academy short courses, the brand new animated MoneyIQ YouTube financial education video series and the updated ESSI Money Game.

Key takeaways:
1. Free financial literacy education resources that you can use in your next lesson.
2. Free financial literacy training courses for your students, featuring micro-credentials.
3. Free Australian-context, animated, financial literacy education videos.

Remember: An internet enabled device will let you get hands on with the free digital resources during the session.

We know that students learn mathematics by actively constructing their understanding through challenge, discovery, and discussion. We also know that students need time to consolidate their understanding and build their confidence through practice. This workshop will explore how to achieve this balance.

Key takeaways:
1. Practical ideas to use when planning a unit of work.

The introduction of Pseudocode in the new Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics Study Design indicates that algorithms and coding are beginning to be seen as important. This presentation introduces the three key elements of algorithm design: sequencing, decision-making and repetition. These elements will be implemented using the popular open-source computer language Python on a computer and on the new TI CAS Nspire CX II calculator, which has Python built into it. Delegates will have the choice of coding a variety of simple algorithms to calculate the value of pi (using the bisection method), generate Pythagorean triples and primes, run simulations and define (create your own) mathematical functions such as factorials, sine and square roots. Python also handles complex numbers, with the ability to calculate Euler’s identity in a single line of code! No experience of coding or Python is required but would be beneficial.

Key takeaways:
1. Introduction to pseudocode and algorithm design: sequencing, decision-making and repetition.
2. Introduction to the popular open-source computer language Python.
3. Choice of writing code to calculate the value of pi, generate Pythagorean triples, primes, run simulations, and define functions such as sine and square roots in terms of elementary arithmetic.

Remember: Delegates do need to have Python installed on their computer or it can be installed from the Python.org website or use a web-based version. Delegates should bring their laptop and/or TI CAS Nspire CX II which has Python built in. Python is not available on the Casio ClassPad FX-CP400.

In this workshop, I will share valuable, time-saving resources for teaching Networks and Decision Mathematics in VCE General Mathematics. These resources include a detailed spreadsheet for critical path analysis, a TI program for the Hungarian algorithm, and Python programs for Dijkstra’s algorithm and the Ford-Fulkerson algorithm (maximum flow). Participants are encouraged to bring their TI-Nspire CAS or laptops to store these files and follow along with the demonstrations. Additionally, we will have the opportunity to discuss and share further resources related to General Mathematics and Python programming. This interactive session is designed to equip educators with practical tools, enhance their teaching strategies, and foster a collaborative learning environment. By the end of the workshop, participants will possess a robust set of digital tools and resources to support their teaching of Networks and Decision Mathematics, as well as new ideas generated through peer discussions.

Key takeaways:
1. Acquire practical, time-saving digital tools for teaching Networks and Decision Mathematics.
2. Learn to implement Python and TI-Nspire CAS programs for key algorithms.
3. Engage in collaborative discussions to discover additional resources and enhance teaching strategies.

Remember: Mainly TI calculator with Python module installed or Laptop computer with Visual code or Visual studio that can execute Python codes.

Teaching networks as part of the General Mathematics Unit 4 course. The session will cover hints and tips for teaching networks and how to prepare students for the VCE General Mathematics examination. Ideas for writing a networks SAC will also be shared.

Key takeaways:
1. Hints and tips for teaching networks.
2. How to answer difficult VCAA examination questions.
3. Ideas for preparing a networks SAC.

In this workshop, the presenter will provide a number of selected past or recent exam questions/items for analysis group discussion. Additionally the presenter will explore, compare and articulate various approaches to develop open-ended tasks or summative assessments within the scope of 2023-2027 VCAA study design, and provide common templates for exam/assessment tasks and introduce useful tools, softwares or packages in the resource development.

Key takeaways:
1. Establish further networking with others in VCE subjects.
2. Exchange ideas, refresh and replenish professional repertoire with other approaches.
3. Explore effective and efficient approaches to develop quality assessments, from both practical and innovative points of view.

Remember: Please bring your laptop. The presenter will provide handouts and share other relevant documents during the session.

There has been plenty of discussion over many years about the kinds of teaching approaches that might be helpful for students’ learning. Some of them have the word “explicit” in them. Is an “explicit” approach a good thing or a bad thing? Last year, the Mathematics Hub (https://www.mathematicshub.edu.au/), which is part of the “Maths in Schools” Federal Government initiative, released a set of learning modules about “explicit teaching”, with a framework to help teachers think about effective lessons. In this presentation, I will introduce you to the Explicit Teaching framework, and the Mathematics Hub’s set of free professional learning modules that will help you learn more. We’ll discuss some of the key ideas, do some planning using the framework, and take away an activity that could be used in the classroom.

Key takeaways:
1. Conceptualisations of explicit thinking.
2. Knowledge of professional learning modules.
3. Activity resources for teaching.

As soon as young children start working with number, they start encountering algebraic ideas. Pattern recognition and creation, understanding of equivalence and representations and reasoning about them are critical in the development of number and mathematics generally. Participants at this workshop will engage with some activities used in the early years to foster attention on patterns and relationships between numbers, symbols and problem-solving situations. Come and explore some tasks reflecting on how they engage young children with algebraic thinking.

