Dr Craig McInnis' presentation to the 2014 AGM for the Australian Council for the Deans of Science

1. Enhancing the Training of
Mathematics and Science Teachers
2013-2016
Australian Council of Deans of Science
Sydney 21 October 2014
Craig McInnis
Director PhillipsKPA

3. The ETMST program
Part of the Investing in Science and Maths for a Smarter Future initiative
2012–13 budget provided:
•$54.0 million over four years for ‘Mathematics and science—increasing
participation in schools and universities’
•$20.0 million over four years directed towards university-led outreach projects to
encourage school students to study mathematics and science.
•$10.9 million to raise the ‘engagement, curiosity and participation’ of school
students.
•$4.3 million for National Mathematics and Science Education and Industry
Adviser to ‘champion’ the role of mathematics and science.
•$18.9 million for ETMST via the Office for Learning and Teaching - improving the
quality of pre-service teacher training and providing support and training for
teachers.

4. Related programs
Australian Maths and Science Partnerships Program
•Improving student engagement in maths and science courses at
university and schools, through innovative partnerships between
universities, schools and other relevant organisations.
•Competitive Grants Round 2014-$16.4 million over three years.
•Fifteen projects across 10 Australian universities.

5. Related programs
Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (October 2014)
$12 million to improve the focus on science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) subjects in primary and secondary schools across
the country.
•$7.4 million for innovative mathematics resources for primary and secondary
school teachers and students.
•$3.5 million to provide greater exposure to computer coding across different
year levels in Australian schools to expand the pool of ICT‑skilled workers.
•$500,000 for an innovation-focused ‘Pathways in Technology Early College High
School’ (P-TECH) pilot program to help develop the next generation of innovators
and job-ready graduates.
•$600,000 to extend ‘Summer schools for STEM students’

6. The ETMST program
• $12 million for a competitive grant process
• 5 project teams awarded grants from $1.0m to $3.2m
• involving more than 24 universities

7. Purpose of the ETMST Program
To drive a major improvement in the quality of
mathematics and science teachers by supporting new pre-service
programs in which faculties, schools or
departments of science, mathematics and education:
•collaborate on course design and delivery
•combining content and pedagogy
•teaching mathematics and science as dynamic, forward-looking
and collaborative human endeavours.

8. Nine priorities
1. Collaboration between faculties, schools or departments of
science, mathematics and education which will produce teachers who
have a contemporary and dynamic view of science that can inspire
students.
2. Increasing the supply of graduates.
3. Curriculum arrangements that give pre-service teachers of science
and mathematics a new vision of how mathematical and scientific
content, thinking and pedagogy can work together.
4. Increasing the supply of graduates with an ability to manage this
balance.

9. Nine priorities
5. Developing teachers' capabilities to engage middle years students,
whether primary or secondary, in relevant and rigorous science and
mathematics learning, including inculcating an understanding of how
scientific and mathematical knowledge are created.
6. Developing particular capabilities for working effectively with students
from diverse backgrounds.
7. Developing commitment to, and particular capabilities for, working in
regional, remote and Indigenous communities.

10. Nine priorities
8. With the support of employers, including state education departments,
retraining suitably qualified professionals/teachers to expand the pool of
teachers with a contemporary view of mathematics, science and pedagogy.
9. Encouraging mathematics, science and education faculties, schools or
departments to build long-term relationships with teachers to ensure their
knowledge and skills are kept up to date.

11. Project 1: Opening Real Science
Lead university - Macquarie University
“Authentic mathematics and science education for Australia”
•Funding: $2,300,000
•Expected completion: 2016
•Partner Institutions:
• Australian Catholic University
• Charles Sturt University
• The University of Notre Dame Australia
• University of Canberra
• University of Western Sydney
• Australian Astronomical Observatory, CSIRO
• Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (USA)

12. Project 1: Opening Real Science
Lead university - Macquarie University
Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes
• innovative curricula and pedagogies
• specialised mathematics and science practicum
• production and trial of learning modules
• school based and practising scientists mentors
• mentor training
• specialist primary maths and science teachers
• network of practising maths and scientists
• website with links to resources

