GOAL! brings Maths to Life at MAV Regional Tour

On Friday, March 13, GOAL! lessons were demonstrated and set up for participants at the Mathematics Association of Victoria Regional Tour. Educators from F-12 settings attended the session, which featured Professors Di Siemon and Justine Sakurai.

Professor Siemon presented Multiple Paths, Multiple Journeys, drawing on years of research and practice in mathematics education. The presentation highlighted that while there is strong evidence about what supports effective mathematics learning, the most important conclusion from this body of work is that there is no single 'best way' to teach and learn mathematics. The session challenged some of the assumptions underpinning current approaches and set the scene for discussion about different pathways to learning.

Participants were then introduced to the structure and purpose of GOAL! and explored how the resource can support mathematics learning through engaging, football-themed contexts. Educators learned about the different components of the resource and discussed practical ways it could be used in their classrooms and learning settings. Teachers shared ideas about how the activities could support curriculum-aligned mathematics learning while also increasing student engagement through sport.

Teachers from the AFL Schools Connect network also had the opportunity to step into the role of students and work through the GOAL! lessons in small groups. Teachers had time to experience the tasks in the same way their students would, discuss where these lessons would best fit within their learning sequence, and explore adaptations that could be made to suit their context. This allowed teachers to better understand the thinking, discussion, and problem solving embedded within each lesson. Through this hands on approach, teachers gained a clearer picture of how the activities unfold in practice and discussed how the lessons could be integrated into their mathematics teaching, complement existing units, and support a range of learning styles in the classroom.