Conference synopsis 20240805 - Flipbook - Page 11
PANEL DISCUSSION: DAVID HOWES, PENNY
ADDISON, RACHAEL WHITNEY-SMITH AND
MICHAEL MACNEILL
FULL ADDRESSING CONTEMPORARY
CHALLENGES IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
David Howes is the Deputy Secretary,
Schools and Regional Services,
Department of Education. He began
his career as a teacher in the western
suburbs of Melbourne. He has had
several senior executive positions in
the department. In 2021, David was
awarded a PSM for his commitment to deliver educational
equity and excellence for Victoria’s school students. David
holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Diploma of Education,
Master of Education and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from
the University of Melbourne. David also holds an Executive
Master of Public Administration from ANZSOG.
Penny is the Director of the Numeracy,
STEM and Digital Learning Branch
at the Department of Education,
Penny leads a number of teams that
have responsibility for the design
and delivery of policy and guidance,
professional learning and curriculum
aligned-resources. Having had experience in a range of
teaching, school leadership and system roles over the last 20
years, Penny cites Victorian mathematics education as an area
of particular interest. In her current role, she has a key focus
on building the capacity of leaders and teachers to ensure
that every student leaves school strongly numerate and with
the knowledge, skills, capabilities, and dispositions they need
to support their chosen pathways and to make decisions in a
mathematics-rich world.
Rachael is a Curriculum Specialist,
Mathematics at the Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority (ACARA)
and is responsible for the Australian
Curriculum: Mathematics. Rachael
coordinated the development and
review of the F–10 Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and
led the development of the National Numeracy Learning
Progressions Version 3.0. Rachael is currently leading the
realignment and updating of the Australian Curriculum:
Senior Secondary Mathematics subjects. Rachael has worked
as a Mathematics consultant F-12, a professional officer
for the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers
(AAMT) and the Executive Officer for the Mathematical
Association of Western Australia (MAWA). She has also
previously worked as a Secondary Mathematics teacher in
NSW and WA and as a head of Department (Mathematics).
Rachael has participated in several international and national
projects including OECD Education 2030: Mathematics
Curriculum Document Analysis Project.
Michael MacNeill is the Curriculum
Manager and subject matter expert
for Mathematics F-10 and VCE
for the VCAA. With a background
having studied neuroscience,
astrophysics, mechanical and
biomedical engineering, he has sought
the application of mathematics across disparate areas of
investigation and more importantly how the process of
learning and applying mathematics can be demystified.
Michael has accrued 20 years in the classroom teaching
VCE mathematics and physics, as well as mathematics and
science at all levels in the secondary context, most of that
time leading faculties and whole schools within roles including
Head of Science, Head of Numeracy, Head of Mathematics
and Head of Senior Mathematics.
This panel discussion is supported by
THE MATHEMATICAL
ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA
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