Key takeaways:
1. Activities for developing algebraic thinking in early years.
2. Ways to nurture children’s curiosity and attention to big ideas in algebraic thinking.
3. Reflections on supporting understanding of equivalence and patterns.

Remember: Paper and pen.

With the implementation of the revised curriculum for mathematics we see the mathematical processes become more evident and explicit. In this session we will look at the process, mathematical modelling. This session is aimed at primary school teachers and leaders. We will provide ideas and resources that teachers can use to enrich the use of mathematical modelling tasks in their practice and will support teachers to try some tasks for themselves. We will also look at various mathematical modelling cycles and where these tasks have been explicitly linked in the revised mathematics curriculum.

Key takeaways:
1. Using mathematical modelling in primary school mathematics.
2. What research says about mathematical modelling.

Effective Maths planning builds collective teacher efficacy, allows for intentional connections between mathematical ideas to be highlighted, and leads to the development of strong numeracy skills and understanding in students. Making connections between strands, with other curriculum areas, and with the real world provides students with a deeper understanding of mathematics and how concepts build on and link to each other. This understanding creates an appreciation for the real-world usefulness of mathematics. In the session, I will model how I have used the Mathematics 2.0 Curriculum, along with Professor Di Siemon’s Big Ideas in Number and planning matrix to develop a whole-school annual overview that feeds into term and lesson sequence planners. The planning documents are made with formative and summative assessment in mind, incorporate connections to other curriculum areas, and guide the day-to-day planning of year level teams.

Key takeaways:
1. How to plan annual overviews that lead to term and sequence planners.
2. How to use Professor Di Siemon’s planning matrix to find the connections in the mathematics curriculum.
3. How the Curriculum 2.0 lends itself to making mathematical connections.

Engagement in maths education has long been an issue for children, teachers and parents. Through encouraging a mindset of growth and development and instilling self-confidence and esteem within the children, this session is for those looking for ways to make their lessons more meaningful, relevant and enjoyable, while at the same time helping children to develop a love for the learning of maths. Rather than looking for change, YOU can be that change! Your students, like mine will look forward to maths each day. This workshop looks at methods, approaches and proven strategies to instil a love and enjoyment for the learning and teaching of maths. This is a very hands-on session with examples of how to structure the activities to be suitable for all primary levels, across all maths curriculum topics, link them to assessment data and how to alter them over time to maintain engagement.

Teacher workload is massive and time precious. We know our student needs change every year with cohort demographics. We believe our teachers are knowledgeable professionals who are experts in designing learning for their students based on learning needs. The solution lies in true collaborative PLCs where a team of teachers work together to analyse student learning data, identify relevant curriculum standards and plan learning experiences that align with student learning needs. This is supported and scaffolded by a strong evidence based instructional model, robust and structured meeting agendas that promote deep data dive and reflection and continuous leadership support.

Key takeaways:
1. Collaborative numeracy planning - The why, what and how.
2. Collaborative data analysis to facilitate point of need teaching.
3. Collaborative planning of high quality instructional experiences.

This professional learning session focuses on the "Launch, Explore, Summarise" instructional approach to teaching primary mathematics. We will unpack the instructional sequence and examine the distinct roles of teachers and students within it. A real-life example used in schools will illustrate these steps in practice. We will highlight rich mathematical tasks that encourage deep thinking and demonstrate the power of this approach in fostering a rich, engaging learning environment and enabling students to explore concepts through guided discovery and collaborative problem-solving.

Key takeaways:
1. Clear primary maths instructional sequence
2. Rich mathematical tasks.
3. Summary of roles of teacher and students within a maths lesson.

Change is an inevitable part of education, and embracing and managing these changes is essential for continuous improvement in educational outcomes. With the introduction of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, educators have a valuable opportunity to enhance their teaching practices and better support their students' mathematical development. This session aims to ensure that teachers can effectively navigate the changes brought by the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, ultimately leading to enhanced mathematical understanding and success for all students. Join us to explore how Essential Assessment will continue to improve educational outcomes and support learners at your school.

Key takeaways:
1. Curriculum-aligned assessment techniques to identify starting points for each student within the new curriculum framework.
2. Methods for using formative assessment to support and track student growth in alignment with the new curriculum.
3. Clear alignment with pedagogical principles presented by Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction, emphasising explicit instruction and effective feedback.

Teaching always explores the psychology of human relationships. In this session, participants will take a closer look at the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman and use them to foster a deeper understanding on how students learn better in the mathematics classroom. The five love languages describe ways by which people express and receive love in a relationship. Using what we know about our students’ love languages can help when building positive relationships and enhance mathematics learning. Most often, students viewed mathematics as a dry and boring subject. This is because we always project our own love language to our students. Mastering love languages gives teachers countless creative ways to stimulate students’ participation and enthusiasm in the class. Regardless of how much you care about your students, if you do not communicate it in terms they can understand, they will never be able to feel it.

Key takeaways:
1. To explore the 5 love languages.
2. To know your own love language/s and that of your students.
3. To master the love languages so that you can adjust your pedagogy to make maths learning more meaningful for your students.

Remember: Laptop or phone.

