Australian schools ditching math textbooks

MELBOURNE (PNA/Xinhua) – Schools in Australia have embarked on a radical plan to ditch math textbooks following recent statistics showing students are falling behind other nations.

Fairfax Media reported on Thursday that schools in the state of Victoria were using a range of new techniques to reverse Australia’s steady decline in the subject of math.

Some of these bold new methods included: Throwing out textbooks to unshackle student learning, encouraging students to create their own math formulas to foster greater understanding and moving away from the reciting of times tables.

Other techniques tested by schools around the state involved merging year levels for math classes allowing students to tailor their learning based on their academic ability, and giving math “real world” appeal by using skills to track and analyze the share market.

The latest National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results, released earlier this month, found no significant improvement in the subject by Australian students since it began testing in 2008.

Australia ranked fifth out of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) aligned countries in math in 2003, but by 2012 had slipped to 17th. “We have to lift our game across the board,” Australia’s Chief Scientist, who provides high-level independent advice to the government on matters relating to science, technology and innovation, professor Ian Chubb, told Fairfax media on Thursday.

Chubb said vast student improvement in math, along with other STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – subjects, was needed if Australia was to remain globally competitive.

The Australian government estimates 75 percent of the country’s fastest growing industries involve STEM skills.