Improving Mathematics At Work

Improving Mathematics at Work questions the mathematical knowledge and skills that matter in the twenty-first century world of work, and studies how the use of mathematics in the workplace is evolving in the rapidly-changing context of new technologies and globalisation. Through a series of case studies from the manufacturing and financial service sectors, the authors argue that there has been a radical shift in the type mathematical skills required for work – a shift not yet fully recognised by the formal education system, or by employers and managers. Examining how information technology has changed mathematical requirements, the idea of Techno-mathematical Literacies (TmL) is introduced to describe the emerging need to be fluent in the language of mathematical inputs and outputs to technologies and to interpret and communicate with these, rather than merely to be procedurally competent with calculations. The authors argue for careful analyses of workplace activities, looking beyond the conventional thinking about numeracy, which still dominates policy arguments about workplace mathematics. Throughout their study, the authors answer the following fundamental questions: What mathematical knowledge and skills matter for the world of work today? How does information technology change the necessary knowledge and the ways in which it is encountered? How can we develop these essential new skills in the workforce? With evidence of successful opportunities to learn with TmL that were co-designed and evaluated with employers and employees, this book provides suggestions for the development of TmL through the use of authentic learning activities, and interactive software design. Essential reading for trainers and managers in industry, teachers, researchers and lecturers of mathematics education, and stakeholders implementing evidence-based policy, this book maps the fundamental changes taking place in workplace mathematics.

Improving Mathematics at Work questions the mathematical knowledge and skills that matter in the twenty-first century world of work, and studies how the use of mathematics in the workplace is evolving in the rapidly-changing context of new technologies and globalisation. Through a series of case studies from the manufacturing and financial service sectors, the authors argue that there has been a radical shift in the type mathematical skills required for work – a shift not yet fully recognised by the formal education system, or by employers and managers. Examining how information technology has changed mathematical requirements, the idea of Techno-mathematical Literacies (TmL) is introduced to describe the emerging need to be fluent in the language of mathematical inputs and outputs to technologies and to interpret and communicate with these, rather than merely to be procedurally competent with calculations. The authors argue for careful analyses of workplace activities, looking beyond the conventional thinking about numeracy, which still dominates policy arguments about workplace mathematics. Throughout their study, the authors answer the following fundamental questions: What mathematical knowledge and skills matter for the world of work today? How does information technology change the necessary knowledge and the ways in which it is encountered? How can we develop these essential new skills in the workforce? With evidence of successful opportunities to learn with TmL that were co-designed and evaluated with employers and employees, this book provides suggestions for the development of TmL through the use of authentic learning activities, and interactive software design. Essential reading for trainers and managers in industry, teachers, researchers and lecturers of mathematics education, and stakeholders implementing evidence-based policy, this book maps the fundamental changes taking place in workplace mathematics.

"Mathematics Instruction and Tasks in a PLC at Work®, Second Edition by Mona Toncheff, Timothy D. Kanold, Sarah Schuhl, Bill Barnes, Jennifer Deinhart, Jessica Kanold-McIntyre, and Matthew R. Larson provides guidance for K-12 teachers to reflect on current lesson-design practices, compare those practices against high-quality standards of mathematics lesson design, and develop and use effective lessons that engage students within the mathematics classroom. Part of the Every Student Can Learn Mathematics series, it offers a comprehensive professional learning community (PLC) approach to sustaining deep change in mathematics achievement. The PLC at Work process is one of the best models that schools or districts can use to build a more equitable learning experience for students. Using the four critical questions of a PLC, teams will provide every mathematics student with common learning experiences, opportunities for sustained perseverance, and robust formative feedback. In this second edition, teachers will access new and updated tools to maximize their lesson-planning strategies in mathematics within the PLC framework"--

