Pam Austin lectures mathematics and education modules to pre-service and in-service students. She also lectures HIV & AIDS education to in-service students and has a particular interest in HIV and AIDS education, Outcomes-Based Education and the implementation of the South African National Curriculum Statement.

Her passion for the ‘Family Maths’ programme led to her research which evaluated the extent to which the programme equips teachers to implement effective inquiry teaching and learning strategies.

Conference presentations and proceedings

Austin, P. and Webb, P. (1998). Family Maths: Changing Attitudes and Developing Cognitive Processes. Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics and Science Education. Pretoria, South Africa. 50-52.

Webb, P., Boltt G., Austin, P., Cloete, M., England, V., Feza., N., Hosking, S., Kings, I., Kruger, V., Morar, T., Nyamazane, M., and Wessels, K. (1998). The Nature and Impact of Accredited In-service Education for Teachers: What Generates Best Practice in the Classroom? Presidential Education initiative. Commissioned by the Joint Education Trust (JET), Johannesburg.

Austin, P., England, V., Feza, N., King, L., Morar, T. and Webb, P. (1999). Truths and Half-truths: Teachers and Pupils Understandings of Fractions. Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics and Science Education. Harare, Zimbabwe. 60-66.

Austin, P., Foster, Mgobozi, N., England, V., Lynch, P., Webb, P., Potgieter, D. and Linneman, S. (2002). Evaluating South African Curriculum Interventions: Exploring the Development of Reasoning Skills, Classroom Climate and Discourse Strategies as Triangulations. Proceedings of the 10th Annual SAARMSTE Conference. 17-22.

Webb, P., Lynch, P., Potgieter, D., Mgobozi, N., Cross, D., Kurup, R., Austin P., England, V. and Linneman, S. (2002). Triggering Whole-Class Discussion in Science Classrooms: Practical Work, Conversational Texts and Prompt Poster. Proceedings of the 10th Annual SAARMSTE Conference. Durban, South Africa, 394-398.

Austin, P. & Webb, P. (2006). Developing inquiry based teaching and learning via the Family Maths Programme. Education Beyond Boundaries. Education Association of South Africa/Kenton International Conference. Wilderness, South Africa.

Austin, P. & Webb, P. (2007). The Family Maths Programme: Developing Inquiry-based Teaching. Mathematics into 21st century international conference. Charlotte, USA.

Austin, P. & Webb, P. (2007). Developing Inquiry-based Teaching and Learning in the Family Maths Programme Facilitators. Pythagoras No 66 (Association for Mathematics Education, South Africa - AMESA). 52-63.

Awards

2008: recipient of the OSLO Celebrations Research Grant which promotes a professional research exchange in terms of gender and education research between Norway and South Africa.

Contact information
Dr Pam Austin
Senior Lecturer
Tel: 27 41 504 4360
pamela.austin@mandela.ac.za