Join us for an informative and immersive session on The Mathematical Association of Victoria’s newest initiative - the Build Me Up (BMU) program! This innovative project addresses the pressing need for secondary mathematics content knowledge, particularly for out-of-field teachers. Funded by the Department of Education's Strategic Partnerships Program, BMU aims to upskill teachers in delivering 7-10A mathematics with confidence and competence. In this session, you will get insight into what this program offers and what is included within it. You will discover the structure of BMU, featuring 12 online, on-demand modules. Each module is designed to be accessible at your own pace and focused on key areas of mathematics, delivered by subject-matter experts. By exploring the program through the virtual portal, you will get a feel for how it may help you or your colleagues upskill themselves in secondary mathematics content.

Key takeaways:
1. Comprehensive Build Me Up (BMU) program insight through immersion into the course.

Consider that a breakfast cereal company is running a promotion by inserting a famous mathematician card into each box of cereal. If there are 6 different cards in the set and the placement of cards is equal and random, how many boxes of cereal on average would you expect are needed in order to collect the full set of cards? Participants will partake in hands-on investigation of the card (or coupon) collector problem with the opportunity to explore through intuition, simulation and calculation. This classic problem could be used as the basis for a Mathematical Methods Investigation task, specifically examining expectation, probability distribution and confidence intervals. However, at a basic level, it is also accessible to junior students and can be used to meet the F-10 curriculum requirement to “conduct simulations, using digital tools to determine probabilities and describe results (VC2M8P03)."

Key takeaways:
1. Resource materials that could form the basis of a VCE Mathematical Methods investigation task.
2. Activities that can help fulfil the F-10 curriculum requirement to ‘conduct simulations, using digital tools to
determine probabilities and describe results’.
3. Appreciation of the underlying mathematics of a classic problem of probability.

Remember: Not essential, but a CAS calculator of your preferred platform will be helpful.

Do you want to enhance your teaching of decimals? Understanding decimals is key for students' numerical proficiency and mathematical literacy. This presentation explores four tools to enhance decimal comprehension: Decimat, Number Expander, Hundreds Grid, and a Decimal Comparison model. Each tool offers unique strategies for teaching decimals. We will explore their benefits and limitations for classroom use. You will learn how to integrate these tools into your teaching practices, aligning with the Victorian Curriculum Mathematics 2.0. Come along to gain a comprehensive understanding of each tool's pedagogical potential and practical strategies for effective implementation in primary classrooms.

Key takeaways:
1. Importance of decimal understanding.
2. Exploration of four teaching tools.
3. Practical application and curriculum alignment.

In this session, we will introduce the Maths in Schools project, which provides free online professional learning courses for teachers of Mathematics. The online courses support contemporary evidence-based approaches to mathematics teaching from Foundation to Year 2, Years 3-6, and Years 7-10. A particular focus of the courses is the CRA model and culturally responsive mathematics pedagogies. All the courses are based on the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics V9.0 and, as such, provide an excellent tool to unpack the key changes. In this session, we will enrol in a free online course and unpack various ways that teachers and leadership teams can use the resources to familiarise themselves and their teams with the new curriculum whilst highlighting various pedagogies. The Maths in Schools project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and is conducted in partnership with Education Services Australia.

Key takeaways:
1. Knowledge of the content, structure and location of free online courses for teachers
2. Awareness of the intended audience of the resources.
3. Understanding of the wide variety of ways the online courses can be used by teachers and leadership teams.

Why do teachers of numeracy and mathematics also need to be language and literacy teachers? This presentation and hands-on workshop will look at issues related to the relationship between numeracy and mathematics, and the crucial roles that language and literacy play in the teaching and learning of both mathematics and numeracy. Based on this analysis, what are some of the key challenges in how to teach numeracy and mathematics successfully taking the language aspect on board, and what are some teaching strategies and approaches that support and integrate the language of mathematics into our classroom practices. A range of different hands-on activities and strategies will be demonstrated that can be used in your classrooms.

Key takeaways:
1. Rationale fand evidence or why literacy and language issues are critical in teaching numeracy/maths.
2. Examples of classroom activities on how you can address this in your teaching practices.

This session introduces an innovative pedagogy: the connected curriculum approach to teaching the mathematics curriculum across the 3 strands: number and algebra, measurement and geometry and statistics and probability. The approach was inspired by Emeritus Professor Peter Sullivan’s research and workshop, which aimed at enhancing numeracy engagement by linking learning activities and assessments to real life, and in particular, students’ daily life, and improving maths teaching efficiency by covering multiple strands within one unit. Assessments of the approach included the three levels of complexity: fluency, problem solving, and reasoning, which are clearly outlined in the rubric. The approach is suitable for upper primary, junior secondary and pre-VCE VM pathway students, and has been applied and proven effective in both secondary mainstream and alternative settings. We will share our resources and demonstrate how to apply the approach at your school.

Key takeaways:
1. Introduction to an innovative teaching approach.
2. Discussions and resources of the approach and examples.
3. Opportunities to create programs for your school.

Remember: Hard copies and digital copies of handouts will both be provided. Please bring a pen and/or a charged device.

