Numeracy – a matter of life and death Steve Thornton

Quantitative literacy (Steen) Quantitative literacy empowers people by giving them tools to think for themselves, ask intelligent questions and confront authority. Quantitative literacy empowers people by giving them tools to think for themselves, ask intelligent questions and confront authority.

Critical mathematical literacy (Frankenstein) Understanding the mathematics Understanding the mathematics Understanding the mathematics of political knowledge Understanding the mathematics of political knowledge Understanding the politics of mathematical knowledge Understanding the politics of mathematical knowledge Understanding the politics of knowledge Understanding the politics of knowledge

NUMBER (THOUSANDS) CATEGORY (1) 101,400Employed full-time (2) 19,000Employed part-time, want part-time work (3) 4,000Employed part-time, want full-time work (4) 5,600Not employed, looked for work in last month, not on temporary layoff (5) 1,100Not employed, on temporary layoff (6) 400Not employed, want a job now, looked for work in last year, stopped looking because discouraged about prospects of finding work (7) 1,400Not employed, want a job now, looked for work in last year, stopped looking for other reasons (8) 3,800Not employed, want a job now, have not looked for work in the last year (9) 60,700Not employed, don’t want a job now (adults)

An Australian example: boys’ education “FALLING BEHIND” Key facts from the federal parliamentary report into the education of boys: Year 3 and 5 literacy tests show boys perform up to five percentage points worse than girls Year 3 and 5 literacy tests show boys perform up to five percentage points worse than girls Average NSW Tertiary Entrance Score for boys was 19 percentage points worse than for girls in 1996 Average NSW Tertiary Entrance Score for boys was 19 percentage points worse than for girls in percent of suspensions from schools were boys 80 percent of suspensions from schools were boys (Canberra Times 22 October 2002)

Situated cognition (Lave) The context shapes the mathematics used The context shapes the mathematics used The importance of mathematics varies from context to context The importance of mathematics varies from context to context It is impossible to separate cognitive activity, context and the person It is impossible to separate cognitive activity, context and the person

Numeracy (Willis) To be numerate is, at the very least, having the competence and the disposition to use mathematics to meet the general demands of life at home, in paid work, and for participation in community and civic life. To be numerate is, at the very least, having the competence and the disposition to use mathematics to meet the general demands of life at home, in paid work, and for participation in community and civic life.

A numeracy framework Being numerate involves a blend of three types of knowledge: Contextual knowledge Contextual knowledge Mathematical knowledge Mathematical knowledge Strategic knowledge. Strategic knowledge.

Contextual knowledge 1. Clarify the outcomes of the task and recognize when and where mathematics might help. 2. Understand the mathematical ideas and techniques as embedded in the context or that might be applied in the situation. 3. See what interpretations make sense in the setting, apply and adapt the mathematics to fit the constraints of the situation and in a way that makes sense in the setting. 4. Make decisions about how accurate you need to be. 4. Make decisions about how accurate you need to be. 5. Interpret the outcome(s) in the context and evaluate the mathematics used.

Mathematical knowledge 1. Understand the mathematical ideas and techniques required in the situation. 2. Use the mathematical ideas and techniques.

Strategic knowledge 1. An orientation or disposition to use mathematics in a situation. 2. Know what mathematics is and isn’t and what it can and can’t do in order to judge and question the appropriateness of its use in particular situations. 3. Judge or question the validity or reasonableness of the use of mathematics in situations. 4. Understand the mathematical idea used in one setting and see how it could be used in other contexts.

A cautionary tale Jack the Ripper Jack the Ripper

30/9 8/11 31/8

Mary Kelly’s body was found at flat Dorset Street Another woman, Martha Tabram, was also found murdered on 6/8/1888. She was killed by 39 stab wounds.

THE JUWES ARE THE MEN THAT WILL NOT BE BLAMED FOR NOTHING

The numeracy moment 1. Notice the ‘moment’ 2. Decide how crucial the moment is to deal with 3. Decide on when to deal with it 4. What are the student numeracy issues or possibilities? 5. Identify the strategy you will use 6. Talk to the students

Implications for the teacher Capture the numeracy in the moment Capture the numeracy in the moment Be aware of possible numeracy demands when planning Be aware of possible numeracy demands when planning Allow students to work it out Allow students to work it out Support student numeracy learning by questioning Support student numeracy learning by questioning Diagnose student numeracy by listening purposefully Diagnose student numeracy by listening purposefully Debrief the numeracy Debrief the numeracy Practice Practice Promote critical use of mathematics Promote critical use of mathematics Teach the framework to the students Teach the framework to the students Share information on student numeracy with others Share information on student numeracy with others

A final quote: whose mathematics? “ There is no future in denying some successes in the science and technology developed following the Greek style. We will surely not be able to build faster jets and more powerful missiles using the male and female triangles of the Xingu ethnomathematics. But maybe the male and female triangles could help us not build the missiles and the jets carrying the bombs. ” (Ubi d’Ambrosio)

The ACT MYNRP Website

References Frankenstein, M. (2001). “To read the world: goals for a critical mathematical literacy”. Paper presented at AAMT conference, Canberra 2001 Frankenstein, M. (2001). “To read the world: goals for a critical mathematical literacy”. Paper presented at AAMT conference, Canberra 2001 Lave, J. (1988). Cognition in Practice. Cambridge University Press Lave, J. (1988). Cognition in Practice. Cambridge University Press PISA (2001). Knowledge and skills for life. Paris: OECD PISA (2001). Knowledge and skills for life. Paris: OECD Steen, L. (2001). Mathematics and democracy: the case for quantitative literacy. National Council on Education and the Disciplines Steen, L. (2001). Mathematics and democracy: the case for quantitative literacy. National Council on Education and the Disciplines Willis, S (1992). Being numerate: Whose right? Whose left? Literacy and Numeracy Exchange Willis, S (1992). Being numerate: Whose right? Whose left? Literacy and Numeracy Exchange