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1
Evans, Jeff. "Adults and numeracy." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1993. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10006582/.
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Tompkins, Mary Kathleen. "The Relations of Objective Numeracy and Subjective Numeracy to Financial Outcomes over Time." The Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1435591956.
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McDonald, Susan Ellen. "Improving numeracy: Co-constructing a whole-school numeracy plan in a secondary school." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2007. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/16618/3/Susan%20McDonald%20Thesis.pdf.
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Numeracy is a cross-curricular priority, an intersystemic priority and, of late, a federal government priority. Yet as a priority "numeracy" is inadequately defined and the term is used to describe a wide-range of notions. Many educators are unsure of what constitutes numeracy, unaware of how it differs from mathematics, and uncertain as to how its demands may be met in their planning and teaching. Secondary schools have few models upon which to develop a whole-school numeracy plan. This study describes the journey of a secondary school staff as they developed a shared understanding of numeracy, identified the numeracy demands throughout the curriculum and planned for a whole-school approach to address these demands.
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McDonald, Susan Ellen. "Improving numeracy: co-constructing a whole-school numeracy plan in a secondary school." Queensland University of Technology, 2007. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/16618/.
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Numeracy is a cross-curricular priority, an intersystemic priority and, of late, a federal government priority. Yet as a priority "numeracy" is inadequately defined and the term is used to describe a wide-range of notions. Many educators are unsure of what constitutes numeracy, unaware of how it differs from mathematics, and uncertain as to how its demands may be met in their planning and teaching. Secondary schools have few models upon which to develop a whole-school numeracy plan. This study describes the journey of a secondary school staff as they developed a shared understanding of numeracy, identified the numeracy demands throughout the curriculum and planned for a whole-school approach to address these demands.
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Gleeson, Laura Jane. "Grouping students to target specific deficiencies in numeracy: investigating an evidenced based Numeracy Program." Thesis, Griffith University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/377618.
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Numeracy has a significant impact on a student’s further study prospects, employment possibilities and retention in the workplace. Ultimately, numeracy skills are a necessary requirement for informed, critical thinking citizens. This study investigated the journey of a Year 8 cohort, through to Year 9, measuring and exploring the impact of a three-term numeracy program intervention. Student numeracy was recorded at the end of Year 8, and again midway through Year 9. This numeracy program saw 205 students sorted into twelve numeracy classes for one lesson per week. Some class groupings targeted specific skill deficiencies, and some were streamed to group higher or lower performing students together. This research investigated the pre- and post-program diagnostic test performances charted by these students using quantitative statistical analysis (comparative means paired t-tests across groups). To further explore these outcomes, two teachers were interviewed before and after this numeracy program. These interviews addressed the themes of teacher expectation and plans, implementation of the numeracy program, and reflection. There is a large amount of literature investigating the effects of streaming on student outcomes in numeracy, and it is known to have mixed results. Key themes from this literature are student identity, student performance outcomes, and the impact of streaming on pedagogical choices. However, there is a gap in the literature addressing streaming by specific skill weakness, rather than mean ability. This is an area explored by this research, which finds that grouping students according to specific skill weakness, for the duration of a numeracy intervention, does remediate those key deficiencies, but possibly at the expense of other skill areas. This research finds that streaming lower performing students by mean ability has a strong and positive impact on student performance. Conversely, the findings for high-performing students suggest that grouping them together, and the teaching and learning experiences that resulted from that, had no measurable positive impact on outcomes. This research suggests a need for future iterations of this numeracy program to continue to target specific skills, but on a cyclical basis; ensuring that all students are exposed to all requisite ideas and skills, benefitting from targeted intervention.Thesis (Masters)
Master of Education and Professional Studies Research (MEdProfStRes)
School Educ & Professional St
Arts, Education and Law
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Smith, Pamela J. "The development of emergent numeracy." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.298776.
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Tompkins, Mary Kathleen. "The role of subjective numeracy in financial outcomes and interventions of numeric-ability beliefs." The Ohio State University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1533810436361508.
