Professor Tom Lowrie
Charles Sturt University, Australia

Title: Expanding our understanding of visuospatial thinking and reasoning: Engaging and connecting the next generation of students

Abstract

Internationally, Singaporean students are acknowledged as one of the highest performing cohorts with regard to school mathematics. However, there is a concerted effort (by the Ministry of Education) to promote and enhance students’ visuospatial thinking. Such initiatives are essential given the increased use of visuospatial representations in society and the increasing challenge of representing burgeoning amounts of information in visual and graphic forms.

This lecture will provide comparisons between Singaporean and Australian students on mathematics tasks that require high levels of visuospatial thinking, with an analysis of the way in which particular cohorts of students approach and solve these mathematics tasks. The lecture will also provide teaching ideas and pedagogical support in way that promote visuospatial thinking in primary-school contexts. In addition, strategies that encourage students to develop sound visual and spatial skills in out-of-school contexts will also be identified. Collectively, the lecture will challenge teachers to create new “spaces” and perspectives on how to engage students to think and reason mathematically.

Biodata

Professor Tom Lowrie is Director of the Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education (RIPPLE) at Charles Sturt University, Australia. Tom has taught in a number of primary school and university settings (including Australia, Canada and the United States) over the past twenty years. A substantial body of Tom’s research is associated with spatial sense, particularly students’ use of spatial skills and visual imagery to solve mathematics problems. He also investigates the role and nature of graphics in mathematics assessment. Tom has disseminated his work widely, with more than 50 publications in the last 7 years. Specifically, Tom has co-authored a series of textbooks for students and teachers called Inquisitive Maths which features a problem solving approach to classroom mathematics in primary school. He is also co-author of a successful teacher education book titled Mathematics for Children which aims to support teachers at all levels of mathematics education to develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics by encouraging them to reflect on children’s learning and their own teaching of mathematics.