PROGRAMME

Plenary speakers

Edward A. Silver (USA) is William A. Brownell Collegiate Professor in the School of Education and Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan. Before joining the University of Michigan, he taught at the middle school and high school levels in New York State and at universities in Illinois, California, and Pennsylvania.

His scholarly interests include the study of mathematical thinking, especially mathematical problem solving and problem posing, the design and analysis of intellectually engaging and equitable mathematics instruction for students, innovative methods of assessing and reporting mathematics achievement, effective models for enhancing the knowledge of teachers of mathematics, and examining the interface between research and practice in education. He has published more than 160 articles, chapters, and books on these topics.

Sarah Bansilal (SA) has been working in Mathematics Education in the School of Education, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal for the past 12 years. Prior to that she was a high school mathematics teacher, a college lecturer and briefly an NGO coordinator.

She obtained her doctoral degree at Curtin University in Western Australia in 2007, focusing on mathematics teachers' professional knowledge. She is a prolific researcher with over 50 peer-reviewed publications to her name. Her main research interest is about the teaching and learning of mathematics and mathematical literacy. Her research has centred on the conceptual development of concepts in mathematics, the use of real-life contexts in mathematics and mathematical literacy assessments, as well as the professional development of practising teachers.

Sarah has two daughters who are 12 and 19 years old, and from whom she has learnt the most about the learning of mathematics.

Percy Sepeng (SA) holds a PhD in Mathematics Education from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the School for Teacher Education and Training at the North-West University (Mafikeng Campus). Prior to joining NWU, he was employed by the University of South Africa, University of the Witwatersrand, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, University of Johannesburg, Tshwane University of Technology, and the Maths Center (NGO). He was previously a high school Mathematics and Physical Science teacher.

His research interest lies in the enhancement of mathematical modelling and/or problem-solving through promoting argumentation and introducing discussion as the strategies in the teaching and learning of mathematics in multilingual classroom settings. He has published a book, a book chapter, over 18 articles in both local and international accredited journals, and presented over 20 papers in both local and international conferences in the past four years.

Sarah Jane Johnston (SA) is currently Chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of South Africa. She holds a BComm, BSc Honours, MSc and PhD in Mathematics from the University of the Witwatersrand.

Her research interests are in special functions, orthogonal polynomials and hypergeometric functions and polynomials. She is an active member of the South African Mathematical Society in the portfolio of Scientific Activities.

Kabelo Chuene (SA) is senior lecturer in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education at the University of Limpopo. She is a doctoral graduate from Curtin University of Technology and her research focused on students' understanding of rates of change in Calculus.

Kabelo has taught mathematics to Foundation Year Mathematics for a period of about 15 years, Mathematics for Educators for four years and Methods of Teaching for six years. These experience shaped Kabelo's research interests in classroom interactions that centre on students' experience of what it means to learn mathematics. As a developing researcher she has two publications, has supervised students' research projects at both honours and masters level and is external examiner to research reports. Currently she is appointed to co-ordinate teaching and learning in the University's School of Education.

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