Collaboration on text book

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 7

Collaboration on text book

By

JENNY LONG

When a mother and daughter combine to write a mathematics textbook it must be a rare event even ‘ in these days of Increased collaboration in research. Professor Anne Penfold Street, who is at the University of Canterbury on an Erskine Fellowship, wrote the textbook with her daughter, Debbie. Bbth mother and daughter lecture in; mathematics, Professor Street at the University of Queensland, and her daughter at Adelaide. Their book, on mathematics designs, would generally be used at universities. Mathematics was still regarded as “unfeminine” by some people, but there was no basis for feeling that way, said Professor Street All students needed a good grounding in mathematics, because it was important in other subjects. Women were needed in mathematics because they would quite possibly see different areas of application for their skills, she said. In Australia, women make up, about 30 per cent of university mathematics classes. However, on most staff there is a

concentration of women as tutors, but they are under-represented at higher levels. . Professor Street said some universities still retained an . image that made women wary of applying to them. She is pleased that her department heads have always ensured that - women would not be ruled out simply because they were women. ’ ‘ • V “We have many women staff — but that is certainly not true of other Australian universities.** Enthusiasm for mathematics could be nurtured from a young age, said Professor Street. When her daughter came home from school with maths problems, it helped her to be given practical examples or interesting books. Professor Street said she had no experience of maths teaching in New Zealand schools, but she was saddened by the move away from teaching "straight” manipulative maths in Australia. Some basic mechanical maths must be taught, , she said. , ‘‘lt may not be fascinating, but it can lead to interesting work later on.”