‘Ubiquitous Maths Learning Made Easy for Rangatahi and Adult Learners. (Especially if we are in lockdown!)’

About this research

‘Ubiquitous Maths Learning Made Easy for Rangatahi and Adult Learners. (Especially if we are in lockdown!)’

Adults and rangatahi often come to maths learning with an already formed (negative) mathematics learning identity. Rangatahi know that for certain future goals they will need to “have” mathematics as part of their knowledge “suite”.

Adults in certain tertiary courses will have mathematics is a core component. For rangatahi, learning maths is compulsory up to a certain level. For adult learners, most of their courses require them to already have a level of maths competency and confidence, it cannot be taught while on the course. COVID-19 has meant that rangatahi have needed to find other ways to learn mathematics outside of the classroom and interestingly, has also meant that adults might be enabled to learn mathematics alongside their programmes of learning by having a resource designed by and for them. This project is about developing a resource for rangatahi and adult learners by rangatahi and adult learners alongside researchers and experts, that supports ubiquitous learning of mathematics. It is hoped that when end-users are part of the development of their own learning tool, they will be more positively inclined to engage with the learning resource and to achieve greater success in mathematics.

THE RESEARCH TEAM

Dr Pania Te Maro, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Pōkai. Pania is associate dean Māori for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Massey University and senior lecturer for the Institute of Education in the Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching, Initial Teacher Education programme. Her PhD research centred on the impact of mathematics education in Kura Māori. She is passionate about supporting emerging teachers to embrace culturally sustaining, ontologically driven practices in teaching and learning.

Dr Philippa Isom is a lecturer for the Institute of Education in the Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching, Initial Teacher Education Programme. She has previously worked in schools and in game design with a special interest in implementing critically developed technological solutions for learning and teaching. Philippa is passionate about engaging in authentic collaboration with all.

Dr Brian Tweed is a senior lecturer for the Institute of Education in the Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching, Initial Teacher Education Programme. He has previously worked as a mathematics and science teacher and adviser in a range of English and Māori-medium. He is especially interested in how technology, people, mathematics knowledge and mātauranga Māori interact.