This interactive presentation offers an engaging exploration of innovative pedagogical practices combining the concepts of vertical whiteboards and random groupings. Vertical whiteboards are large, erasable surfaces positioned vertically in classrooms, in order to spark dynamic collaboration. Random groups, composed of three students each, are formed completely randomly to further enrich collaborative, deep thinking tasks. Inspired by the pioneering work of Peter Liljedahl, along with my own research conducted in a primary school setting, we delve into the impact of these strategies on student learning and engagement. By experiencing these techniques firsthand, participants will gain invaluable insights into fostering active learning environments. Throughout the session, attendees will immerse themselves in theory, evidence and practical demonstrations. They will leave equipped with the tools and confidence to implement these strategies effectively in their own classrooms. Come along and embark on a journey to nurture curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills among students.

Key takeaways:
1. Discover the research around vertical whiteboards and random groups to enhance student learning and engagement.
2. Develop confidence using vertical whiteboards and random groups.
3. Experience effective pedagogical strategies to create dynamic, student-centred classrooms.

Sydney will explore strategies for enhancing Year 10 and Year 11 Methods and Specialist students' confidence and proficiency with the CASIO ClassPad II. The focus is on early engagement with CAS tools to prepare for Year 12, emphasising practical timing and application techniques. Through interactive demonstrations, Sydney will illustrate key functionalities and provide attendees with handouts for student or teacher use, aiming to facilitate a CAS Masterclass ahead of assessments. The content serves as a condensed, targeted adaptation of the CASIO user's manual, designed to demystify CAS operations and integrate them seamlessly into mathematical learning, thereby equipping students with essential skills for their senior years.

Key takeaways:
1. Handout for conducting a CAS Master class - including different levels of examples from Year 10 to Year 11 Specialist.
2. Some CAS tricks include user-defined functions, with examples in different levels.
3. Understand how to translate plain English words into CAS syntax.

Remember: Please bring a CASIO Classpad, a pen, and a positive mindset!

The use of questioning is a fundamental tool that we know can enhance thinking and student engagement in mathematics learning. If you have wondered different styles of questioning to support student understanding? In this session, Leonie will share questioning tools, lesson concepts that deepen conceptual understanding and build learning proficiency.

To develop a sophisticated understanding of algebraic representations, which is key to senior secondary success, our students need to appreciate the difference between a variable and an unknown, to have some sense of the meaning conveyed by expressions like 2x+4, and, more generally, to understand the answer to ‘why do we have to use letters instead of just numbers when doing mathematics?’ These ideas form with early experiences of algebra, which need to plant some of these seeds. This workshop will share an approach which focussing on the teaching of identities (starting with the distributive law of multiplication) rather than processes (“expand”, “factorise”), using video to see quantities varying, and variables as a sensible way to capture this variation. These videos can be followed by a sequence of re-enforcing activities, which will also be shared.

1. Variables vary (and constants are constant). Video is a powerful way to see variation, and algebraic/symbolic representations are powerful ways to describe and work with that variation.

Allason and Cathy will do a similar session to the 2024 MAV Meet the Examiners Lecture for Mathematical Methods. They will discuss common errors that students made on the 2023 examinations. Cathy will talk about Exam 1 and Allason Exam 2. The statistics for each question will also be shown.

Key takeaways:
1. Teachers will be aware of the common mistakes students make in Mathematical Methods examinations.
2. The session will help teachers to plan their 2025 classes for effective student learning.

Remember: Bring the 2023 Examination papers.

Year 9 and 10 are difficult years and I offer help with how to engage students in maths to give them the opportunity to develop strong numeracy skills which they can use in daily life as well as carry into the future. I will share my resources as well as teaching strategies that help all students achieve success and develop a positive attitude towards not only maths but other areas of life.

Key takeaways:
1. Making the classroom environment productive for learning and success.
2. Using a variety of resources/strategies to help students learn.
3. Promotion of positive self-esteem for both the teacher and students.

This session will focus on Computer Algebra Systems (CAS) Solutions using TI-Nspire technology, specifically the Mathematical Methods 2024 Exam. It will impart CAS skills and techniques that teachers can pass on to their students. In this session, we’ll explore how CAS technology can enhance student understanding, problem-solving skills, and exam preparation and how students can best respond to Multiple Choice and Extended response session. This session has been extremely popular with Conference attendees and has always been oversubscribed. The session always has had great reviews and session feedback.

Key takeaways:
1. Understanding and brief overview of CAS.
2. CAS for Exams
3. Common challenges faced by students and how CAS can address these challenges.

Remember: CAS solutions empower students to tackle complex problems efficiently, allowing them to focus on conceptual  Understanding rather than tedious calculations. Let’s embrace CAS tools as valuable allies in preparing students for the Mathematical Methods! Let’s harness the power of CAS solutions to transform Mathematical Methods education. Join the session in shaping the future of mathematics teaching and learning!

This session is designed to assist first-time Maths Methods Units 1 and 2 teachers in feeling comfortable and prepared for the course. The workshop will feature the following: - An overview of the course, including a sample course plan - ⁠Guidance on preparing students for the course during the transition period - ⁠Maximising the use of the CAS calculator in tech active assessments - ⁠Understanding content knowledge – what is included/excluded - ⁠How to teach specific concepts - ⁠Guidance on assessments and providing feedback.

