Conference synopsis_FINAL_20260815 - Flipbook - Page 50
SESSION A: Thursday, 11am-12pm (cont.)
A09 STRENGTHENING MATHEMATICS
TEACHING AND LEARNING: RESPONDING
TO COMMON CHALLENGES
extension, revision and whole-class planning, while reducing
the time required to locate suitable curriculum-aligned
resources.
Sub-category: Leadership and teachers as learners
The session is designed for school leaders, curriculum leaders
and teachers interested in using diagnostic data to make more
informed classroom decisions.
Melody McCormick, Department of Education
F - Y10
In this interactive workshop, participants will examine
common mathematics improvement challenges, explore their
symptoms and implications, and consider practical responses
informed by the Victorian Mathematics Position Statement
and related resources. The workshop will unpack the
department’s recent guidance, support teachers and leaders
to leverage these resources to drive professional learning
in their schools. Participants will reflect on opportunities to
strengthen mathematics teaching and learning within their
own contexts.
1. How SmartLab’s pre-diagnostics identify student strengths,
gaps and misconceptions before learning begins.
2. How SmartLab turns diagnostic results into targeted
tutorials, worksheets, videos and practice questions.
3. How SmartLab’s post-diagnostics help schools measure
growth, retention and the impact of teaching.
Remember:
Key takeaways:
No software download is required.
1. The workshop will unpack the department’s recent
guidance, support teachers and leaders to leverage these
resources to drive professional learning in their schools.
Participants will reflect on opportunities to strengthen
mathematics teaching and learning within their own contexts.
A11 ROSENSHINE’S PRINCIPLES IN ACTION: A
PRACTICAL WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS
Supported by
A10 SMARTLAB IN PRACTICE: ONLINE
DIAGNOSTICS AND TARGETED LEARNING
This is a commercial presentation
Sub-category: Digital technologies
David Lewis, SmartLab
F - Y12
This session will provide a practical introduction to SmartLab,
an Australian online diagnostic and learning platform used
by schools to support Mathematics, English and Science.
Participants will see how SmartLab uses pre-diagnostic
assessments to identify student strengths, gaps and
misconceptions before learning begins, then connects those
insights to targeted tutorials, worksheets, videos and practice
questions. The session will also demonstrate how postdiagnostics can be used to measure growth, check retention
and evaluate the impact of teaching and intervention.
Participants will explore how SmartLab supports intervention,
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Key takeaways:
Sub-category: Mathematical content and concepts
Timothy Chang and Edward Jiang, Carey Baptist
Grammar School
Y7 - Y12
Grounded in cognitive science and research-informed
pedagogy, this workshop unpacks Rosenshine’s Principles
of Instruction as a clear, practical framework for upgrading
classroom practice in secondary mathematics. Drawing on
their own classroom examples across Years 7 to 12, Timothy
and Edward explore simple, low-preparation strategies
(many already familiar) that make explicit instruction work
harder in the maths classroom. Participants will see how
small, deliberate shifts in questioning, review, modelling, and
checking for understanding compound to improve student
learning without adding to teacher workload. The session
is built so every teacher leaves with at least one concrete
technique they can use in their next lesson, and a lens for
reviewing current practice. Suitable for all teaching staff, but
particularly valuable for early career teachers and those reenergising their classroom routines.
Key takeaways:
1. Understand Rosenshine’s Principles as a practical
framework for explicit teaching in secondary mathematics.
