Routledge | 2010 | 224 páginas | PDF | 1,5 Mb
Improving Mathematics at Work questions the mathematical knowledge and skills that matter in the 21st 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:
Contents
List of illustrations ix
Acknowledgements xiii
1 Introduction 1
2 Manufacturing 1: modelling and improving the work process in manufacturing industry 24
3 Manufacturing 2: using statistics to improve the production process 68
4 Financial services 1: pensions and investments 107
5 Financial services 2: mortgages 142
6 Summary, reflections and conclusions 168
Appendix: details of fieldwork 187
Further reading on the Techno-mathematical Literacies research 194
Notes 196
Bibliography 199
Index 204
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