Key takeaways:
1. Enhancing content knowledge to make concepts more interesting, enjoyable, and easier for students to learn.
2. Teaching students to effectively and efficiently use their CAS calculator in tech active assessments.
3. Developing assessments that include key knowledge and skills from the study design.

Remember: Bring your own TI-Nspire CAS calculator handheld or emulator to this workshop.

To those who are looking to mark open-ended assessments more quickly, this is the session for you! The focus of this workshop-style session is to explore how the TI Nspire CAS Notes page can be used by teachers for marking open-ended assessments efficiently. A common deterrent to writing open-ended questions is that it often makes marking assessment difficult and, at times, subjective. However, with the CAS Notes page in tandem with carefully constructed constraints, open-ended questions can allow students to demonstrate both content knowledge and creativity in their responses. While the session will focus on developing proficiency with the CAS Notes page via Mathematical Methods content, the skills can be applied to other maths subjects. We will begin with a tutorial on creating a Notes page for assisting a marking scheme, followed by an opportunity to create your own Notes page for a given marking scheme (or your own).

Key takeaways:
1. Use the CAS Notes page to mark/check open-ended questions efficiently.
2. Highlight the benefits of open-ended tasks for students. 

Remember: A laptop with TI-Nspire CAS software (any version) installed is needed for this session. A handheld TI-Nspire CAS  calculator can be a possible alternative, but will generally make the typing process much slower when delegates are given the opportunity to create their own resource.

Simulation is an invaluable pedagogical tool for the teaching and learning of probability and statistical inference, and for carrying out mathematical investigations involving random events. In this session, participants will use TI-Nspire CAS technology to explore various techniques to set up and run simulations that are useful in teaching various topics from the probability area of study, as well as in investigation tasks. These simulation techniques can be adapted to other technology platforms. The session will aim to provide some innovative teaching ideas, as well as tips on effective use of technology, including ways of dynamically displaying simulation results to visualise key concepts and gain a deeper understanding of the topic.

Key takeaways:
1. Gained insights into the pedagogical use of simulation to develop deeper understanding of probability concepts.
2. Learned ways of using functionalities of technology to set up some simulations.
3. Received a number of proven ready-to-use probability simulation activities to adapt in their classrooms.

Remember: TI-Nspire CX II CAS is the featured technology. Participants should bring their own calculator or software, loaded with the latest operating system (OS 6.0). Users of other technology platforms are most welcome.

Random walks appear to be a simple concept that can be easily modelled with technology but the mathematics that is part of the journey of 1D, 2D, 3D+ random walks take in key topics that include binomials, expected values, transience, series and divergence. This workshop will investigate the random walks with technology (Casio Classpad but suitable for any graphical technology) and then consider the underlying mathematics.

Key takeaways:
1. Links to curriculum ideas with random walk investigation 2. Utilising complex numbers in modelling situation with technology
3. Practical example of expected value, variance and transience 

Remember: A Casio Classpad will be used for demonstration but the workshop can be adapted for other technology.

Packed full of quality tasks you can easily use in your classroom the very next day! This hands-on workshop will provide you with new and engaging ways to use common classroom materials to develop students’ enjoyment of mathematics. During this session, we will demonstrate a variety of “low floor - high ceiling” tasks that are easily accessible to all students. You will have the chance to explore hands on materials which help build conceptual understanding, allowing you to teach your students in a meaningful and rewarding way.

Key takeaways:
1. Strategies to engage students.
2. Using ‘low floor - high ceiling’ tasks to manage differentiation.
3. Doing some enjoyable mathematics.

Often teachers and leaders leave Foundation students and teachers to themselves and declare that some pedagogical practices need not apply to them. But let’s face it, most 5- and 6-year-olds can run rings around us with their inquisitive nature and persistence to find the answers to something. The staff at Essendon North Primary School have been on a journey to build their Foundation students growth mindset, persistence, questioning, productive disposition all through Challenging Tasks. The teachers will share their experience and application of: ·The planning process: Teamwork, anticipating, developing a trajectory of learning, prioritising play-based learning, exploring key vocabulary ·Spotlighting students’ thinking and progressions ·Using formative assessment ·Tracking the progress and development of students, knowing their next point of learning ·How coaching has assisted in refining their practice

Key takeaways:
1. Planning for challenging tasks.
2. Challenging task selection.
3. Building intrinsic motivation through challenging tasks.

Developing a strong conceptual understanding of fractions requires students to have learning experiences in which they are encouraged to think flexibly about fraction representations and interpretations. Moving beyond the part-whole construct, Jane and Hannah have designed a sequence of fractions lessons for the middle years (Year 3 & 4) that are embedded in a challenging task and structured inquiry approach. This workshop will provide opportunities for participants to familiarise themselves with the important mathematical ideas introduced within the proposed sequence of learning tasks as well as consider the implications for using these tasks in their own school contexts.

Key takeaways:
1. Practical tasks to try back at school.
2. Tips for implementing challenging tasks in your classroom.
3. Tips for planning a unit on fractions.

