The March discussion was held on 14th March, 4.30pm-6pm. The abstracts and presenter bios of the discussions are outlined below.
Discussion 1: Are we forgetting how to research? The case of video – Joseph Paul Ferguson
We are currently experiencing an explosion in tools and processes that can contribute to our research efforts. I work with video methodologies to explore the way in which students and teachers undertake inquiry in creative ways in the science classroom. To date, I have collaborated with colleagues to collect many hours of classroom video. We work with this video data in responsive ways to focus on particular moments that productively disrupt our assumptions about teaching and learning in science. However, increasingly, this type of generation and analysis of large video data sets is undertaken by autonomous and semi-autonomous machines. I ask; what is the impact on us, as researchers, of this ‘new’ way of doing video research? I put forward the provocation, drawing on Bernard Stiegler’s notion of “proletarianisation”, that we are on the precipice of forgetting how to research. As such, we have a duty to push back against the proletarianising forces of contemporary university in our research and teaching.
Joseph Paul Ferguson is a lecturer in science and environmental/climate education at Deakin University. Joseph’s current research explores pragmatist semiotic approaches to teaching and researching science and environmental/climate education and the use of video methodologies (including film) to undertake design-based research with teachers in schools. He is passionate about the power of theory/philosophy to inform educational practice.
Discussion 2: Understanding Concept Image in the Teaching of Angle; A Grade Five Lesson Experiment – John Lawton
Concept image and its interaction with formal mathematics is central to the learning of geometry. Two competing theories for how students develop and employ a concept image for angle underpin the conceptualisation of angle in the Australian curriculum. This presentation reports on findings from a lesson experiment which asked a grade five teacher to evaluate one of these angle teaching approaches within a practice that is based on the alternative theory. Findings suggest that student concept image for angle needs to be strengthened. Making these two angle teaching approaches explicit, so as to develop cohesion between them would likely deepen and broaden the teaching of angle as a concept in geometry.
John Lawton is a PhD student at Deakin University. John’s research is in the conceptualisation of angle in the teaching of geometry. John is the owner of the publishing business, Objective Learning Materials (OLM). John is an author and the developer of the Mathomat geometry template which is produced by OLM.
Posted Aug 10, 2026
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