In November 2014, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance (ATSIMA) held its first conference. Stakeholders from Community, education and business attended, presented and extracted from the conference these 5 themes: Culture, identity and confidence, Leadership, Transition, Investment, Quality teaching and learning.
Dr Chris Matthews, chairperson of ATSIMA, advised that underpinning any ways forward was the network or ‘eco-system’ of relationships between people, organisations and communities that would be vital to making a difference. This webinar will introduce participants to the 5 themes and respective recommendations for improving mathematics education – and hence life opportunities - for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Dr Chris Mathews
Dr Chris Matthews is from the Quandamooka people of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) in Queensland Australia. Chris has received a PhD in applied mathematics from Griffith University and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Griffith School of Environment, Griffith University.
Chris has undertaken numerous research projects within applied mathematics and mathematics education. More recently, Chris was the patron and expert advisor for the Make It Count Project; a large mathematics education project coordinating education research within clusters of schools across Australia with the specific aim of improving mathematics education for Indigenous students. Chris was the co-chair of the Griffith University Working Party to develop and implement an Indigenised curriculum across the whole University. The work is part of an Office of Teaching and Learning (OLT) Grant, DEEWR.
Currently, Chris is the chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Mathematics Alliance (ATSIMA) which aims to improve educational outcomes in mathematics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners.
Caty Morris
Caty is the Senior Project Officer, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education for ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority). Prior to this she was Manager, Primary Mathematics and Science for DECD SA, and National Manager of Indigenous Programs for the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (AAMT). In this latter capacity Caty managed the Make it count: Numeracy, mathematics and Indigenous learners project 2009-2014. She has worked in Aboriginal remote, regional and urban settings.
She began her career as a primary school teacher in the Adnyamathanha community of Nepabunna in the northern Flinders Ranges teaching from CPC–Year 8 and later principal; was Coordinator of Aboriginal education in the Western Area of SA based at Port Augusta; taught at Redfern and Darlinghurst Primary Schools and Ultimo TAFE in Sydney; was a Project Manager for the Aboriginal Education Directorate in NSW and Aboriginal Education in SA; a Math Consultant in the Bronx District of New York City; and Primary Years Curriculum Manager in DECD SA.