This workshop is designed to support Numeracy Leaders in developing their roles and enhancing staff capacity through an observation and feedback process, and creating a mentoring and coaching cycle. I will share how I have used these processes to foster a trusting culture within my school, thereby building confidence and capacity. An effective mentoring and coaching cycle not only improves teacher capacity but also helps reduce maths anxiety. Leaders will learn how to build trust with staff, allowing them to enter classrooms with confidence and ease, work with small groups on common goals, develop an observation processes, provide relevant feedback, and build staff confidence through shared objectives. Additionally, the workshop will cover how to develop staff capacity to observe each other's practice, promote teacher professional growth and foster confidence in a supported environment

This session will focus on the impact of George Polya’s Problem Solving Model and the pivotal role that Professional Learning Communities (PLC’s) and teacher collaboration played in the whole-school implementation of this model in a Primary setting. Nikki and Taryn will unpack what each phase of the model looks like in practice, shining the spotlight on how each of the mathematical proficiencies are embedded into the model. They will share real examples and student work samples along the way, providing authentic and practical ways that teachers can analyse and assess their students’ problem-solving skills. You will walk away with a bank of resources and strategies designed to support leaders and teachers to implement the model into their own classroom.

Key takeaways:
1. Understand the role PLC’s can play in the implementation of Polya’s Problem Solving model.
2. Identify how the mathematical proficiencies are embedded within each phase of the model.
3. Be exposed to a practical example of how student problem solving tasks can be analysed and assessed.

We know the importance of reasoning for making sense of learning in mathematics. This is a skill that must be developed from the early years of a person's education. Reasoning helps us to connect important mathematical ideas, making new learning easily accessible and understood. It is a process that is grounded in action; yet we are finding it difficult to include in our planning. This practical workshop explores the importance of mathematical reasoning and demonstrates practical ways that it can be achieved.

Key takeaways:
1. Assessing mathematical reasoning.
2. Understanding some strategies to develop mathematical reasoning in students.
3. Engaging in reasoning processes to appreciate the importance of reasoning.

The Goos Numeracy Model and the Sullivan N Framework were developed in the last decade. Both underpin the current teaching of Numeracy internationally. My Numeracy Wheel aims to build on these ideas and provide a framework for teachers to clarify their understanding of a broad range of Numeracy strategies and enable them to implement the most appropriate of these for their cohort of students. This session aims to enable middle level leaders and teachers to workshop how to deliver, implement and embed Numeracy across the Curriculum in their schools.

Key takeaways:
1. Strategies you can use straight away for your students aimed at point of need.
2. A clear visual to enable teacher PD in numeracy.
3. Opportunity to share and discuss the issues with implementing numeracy across the curriculum.

Come and experience three generations share their experiences in using the Maths Mat and Sorting Network - Doug Williams, Matt Skoss and Eleni Pilafas. This session is a hands-on exposure to a double-sided mat on a large tarpaulin: • 10 x 5 grid • Sorting Network The Maths Mat will be used to model a range of mathematical tasks, from Early Childhood to Year 10: • children to construct their own mathematical concepts • kinaesthetic learning styles to be catered for • multiple representations of ideas • cooperative learning in a risk-taking atmosphere The Sorting Network, from Computer Science Unplugged, models the sorting of data that is done millions of times every second around the world, presented in a way that allows students to compare whole numbers, fractions, decimals, etc. We hope you will be inspired to make your own Maths Mat and Sorting Network and continue the legacy.

Key takeaways:
1. Some memorable approaches to teach and assess a wide range of mathematical concepts.
2. Photos to share with colleagues back at school.
3. An idea on how to make both mats back at school.

Remember: Come prepared to participate in some large scale mathematical activities. Bring your phone to take photos.

If you were asked to choose five maths manipulatives for your classroom, what would you choose? In this session, I will introduce you to what my choices would be and show you how I would use each of them to enhance student learning. We will use games, guided tasks and open-ended activities along with these tools; to support a more holistic approach to student learning this still focuses on targeting student outcomes.

Key takeaways:
1. Mathematics manipulatives.
2. Hands-on learning.
3. Guided instruction.

Problem solving can and should be taught. This workshop will explore the role of metacognition in shaping students’  approaches to mathematical problem solving, and what is involved in helping students become proficient problem solvers. It will also offer a research-based framework for choosing and using a range of problems for the purpose of developing the problem-solving capacity of all students in Years 3 to 8.

Key takeaways:
1. Problem-solving, metacognition

Geometry is a mandated part of the Victorian curriculum. It helps to build spatial reasoning in students and develops their logical thinking, deductive and analytical reasoning skills, along with problem-solving skills. However, it is often the Cinderella topic in Maths, being taught late in the year and considered just a fun but less important part of Maths. Further, many schools lack the resources to teach this subject in a developmentally appropriate way (Zimmermann, 2019). The Victorian Curriculum indicates that geometry should be taught with concrete models in the early years moving towards more abstract representations in the later years of primary school and early secondary school. Van Hiele’s levels of Geometric thought will be used to discuss key practical strategies to teach geometry purposefully from years F- 8. This will include the use of examples and non-examples, using the Concrete-Representational-Abstract approach with various manipulatives and visualising and classifying with geo-sticks.