The fifth volume in the Mathematical Cognition and Learning series focuses on informal learning environments and other parental influences on numerical cognitive development and formal instructional interventions for improving mathematics learning and performance. The chapters cover the use of numerical play and games for improving foundational number knowledge as well as school math performance, the link between early math abilities and the approximate number system, and how families can help improve the early development of math skills. The book goes on to examine learning trajectories in early mathematics, the role of mathematical language in acquiring numeracy skills, evidence-based assessments of early math skills, approaches for intensifying early mathematics interventions, the use of analogies in mathematics instruction, schema-based diagrams for teaching ratios and proportions, the role of cognitive processes in treating mathematical learning difficulties, and addresses issues associated with intervention fadeout. Identifies the relative influence of school and family on math learning Discusses the efficacy of numerical play for improvement in math Features learning trajectories in math Examines the role of math language in numeracy skills Includes assessments of math skills Explores the role of cognition in treating math-based learning difficulties

Traditionally, vocational mathematics and precollege mathematics have been separate in schools. But the technological world in which today's students will work and live calls for increasing connection between mathematics and its applications. Workplace-based mathematics may be good mathematics for everyone. High School Mathematics at Work illuminates the interplay between technical and academic mathematics. This collection of thought-provoking essaysâ€"by mathematicians, educators, and other expertsâ€"is enhanced with illustrative tasks from workplace and everyday contexts that suggest ways to strengthen high school mathematical education. This important book addresses how to make mathematical education of all students meaningfulâ€"how to meet the practical needs of students entering the work force after high school as well as the needs of students going on to postsecondary education. The short readable essays frame basic issues, provide background, and suggest alternatives to the traditional separation between technical and academic mathematics. They are accompanied by intriguing multipart problems that illustrate how deep mathematics functions in everyday settingsâ€"from analysis of ambulance response times to energy utilization, from buying a used car to "rounding off" to simplify problems. The book addresses the role of standards in mathematics education, discussing issues such as finding common ground between science and mathematics education standards, improving the articulation from school to work, and comparing SAT results across settings. Experts discuss how to develop curricula so that students learn to solve problems they are likely to encounter in lifeâ€"while also providing them with approaches to unfamiliar problems. The book also addresses how teachers can help prepare students for postsecondary education. For teacher education the book explores the changing nature of pedagogy and new approaches to teacher development. What kind of teaching will allow mathematics to be a guide rather than a gatekeeper to many career paths? Essays discuss pedagogical implication in problem-centered teaching, the role of complex mathematical tasks in teacher education, and the idea of making open-ended tasksâ€"and the student work they elicitâ€"central to professional discourse. High School Mathematics at Work presents thoughtful views from experts. It identifies rich possibilities for teaching mathematics and preparing students for the technological challenges of the future. This book will inform and inspire teachers, teacher educators, curriculum developers, and others involved in improving mathematics education and the capabilities of tomorrow's work force.

Improving Mathematics Education has been designed to help inform stakeholders about the decisions they face, to point to recent research findings, and to provide access to the most recent thinking of experts on issues of national concern in mathematics education. The essence of the report is that information is available to help those charged with improving student achievement in mathematics. The documents cited above can guide those who make decisions about content, learning, teaching, and assessment. The report is organized around five key questions: What should we teach, given what we know and value about mathematics and its roles? How should we teach so children learn, given what we know about students, mathematics, and how people learn mathematics? What preparation and support do teachers need? How do we know whether what we are doing is working? What must change? Each of the five main chapters in this report considers a key area of mathematics education and describes the core messages of current publication(s) in that area. To maintain the integrity of each report's recommendations, we used direct quotes and the terminology defined and used in that report. If the wording or terminology seems to need clarification, the committee refers the reader directly to the original document. Because these areas are interdependent, the documents often offer recommendations related to several different areas. While the individual documents are discussed under only one of the components in Improving Mathematics Education, the reader should recognize that each document may have a broader scope. In general, the references in this report should serve as a starting point for the interested reader, who can refer to the original documents for fuller discussions of the recommendations and, in some cases, suggestions for implementation. Improving Mathematics Education is designed to help educators build a critical knowledge base about mathematics education, recognizing that the future of the nation's students is integrally intertwined with the decisions we make (or fail to make) about the mathematics education they receive.

"In A Mind for Mathematics: Meaningful Teaching and Learning in Elementary Classrooms, Smith breaks down the complex components of teaching mathematics and divides them into practical strategies. She fuses mathematics research, useful classroom strategies, and examples from K-6 classrooms to help teachers influence students to work hard, grapple with challenging problems, and ultimately value mathematics." -- Back cover