13. Project 2: Step Up!
Lead university - QUT
“Transforming mathematics and science pre-service
secondary teacher education in Queensland”
•Funding: $3,200,000
•Expected completion: 2017
•Partner Institutions:
• Australian Catholic University
• Griffith University
• James Cook University
• The University of Queensland
• Queensland Department of Employment, Training and Education

14. Project 2: Step Up!
Lead university - QUT
Example of activities, outputs and outcomes
• step change in courses, partnerships, academic practice and
student recruitment
• renew curriculum and resource structures
• develop student recruitment and engagement strategy
• recruit quality secondary maths and science teachers
• increase retention and success of pre-service teachers
• Virtual Classroom - access to resources, networks and support
• build a strong evidence base

15. Project 3: It’s part of my life
Lead university – Southern Cross
“Engaging university and community to enhance
science and mathematics education”
•Funding: $1,000,000
•Expected completion: 2017
•Partner Institutions:
• Central Queensland University Australia
• University of Ballarat
• University of New England
• University of Southern Queensland
• University of the Sunshine Coast

16. Project 3: It’s part of my life
Lead university – Southern Cross
Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes
• new modules for pre-service education curriculum to be
embedded across the RUN network
• collaborative networking between university scientists,
mathematicians, educators and pre service teachers within and
across the RUN network institutions
• engage pre-service teachers with the mathematics and
sciencethat underpins everyday life in Australian regional
communities and incorporate them into teaching practice
• sustainable and scalable approach for adoption in a range of
regional, remote and indigenous contexts.
• active and sustained regional networks focused on improvement
in mathematics and science UEC.
• project website with resources for pre-service teachers

17. Project 4: ReMSTEP
Lead university – Melbourne
“ Reconceptualising mathematics and science
teacher education programs”
•Funding: $3,200,000
•Expected completion: 2016
•Partner Institutions:
• Deakin University
• La Trobe University
• Monash University
• Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development

18. Project 4: ReMSTEP
Lead university – Melbourne
Example of activities, outputs and outcomes:
•develop new teacher education practices
•engage undergraduate science students with schools
•create new specialisations within primary pre-service teacher
education programs
•develop specialist science and technology centre collaborations
•identify and provide practicum opportunities in world-class research
environments
•build recruitment of high potential maths and science teachers
•improve visibility of teaching as a career
•new and revised teacher education courses
•maths/science education resources
•network of science, maths and education researchers

19. Project 5: IMSITE
Lead university – Queensland
“Inspiring mathematics and science in teacher education”
•Funding: $2,200,000
•Expected completion: 2017
•Partner Institutions:
• James Cook University
• The University of Newcastle
• The University of Sydney
• University of Tasmania
• University of Wollongong

20. Project 5: IMSITE
Lead university – Queensland
Examples of activities, outputs and outcomes
•develop and disseminate new interdisciplinary approaches to
mathematics and science pre-service teacher education
•foster collaboration between mathematicians, scientists and
teacher educators
•develop, implement and evaluate a coherent suite of teacher
education strategies
•produce implementation guides and exemplar materials
•embed new teacher education strategies in courses and programs

21. ETSMT Evaluation project 2013-2017
The evaluation team
Craig McInnis (PhillipsKPA)
David Phillips (PhillipsKPA)
Don Maconachie (University of the Sunshine Coast)
John Bartlett (University of the Sunshine Coast)
Key evaluation questions
For each PROJECT
“To what extent has the project achieved its objectives and
outcomes?”
For the OLT PROGRAMME overall
“Have the five projects together met the objectives of the ETMST
Program?”

22. Role of evaluation team
• support for the project teams - designing and conducting project-specific
evaluations
• support for the OLT - program implementation and evaluation
• annual evaluation workshops
• assistance with dissemination activities
• assistance with presentation of evaluation findings

23. Progress to date
• intensive period of activity setting up consortia governance, management
and communication processes
• project teams appreciate the reality that the projects will not make a
significant or measurable impact on the quality of mathematics and science
teachers in the short life of the project
• cite 5-10 years as the minimum for these levels of program effects
• considerable potential for pooling baseline data collected by the project
teams and organising it around some key themes.

24. Issues and challenges
• senior executive support and sponsorship
• the big picture
• clarifying the place of project evaluation and research
• a coordinated approach to dissemination and
stakeholder engagement
• sustaining commitment and momentum