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Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2012-2015 pp 353–371Cite as

Advancing Mathematics Education Research Within a STEM Environment

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Abstract

In presenting the final chapter for this Research into Mathematics Education in Australasia (RiMEA) book, I first give consideration to the official curriculum and the operational curriculum as a basis for exploring how we might advance mathematics education research within our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) environment. Next, I present an overview of some of the core features of the current national and international spotlight on STEM education. From this basis, I argue that the roles and positioning of mathematics are in danger of being overlooked or diminished within the increased STEM framework. As one approach to lifting the profile of mathematics, I explore problem-solving and modelling across STEM contexts. In utilising findings from the chapter reviews together with my own research, I offer suggestions for (a) developing content and processes through idea-generating problems, (b) promoting in-depth content understanding, and (c) fostering general skills and processes . Next, I address the advancement of modelling across STEM contexts and illustrate this with a problem set within an environmental engineering context. I conclude by offering a few avenues for further research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

    Lyn D. English

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  1. Lyn D. English
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Correspondence to Lyn D. English .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Katie Makar

  2. Fac of Sci, Health, Edu & Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Queensland, Australia

    Shelley Dole

  3. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Jana Visnovska

  4. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Merrilyn Goos

  5. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Anne Bennison

  6. School of Education, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia

    Kym Fry

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© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

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English, L.D. (2016). Advancing Mathematics Education Research Within a STEM Environment. In: Makar, K., Dole, S., Visnovska, J., Goos, M., Bennison, A., Fry, K. (eds) Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2012-2015. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1419-2_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-1419-2_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

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  • Online ISBN: 978-981-10-1419-2

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