1. World of work How do tasks bring the world of work into the classroom? Tool WC-1/2: Classifying and critiquing tasks

2. Overview Aims: To explore the different ways in which tasks can connect classroom mathematics to the world of work. We will: Discuss the tasks; View a short video; Place tasks into categories; Make comparisons between tasks.

3. Tasks that connect to the world of work What are the main features of each task? Emergency Calls Telecommunication Entrance matting Container logistics ChocChip Mining

4. Ways of connecting Watch the video of teachers discussing these tasks.

5. Placing the tasks into categories Discuss similarities and differences between the tasks Sort the tasks in some way by developing categories that you agree as being important.

6. Placing the tasks into categories Do workers really use mathematics and science in the way suggested? When doing the mathematics or science could students forget about the context? Is mathematics or science being used in any different ways?

7. Using the context Wiliam (1997) suggests that contexts used in mathematics classrooms can be classified as follows: Contexts with little relation to the mathematics being taught (mathematics looking for somewhere to happen); Contexts with a structure that maps to the mathematical structure being taught (‘realistic’ problems); Contexts in which the primary aim is to resolve a problem and no mathematics is needed (real problems).

8. Comparing the tasks Briefly share the main points from your discussions but also try to make comparisons between tasks.

9. Using the tasks in a classroom For each task: Does students adopt a role or ways of working that are different to usual? What knowledge, skills, or understanding might be gained, either mathematical or science-related or otherwise, through using this task? In what ways might this learning be different from that stimulated by a more conventional school task? Would the task help motivate students or stimulate student inquiry in any way?

10. Finishing off What other examples of tasks can you find that connect mathematics to the world of work? Be ready to report back on any examples identified and how connections were made to the world of work.