Adult numeracy: a review of research

This report provides an overview of existing research on adult numeracy, with a strong focus on the United Kingdom but also including other countries. The emphasis is on poor numeracy: its antecedents and effects, teaching and learning to overcome it, and the potential use of ICT and mobile technologies in that pursuit

Using the Contextualized Interaction Model to examine changes in teacher beliefs

With the increased importance placed on the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields throughout the world but particularly in the United States, research in mathematics education has become widely recognized as critical to efforts to improve the ability of U. S. students to compete in a global market. A key focus of this movement has included efforts to improve the teaching of mathematics. Unfortunately, changes in teachers’ practices have been slow to evolve. Researchers have found that teachers’ beliefs are a critical barrier to enacting change. Though the relationship between teacher beliefs and practices has been studied since the early 80’s, a consistent and encompassing model for the interaction between teachers’ beliefs and practices has not emerged. This paper presents a proposed model of teacher change, the Contextualized Interaction Model, and the findings of a multiple case study which utilized the model to examine the changes in the beliefs of three elementary teachers engaged in a professional development program. The proposed model was found to accurately include the various factors which appear to interact with teacher beliefs though it was altered to include the impact of the curriculum as a key factor. The various contextual factors represented by the proposed model were found to profoundly impact the alignment between teachers’ beliefs and practices

Cross-fertilising methods in naturalistic decision-making and managerial cognition

The aim of this thesis is to examine the potential for methodological exchange between the fields of naturalistic decision-making (NDM) and managerial cognition. The research outlined makes a contribution towards methodological choice and research design within these fields. It also contributes by highlighting the theoretical value of applying a naturalistic mode of enquiry to the study of investment professionals. This research is situated in response to a number of calls for inter-disciplinary conversation in the study of cognition (Hodgkinson and Healey, 2008; Hodgkinson and Thomas, 1997; Lipshitz, Klein and Carroll, 2006). As such, it is located within the wider organisational debates of the social, management and behavioural sciences. Building upon the arguable inappropriateness of existing managerial cognition - behavioural decision-making (BDM) collaborations, this thesis advocates a naturalistic approach for progressing understanding of 'real-world' decision-making. In doing so, and in addressing the methodological challenges associated with these fields, the thesis examines the utility of connectionist architectures and structured qualitative approaches for the elicitation and representation of cognition. Three studies progressively examine the boundaries of cross-fertilisation using investment professionals as a backdrop for study. The results suggest inter-disciplinary collaboration to be useful not only in developing the reperto.ire of methodological tools available to the social sciences researcher, but in progressing theoretical thought (ie. through the concepts of coherence and sense-making) and in addressing epistemological debates within these fields. This thesis therefore contributes towards rapprochement of quantitative-qualitative approaches in NDM and computational-interpretative perspectives in the field of managerial cognition by modelling their dynamic interplay. The results also draw attention to the importance of understanding the socially situated aspects of expertise and the value in obtaining a multi-perspective understanding of cognition through mixed-methods designs. This thesis suggests that further collaboration both in a theoretical and methodological sense has much to offer these two fields and is an appropriate avenue for progression.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Beyond written computation

This collection of papers based on research into aspects of number is a result of a writing conference held on Rottnest Island, near Perth, Western Australia. The concept of the conference emanated from Alistair Mcintosh and Len Sparrow and was based on two similar meetings organised by Cal Irons and Bob Reys. All papers in this book were discussed at the Rottnest conference and subsequent changes were made by the authors based on comments and recommendations from the peer group who attended the conference

Teaching pre-school children to perform from conventional music notation: an exploration of different methods

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN042749 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Leadership Prototypes and Cultural Variations Amongst Hmong Men and Women Working Professionals in Minnesota

Since arriving in the United States in 1975 as immigrants, the Hmong have faced many cultural challenges and were forced to adapt quickly. In 2011, the Hmong lost their last officially recognized leader, General Vang Pao. With the Hmong assimilating to the American culture, it is unclear whether their leadership prototype has changed due to cultural variation. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to examine leadership prototypes and cultural variation amongst working professional Hmong men and women in Minnesota. Minnesota was chosen because it is home to the largest Hmong population in the United States. This study targeted understanding the lived experiences of four Hmong male and four Hmong female participants between the age of 28 and 45 years. In-person interviews were conducted to collect data. The results indicated that cultural variation impacted the leadership prototypes of Hmong men and women working professionals in Minnesota. Many participants stated a change in leadership prototype as they learned to balance Hmong and American values. The results support being more aware of Hmong household challenges, cultural variation, gender differences, and how this may affect their leadership prototypes. In addition, the results indicated that the leadership prototypes of Hmong men and women working professionals in Minnesota are leaders who are empathetic, are compassionate, lead by example, and keep their word

Is anyone listening? Women mathematics teachers' experiences of professional learning

This study explores women secondary mathematics teachers' experiences of professional learning. Life histories were elicited through semi-structured interviews in the form of guided conversations, supplemented by time-lines of mathematics and of professional learning. Analysis focused on constructed personal experience narratives. Although research demonstrates the features of effective professional learning, teachers' experiences of learning throughout their careers remains under explored. A particular focus in this study is on the ways in which professional learning is supported, providing opportunities for reengagement with mathematics, a subject frequently viewed as inaccessible and masculine. The women's stories are peopled with significant others who provide both models and encouragement, frequently drawn from their own school days and early professional experience. Much professional learning is informal, arising from unstructured reflection on teaching, with teachers accorded neither agency nor consistent support for their learning. The women's narratives provide a perspective on lived experiences of professional learning. Frequently learning is unsupported and spaces to discuss mathematics learning and teaching limited. Teachers appear isolated in restrictive school environments which contribute to a perception of reduced agency. Where opportunities for collaborative professional learning exist, women participate actively in the wider mathematics education community. Analysis of the narratives suggests that teachers' agency over their professional learning needs to increase to create spaces for women to collaborate on mathematics focussed professional learning. The allocation of resources to teacher professional learning should be prioritised. These glimpses reveal the restricted landscape of women mathematics teachers'learning opportunities. Despite these restrictions, however, teachers push at the boundaries. The narratives will support teachers who may draw on the voices of others to help them to make sense of their own development. Further research is warranted to explore the way individuals might develop and utilise their own professional learning narratives