Key takeaways:
1. Practical ideas to implement in your classroom from F-8.
2. Opportunity to explore and evaluate concrete materials in an interactive session.

For many teachers, the go to manipulatives for teaching decimal fractions are MAB blocks and money. Both can confuse rather than support beginners. Complications with MAB include relating the blocks to whole number thinking and modelling decimals using discrete and/or area models. While money is a highly abstract representation, the smallest increment of Australian currency being the 5-cent piece, denying students the ability to build by hundredths (cents) up to the dollar. Further, the physical representation of 1-cent,10-cent and $1 are not proportional. This hands-on workshop will engage participants, as a class of students, approaching their learning of decimals to one, two and three decimal places. The session will model a series of collaborative tasks that have engaged and supported students from Years 4 – 6 to develop a deep conceptual understanding of decimal place value. Participants will explore, structured and unstructured materials commencing with a purely linear model.

Key takeaways:
1. Lesson sequences that build deep understanding.
2. Resources that support conceptual understanding.

Galileo’s most famous quote was that Maths is the Language of the Universe! This presentation will give you practical ways to bring the Universe into your Maths classroom, playground and beyond! Once students realise Maths is the Language of the Universe - that they’re speaking the Language of the Universe when they’re doing Maths - it can really change their minds about Maths!

Key takeaways:
1. Maths is the language of the universe.
2. Maths is in everything, often hidden in plain sight.
3. Ways of making you and your students aware.

Join us in this dynamic workshop as we unlock STEM potential with Micro:bits. Discover how the Micro:bit, a cheap, pocket-sized micro-controller can revolutionise mathematics education by engaging students in hands-on project-based learning. From coding challenges to real world applications, this workshop will empower you with innovative strategies to integrate Micro:bits into the mathematics curriculum and inspire the next generation of problem solvers.

Key takeaways:
1. Put the M into steM.
2. Naturally and meaningful integration of coding in the mathematics curriculum.
3. You will write your first Python Program in this session. No prior experience required!

This session will look at the Launch, Explore, Summarise instructional model, which offers a dynamic framework for using problem solving effectively in the classroom. We will focus specifically on the Launch phase, where the primary goal is to spark students' interest and set the stage for exploration. We will explore current classroom research and practice that demonstrates the importance of using relevant, challenging tasks to enhance student engagement. Educators will gain ideas for creating engaging mathematics tasks with authentic contexts and see examples of lessons that have been taught in primary classrooms across Victoria. We will share strategies to modify tasks, making them more interesting for the students in your class. With an engaging Launch, students are eager to delve deeper into the content being explored, setting a strong foundation for the Explore and Summarise phases that follow.

Key takeaways:
1. Ideas for engaging tasks with an authentic context.
2. Different approaches for modifying tasks.
3. Research and examples of student engagement when using problem solving tasks.

In the busyness of day-to-day teaching, it is easy to get bogged down with finding the right task to use to teach mathematics. So much so, that once we find the task, we sometimes run out of time to actually plan the task. In this workshop, Aylie will offer tips and suggestions to enable teachers to pay attention to key aspects of planning. This includes spending a few minutes doing the task to consider: the range of student responses, the types of questions that will elicit students’ thinking, and the pedagogies that will help students to notice and make sense of the mathematics that is the intended learning of the lesson.

Key takeaways:
1. Doing and discussing maths is key to effective planning.
2. Use colour to help students notice mathematics.
3. Use high-quality resources to find tasks to inform planning.

Constructible geometry along with reasoning and proof are prominent inclusions in the Space strand of the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. This mathematics has a long and illustrious history in the Islamic world, and this provides wonderful opportunities for mathematical investigations, geometry workshops and the development of constructible geometry, sacred geometry and a transition to non-constructible geometries. This session will give a brief survey of the history and ideas, classroom activities, student research opportunities and references for further research.

Key takeaways:
1. There is a rich history of geometry and its development in history and many different cultures have contributed to this.
2. Experimenting with geometric structures provides a wonderful method for understanding geometric and associated mathematical ideas. 

Remember: Bring pencils, paper and an open mind - there will be computer based demonstrations and descriptions of how to obtain, install and experiment with these tools.

Join Karim’s workshop to engage in collaborative problem-solving tasks designed to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics. This session offers a unique opportunity to share your strategies and experiences with peers, fostering a community of practice aimed at refining and innovating educational methods. We will explore practical examples from real-life situations to make mathematics more relatable and impactful for students. Together, we will plan forward-thinking approaches to improve student engagement and outcomes in mathematics education. Don’t miss this chance to contribute to and benefit from shared expertise and fresh perspectives.

Key takeaways:
1. Teachers will share various strategies and methods of handling and solving some non-routine mathematics problems.
2. Be inspired to share with your students why they are learning mathematics and why it is important. 
3. Collaborate and network with peer and experts. 

Remember: Pen, papers and calculator.

