The preparation of Mathematics Teachers in Australia - ACDS

100%
80%
60%
40%
2 or more units
1 unit
0 units
20%
0%
20 - 24 25 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 39 40 - 44 45 - 49 50 - 54 55 - 59 60 plus
age (years)
Figure 5.1 Tertiary mathematics teaching method studies of mathematics teachers, grouped by age.
5.3 Mathematics studies
The majority of teachers (64%) had studied mathematics units to at least third year at university
(Table 5.4). These teachers included bachelor degree graduates from science (n=875/1882),
education (n=570/1882), and the arts and humanities (n= 175/1882). More than half (57%) held a
Diploma of Education.
Table 5.4 Highest year level of university mathematics study, grouped according to school level teaching
Mathematics teachers 1
Highest level of
university
mathematics
study
All Junior school Middle school any level advanced level 1
Senior school -
1 1
Senior school –
intermediate
and/or
n % n % n % n % n %
none 244 8.3 175 9.6 155 7.2 97 4.6 30 2.3
1 st year 356 12.2 235 12.9 219 10.2 178 8.4 54 4.2
2 nd year 429 14.7 253 13.9 291 13.6 279 13.2 128 10.0
3 rd year 1341 45.9 814 44.8 1043 48.6 1091 51.6 739 57.8
beyond 3 rd year 541 18.5 331 18.2 428 19.9 465 22.0 327 25.6
unknown 2 13 0.4 7 0.4 10 0.5 6 0.3 0 0.0
2924 100 1815 100 2146 100 2116 100 1278 100
1
Individual teachers were included at more than one school level, according to their teaching responsibilities. See
also Table 3.5 for patterns of teaching responsibilities.
2
Respondent did not complete this question.
Teachers of senior school mathematics were the most likely to have a major in mathematics (Table
5.4). This was true for nearly three-quarters of the teachers of senior school mathematics, and for 83
per cent of those teaching either intermediate or advanced level senior mathematics.
Teachers under 30 years of age were significantly less likely than their older colleagues to have a
major in mathematics (p