The ICMI Representative for Australia is nominated by the Australian Academy of Science (the IMU adhering organization) through its National Committee for the Mathematical Sciences.
Australia is a federation of States and Territories, each with its own education system. However, there is also a national Department of Education that provides strategic direction and administers national policies.
The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA) is the national and regional research organization with members from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Indonesia, and other Pacific and Pacific Rim countries. MERGA is an ICMI Regional Affiliate Organization. It holds an annual conference with peer reviewed proceedings and publishes two research journals: the Mathematics Education Research Journal and Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, a freely accessible online journal. In addition, every four years to coincide with the quadrennial ICME, MERGA publishes Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia, an edited book offering critical reviews of recent research in the region.
The Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers (AAMT) is the national peak body providing professional learning, advocacy, teaching resources, and two peer-reviewed journals for teachers. The Association has a federated structure with affiliated State and Territory based professional associations. AAMT and MERGA often work collaboratively to promote interactions between teachers and researchers, for example, through joint projects, linked conferences, and advocacy initiatives.
Societies representing professional mathematical scientists and statisticians often have sub-groups that promote mathematics and statistics education at the tertiary level, with connections to primary and secondary school learning and teaching. For examples, see the Australian Mathematical Society and the Statistical Society of Australia. Support for mathematicians wanting to pursue research in mathematics education is also offered by the First Year in Maths network (https://fyimaths.weebly.com/), which focuses on the teaching of undergraduate mathematics education in universities.
Mathematics education researchers work in universities, and most are also mathematics teacher educators. Doctoral degrees in Education are offered by all Australian universities and are usually undertaken by students with many years of experience as teachers or school leaders.
Initial teacher education (ITE) programs are offered by registered Higher Education Providers, almost all of which are universities. ITE programs must meet the program accreditation standards of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. The accreditation process is carried out by State or Territory based Teacher Registration Authorities. ITE programs are of 4 years duration or longer and may be at either undergraduate or graduate entry level for both primary and secondary teaching. Students entering a 2-year graduate entry teaching program have completed a Bachelors degree providing discipline knowledge for teaching one or more school subjects. Primary school teachers are generalists, sometimes with a subject specialization in one area, while secondary school teachers specialize in one or preferably two subjects.
Teacher educators work in Schools or Faculties of Education and hold teaching/research appointments requiring a PhD. A significant amount of teaching in ITE programs is carried out by school teachers who have part-time positions with the university. School teachers contribute further to ITE programs by supervising professional experience placements in schools, totaling at least 80 days in undergraduate programs and at least 60 days in graduate entry programs.
Teaching is a registered profession and graduates of an accredited ITE program are eligible for teacher registration. Teachers must continue to meet certain requirements to maintain their registration, including, in most states, at least 100 hours of professional learning over the previous 5 years and referenced to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Information about the organization of the school system.
Information about the Australian curriculum.