Despite transitioning to what we believed to be more open-ended, choice-based SAC’s, we did not pass our VCAA Audit for General Mathematics Unit 3 last year. After much research, reviewing sample SAC’s and VCAA resources, we started from the beginning. Many hours later and with much collaboration, we produced our own Unit 4 SAC’s that passed the subsequent Unit 4 VCAA Audit. In this session, we will outline our journey to becoming VCAA compliant. We will share our Unit 4 Matrices SAC and marking rubric from last year and discuss our new process that we have used to produce our SAC’s and rubrics for this year.

Key takeaways:
1. Learn how we write VCAA compliant SAC’s.
2. Copy of a General Mathematics Matrices SAC and Rubric.

Remember: Access to Google Drive.

This workshop is an introduction to DESMOS Activity Builder as a learning tool, that, when embedded into our teaching practice, could become an effective way to formatively assess students’ knowledge, identify their misconceptions and promote collaboration. At the start, teachers will be shown how to set up a teacher account, add classes and assign activities to students. Various examples will be used to demonstrate different types of activities including free response, sketching and matching answers to questions. They will also be shown how to navigate through different features on DESMOS. Teachers will also be introduced to the basic principles of how to create customed activities for their students. This workshop is designed for teachers from grades 9 to 12. By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify and select appropriate activities and assign them to students. They will also understand how to monitor students’ progress effectively.

Key takeaways:
1. Tool for formative assessment.
2. Tool to identify misconceptions.
3. Tool to promote collaboration.

Remember: We will be working on DESMOS activities so please bring a laptop/tablet. It’d be great if you could set up a DESMOS teacher account in advance. However, we will allocate time for people to do that at the start.

The linear transformations is a key component in VCE Specialist Mathematics Unit 1 and 2 curriculum, providing students with foundational knowledge in linear algebra and its applications. While eigenvalues and eigenvectors are typically not required, their introduction can significantly enrich students' understanding and appreciation of linear transformations. This proposal presents an innovative approach to teaching linear transformations with a specific focus on eigenvalues and eigenvectors. This method emphasises geometric interpretations of linear transformations. Visual aids and interactive exercises, created using Python programming, will be utilised to illustrate the effects by linear transformations. This approach not only aligns with educational standards but also makes abstract mathematical concepts more accessible and engaging. The session will include practical strategies for integrating eigenvalues and eigenvectors into existing curriculum, emphasising hands-on learning experiences. Participants will receive access to Python code that generates visual aids, enabling them to implement similar interactive learning activities in their classrooms.

Key takeaways:
1. Enhance understanding of linear transformations
2. Integration of visual and interactive learning tools
3. Promotion of computational thinking

In this session, we delve into how technology transforms mathematics education by leveraging GeoGebra, TI-Nspire, and the TI Rover Innovator to transfer essential skills. These tools empower students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical, real-world contexts, enhancing their application of knowledge, problem-solving skills, and interdisciplinary understanding. From Year 6 to Year 12, educators will explore strategies to integrate graphing software effectively, fostering a deep comprehension of functions and modelling. The TI Rover Innovator exemplifies this integration by enabling students to implement mathematical principles in real-time scenarios, promoting engagement and motivation through hands-on activities. This approach not only makes learning enjoyable but also equips students with critical skills necessary for future academic and professional success. Discover how these innovative technologies can revolutionise mathematics teaching, preparing students to excel in an increasingly complex world.

Key takeaways:
1. Enhanced Conceptual Understanding
2. Utilise TI-Nspire and TI Rover Innovator to deepen student comprehension of functions and modelling.
3. Real-world application: Implement mathematical principles with the TI Rover Innovator, fostering problem-solving skills.

Remember Participants are encouraged to bring their TINspire graphing calculators to fully engage in the hands-on TI Rover Innovator activities planned for the session.

Routine and clever use of the CAS calculator in previous years of the Mathematical Methods Exam 2 has shown it to be advantageous and worth the time and effort in getting to know how it works. Generally, half of the multiple-choice questions and many parts of the extended answer questions benefit from good calculator skills. This hands-on session will get you using the calculator to see just how helpful (or not) it was with this year’s questions. The most efficient methods will be presented and questions where the calculator should be avoided will be pointed out. The session notes will include both TI-Nspire and Casio ClassPad screen shots and the Casio ClassPad will be the featured CAS.

Key takeaways:
1. Familiarisation with an approved CAS technology.
2. Applications of CAS functionality to questions contained in a VCAA Examination.
3. Exposure to efficient approaches to solve and investigate questions thorough the use of a CAS technology.

Remember Bring along your preferred CAS calculator to have the opportunity to try some of the presented applications.

Linear functions are a fundamental type of function studied in detail throughout secondary school, Years 7-10, and yet many learners struggle with various aspects of them even at VCE. How might we address this? This interactive session will engage participants with a range of activities and approaches that can be used to enable students to progressively build their understanding, make connections and develop their skills in working with linear functions and models from Year 7 through to VCE.

Key takeaways:
1. A progression of key concepts, skills and processes for learning about linear functions and modelling across Years 7 – 10.
2. An approach to the integrated use of numerical, graphical and algebraic representations for linear functions. 
3. A collection of related activities and resource links. 

Remember: Participants should bring along technology with a graphing application (e.g. Desmos, Wolfram Alpha, GeoGebra, Excel) or a graphics/CAS calculator.