The crisis around teaching and learning mathematics and its use in everyday life and work relate to a number of issues. This book addresses these issues by looking at a number of key problems in maths education and numeracy.
The perpetual concerns around the teaching and learning of mathematics and its use in work and everyday life, relate to a number of issues:
-- doubts about the transferability of school learning to outside settings
-- declining participation in A-level and higher education mathematics courses
-- under-representation of certain groups, such as females, in mathematics study
-- the aversion of many people to mathematics generally
This book addresses these issues through investigating the following:
-- the ways in which numerate thinking and performance of adults are context-related
-- the inseparability of thinking and emotion, and the consequent ways in which mathematical activity is emotional, and not simply cognitive
-- the understanding of mathematics anxiety in psychological, psychoanalytical and feminist theories
-- social differences in mathematics performance, anxiety and confidence
Drawing on works such as those of Jean Lave and Valerie Walkerdine, and ideas for poststructuralism and psychoanalysis, this volume shows ways of reconceptualising current debates in mathematics education, including its psychological and sociological aspects. It points to ideas for practical applications in education and training, such as clarifying the problems with the transfer of learning, and countering mathematics anxiety. It also illustrates a number of ways of fruitfully combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies in educational research.
'Jeff Evans' book is a welcome contribution to the developing literature on adults learning mathematics and a worthy addition to Paul Ernest's excellent Studies in Mathematics Education series.' - Diana Cohen, Studies in the Education of Adults'Evans' intellectual journey is stimulating, challenging and ongiong, for him and other researchers and practitioners.' - Diana Cohen, University of Nottingham' I welcome this book written for anybody interested in adults' relationship to mathematics ... valuable reflections for changing practice including making contexts for learning more student friendly, and extending the scope of numeracy to be empowering in learners' lives ... With his interdisciplinary study, Jeff Evans has given us multiple perspectives on the very complex issue concerning mathematics thinking and emotions.' - Tine Wedege, ALM Newsletter May 2001'I felt as if I was visting old friends as the contributions of various significant mathematics educators to the field were respectfully considered and incorporated into the work ... Jeff Evans provides a tour of the literature pertaining to mathematics acquistion and transfer over the last 20 years ... I should think that teachers of mathematics to adults will welcome the section in the concluding chapter, "Adult-friendly contexts for learning", in which suggestions for effective learning are made. Those concerned to underpin experience with some theory before embarking on their own research will find it a publication which marks out the territory admirably.' - Pat Drake, British Educational Research Journal'This book can be recommended for a range of audiences beyond those in adult mathematics education. It displays a throroughness of approach in the detailed, justified use and interplay of both quantitative and qualitative research tools and methodologies. This makes it a valuable addition to the libraries of research students and their lecturers/supervisors ... This careful study of adults' numerate practices, building on and extending research from respected authors, highlights as never before the integral role played by the emotions in the mathematical thinking of people of all ages. It provides a salient reminder of the importance of our interactions as mathematics educators for all with whom we come into contact, formally or otherwise.' - Gail E. FitzSimons, Mathematics Education Research Journal
