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    Teaching strategies for gifted students in mathematics and literacy : a case study in a New Zealand primary school : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2008) Lilley, Katherine
    To date there is little New Zealand based research of gifted students in their regular classrooms and to address this issue, this qualitative case study has been undertaken. Three research aims firstly examine the strategies regular classroom teachers use to provide teaching and learning experiences in mathematics and literacy to cater for the identified needs of gifted students; investigate the views of the teachers and gifted students about teaching and learning programmes in mathematics literacy, and lastly provide descriptive examples of how teachers in Years 4-6 primary school classrooms are catering for their gifted students' diverse learning needs. Data has been gathered through observations of teachers and gifted students in their classroom environments using a Classroom Observation Focus, by conducting semi-structured interviews of both teachers and gifted students, and through document collection. An analysis of the data identified themes that have contributed to the findings of this research. The teachers in this research represent a range of teaching experiences with each teacher having different opportunities to work with gifted students. All of the teachers saw their role in the classroom as one of assessing and teaching to their students' learning needs. These research findings provide important discussion points about the similarities between the strategies used by the three teachers in mathematics and literacy teaching. The findings also suggest successful teaching strategies to promote gifted students' learning, in mathematics and literacy, are reliant on the teacher's understanding of giftedness and their understanding of the processes of differentiation as a way to provide for gifted learners in the regular classroom environment. Research findings also indicate that the perspectives of the gifted students, determined by eliciting their views on what was happening in their classrooms, are pivotal in ensuring a gifted student's learning needs are catered for. It is important then for teachers to consider how they are providing challenge, choice, and flexibility for these unique and diverse students within the regular classroom environment.
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    The gifted and talented in New Zealand secondary schools : an overview of procedures and practices in mathematics : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies (Mathematics) at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Winsley, Jan Adrienne
    A large nation-wide survey was carried out to collect data on the extent and nature of programs currently offered to gifted and talented mathematicians in New Zealand secondary schools. Quantitative data was collected on the identification of gifted and talented mathematics students, school-wide policy on the gifted and talented, ability grouping, acceleration and enrichment as well as demographic factors associated with the research variables. Open questionnaire responses by Heads of Mathematics Departments indicated strong interest in the educational provisions for the gifted and talented. A semi-structured interview was also used with three secondary schools in order to expand upon the issues that had arisen from the postal surveys. It appears that the situation of the gifted and talented in New Zealand secondary schools is still unsatisfactory. Only 60% of respondents reported having identified gifted and talented students within their school, 32% of respondent schools had a written policy on the gifted and talented, just over a third of respondent schools had no forms of ability grouping and just under a half of the respondent schools did not have an acceleration program. The Development Band Certificate was used in 45% of respondent schools. The research raises concerns about the lack of well conceived, continuous programs in mathematics available to gifted and talented students in New Zealand secondary schools.
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    Acceleration in mathematics : students' perspectives : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Educational Studies (Mathematics) at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2000) Rawlins, Peter Leslie Charles
    This study examines accelerate programmes in mathematics within New Zealand secondary schools from the participant students point of view. Focus group interviews and questionnaires were used to gather information from students about their acceleration experiences in four state secondary schools. An analysis of the data gathered reveals that for many students, the opportunity to study one or more Bursary subjects earlier than their age cohort is seen as a motivational factor for participation in acceleration programmes. This opportunity allows them to either broaden their subject base at the Bursary level, or to repeat a subject and try and improve on their marks, perhaps securing a Scholarship. Not all students have long-term goals, however and many students appreciate the immediate challenge of working one year ahead of their normal age cohort. Contrary to fears identified by educational practitioners, this research does not support the commonly held belief that students who are accelerated will suffer from undue stress that may hinder their social and emotional development. Participants perceive that inclusion in the acceleration programme has not affected their friendship base and they report being comfortable being in classes with older students. Students perceive that they have a normal adolescent social and emotional development. Coupled with these findings is the fact that, almost without exception, participants felt that participation in an acceleration programme had been beneficial to their learning needs. No significant problems with compacting the curriculum or gaps in knowledge were identified by the majority of students in the research sample. Overall, this study demonstrates students' endorsement of acceleration programmes. Acceleration is perceived as a viable and valuable tool for meeting the educational needs of gifted and talented students within New Zealand secondary schools. It should be remembered, however, that acceleration is not the only tool available and schools are urged to develop individual, cohesive and flexible programmes to meet the needs of this very varied group.
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    Awareness of learning in the mathematics classroom : a thesis submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies (Mathematics), Massey University
    (Massey University, 1999) Bourke, Eleanor
    The thesis reports on a teacher research project, involving a Form 3 class in a New Zealand secondary school. The study considers the importance of metacognitive behaviours in developing students' awareness of learning in mathematics. It focuses on the teacher in the classroom emphasising awareness of learning with students. The theoretical basis of the New Zealand Mathematics curriculum, that is, constructivism and its corollary active learning, provides the impetus for the study. Classroom activities, both routine and those specifically tailored for such an investigation, are trialled. In the process, shifts and developments in the students' and teacher's knowledge and beliefs, are documented. Methods of teaching are explored and evaluated in the move towards constructivist teaching practice. Although teacher research is a relatively new and accepted methodology, it derives from Dewey (1933) and Schon's (1983) work on reflective practice. Using the more established action research methodology as a scaffold this thesis found the open teacher research style suited the sole researcher nature of this work. Within the process of critical reflection this study of mathematics classroom practice exposes the conflicts faced when beliefs and attitudes of both students and teacher are sometimes inconsistent with those inherent in the curriculum guidelines. It also documents some of the difficulties in sustaining teacher research while coping with daily teacher class loads.
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    Performance assessment tasks in the TIMMS study : can we learn from them? : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies in Mathematics at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1998) Caygill, Robyn
    Within the context of the reform of curricula in the education system, assessment methods and activities are also being reformed. There has been little research into the new methods and activities of assessment or of the impact these methods and activities will have on both the learning of students and the assessment of that learning. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) in its comparative study, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), included some hands-on investigations, called performance assessment tasks, as some of the activities that assessed student learning. The student performances on two of the mathematics performance assessment tasks, dice and packaging were examined in this thesis, particularly in relation to student performances on some of the multiple-choice tasks also used in the study. In addition, the performances of some subgroups of the 207 standard three and 276 form three students who attempted each task were compared. The subgroupings were based on student responses to questions on gender, ethnicity, language of home, socio-economic status, and value of mathematics. Many students were found to perform differently when their performances were compared in the multiple-choice and performance assessment questions that had similar content. Students were more likely to give no response to the performance assessment tasks than the multiple-choice tasks, particularly at the standard three level. For some, but not all, of the performance questions there was a smaller difference between the educationally disadvantaged subgroups of students and their peers, when compared with the differences between them on the multiple-choice tasks.
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    Attitudes and beliefs in mathematics education : a comparative study between New Zealand and Indonesia : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Studies (MEd Studs) in Mathematics Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1996) Margono, Garguk
    This comparative study investigated the differences between New Zealand and Indonesian mathematics students and teachers, in attitudinal and beliefs aspects. Attitudes and beliefs about mathematics education were used as dependent variables; countries and gender were used as independent variables. A total of 191 Indonesian general secondary school students (92 males and 99 females) from grade II (year 11), 8 mathematics teachers (4 males and 4 females), and 47 New Zealand students (23 males and 24 females) from Form 6 and 7 (year 11 and 12) volunteered for the study. Students and teachers completed a researcher developed questionnaire which measured the attitudinal and beliefs about mathematics learning and teaching. A t-test procedure was used to compare the means of attitudinal and beliefs aspects. Analysis of the data suggested that: 1. Significant differences between countries existed with regard to students' enjoyment of mathematics, value (perceive usefulness) of mathematics, beliefs about mathematics, mathematics learning, and beliefs about home support. 2. Differences within New Zealand students by gender were due to students' beliefs about mathematics learning and beliefs about mathematics teaching. No significant differences were found within Indonesian students by gender for attitudinal and beliefs aspects. 3. Differences among subgroups gender (males and females for New Zealand and Indonesia) were found in students' value (perceive usefulness) of mathematics, beliefs about mathematics learning, beliefs about mathematics learning, and beliefs about mathematics teaching. 4. Differences in teachers' beliefs about learning and teaching mathematics were found. In Indonesian, mathematics teachers emphasized students listening to teacher explanations, note taking, reading text-books, doing written exercises from text-books, watching a teacher work through a problem, working out practical problems, and opportunities for students to practice exam/test questions. New Zealand mathematics teachers emphasized teacher led discussions, demonstrations, and explanations, as well as student discussions. These findings are restricted to the sample population of grade II (year 11) students at general secondary school Jakarta and Form 6 and 7 (year 11 and 12) coeducational secondary school in Palmerston North. However, it is felt that these schools are representative of schools at the senior level in their respective countries. This study indicates that there are differences in some aspects of attitudinal and beliefs about mathematics, but does not relate these findings to students' performance in mathematics. The effect of attitudinal and beliefs aspects on performance in mathematics, and in relation to curriculum reforms, should be explored in the future research.