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Periton, C. "Education, the development of numeracy & dissemination of Hindu-Arabic numerals in early modern Kent." Thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2017. http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/16963/.
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The ways in which English men and women used numbers underwent a transformation during the last half of the sixteenth century and first half of the seventeenth century. This dissertation analyses the changes in how ordinary, non university-educated, people encountered, perceived and employed numbers in their lives. It argues that as a result of this greater engagement with the ‘new’ Hindu- Arabic number system there was an increased sense of number awareness within the population as a whole and in Kent in particular. At the beginning of the sixteenth century most English men and women expressed numerical concepts through a combination of performative and object-based systems, such as finger methods, tally sticks and counting tables. Those who used written systems relied primarily on number words and Roman numerals. From 1539 onwards with the publication of an ever-increasing number of vernacular arithmetic textbooks, together with rising literacy rates and increased educational opportunity, the number of people using Hindu-Arabic numerals increased. By the mid seventeenth century both Roman numerals and Hindu- Arabic were used interchangeably and by the late seventeenth century Hindu-Arabic numerals became dominant. During this same period people increasingly used numbers to interpret the world around them as trade, exploration and scientific advances required a more numerate population. Mathematical texts and teachers stressed the utility of numbers. Almanacs became ubiquitous and provide an insight into the rate at which the ‘new’ number system spread throughout society. By examining a diverse array of sources and placing a case study of Kent within the wider national framework, this dissertation considers the ways in which increased educational opportunities led to the development of numeracy within the populace. It asserts that literacy is the key driver for numeracy and hence educational opportunity is inextricably linked to the development of numeracy.
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Hurle, Gillian Dawn. "Numeracy support for year two students." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2013. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/609.
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Research of teaching theories and intervention programs internationally and in Australia suggests that the implementation of numeracy support programs can improve student achievement levels (Fuchs, 2005; Ketterlin-Geller, Chard & Fien, 2008; Van Kraayenoord & Elkins, 2004). An intervention program was conducted for a small group of Year Two students with the aim of improving their numeracy skills over a 20 week period. Results of two mathematics assessments, together with information provided by teachers based on classroom observations and informal assessments were combined to select a group of twelve students who were considered to be at risk of developing mathematical difficulties. The program comprised of two 85 minute lessons and one 40 minute lesson per week in a room adjacent to the Year Two classroom. A social constructivist method of teaching was put into practice within the structure of a small group setting. A case study approach recorded the learning journey of each student with an individual profile of each participant maintained for the duration of the program. At the conclusion of the program data obtained from formative assessments, teacher observations, and feedback from the student participants were used to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Students who were members of the intervention program improved their level of basic numeracy skills in the areas of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and number sequencing, and also demonstrated a positive disposition towards mathematics.
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Choi, Samantha. "The Effects of Stress on Numeracy in Relation to Decision Making." Kent State University Honors College / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1523964959607048.
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Cobb, Sarah Catherine Jane. "“You use your imagination:”An investigation into how students use ‘imaging’ during numeracy activities." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Sciences and Physical Education, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/7168.
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Developing knowledge about how students acquire mathematical understanding is a focus of mathematics curricula and research, including the ability of students to move from manipulating concrete materials to abstract number properties when solving problems. This study, informed by the Numeracy Development Projects (Ministry of Education 2007a, 2008b) and the work of Pirie and Kieren (1989, 1992, 1994a, 1994b), examines the role of ‘imaging’ in supporting the development of students’ mathematical thinking and understanding. Imaging is an important phase of the teaching model advocated by the Numeracy Development Project. The context of this study is a primary school mathematics programme, which involved the teaching of two mathematics units that focused on the addition and subtraction of decimal fractions and whole numbers. There is considerable research about what is effective in mathematics education for diverse learners, and how students learn. There is, however, very limited research about the role of imaging in mathematical learning.
This qualitative study adopted a case study approach and focused on a group of Year 6 students. Data collection methods included observation, interviews, field notes and document analysis. A thematic approach was used to analyse data and to develop and inform an emerging theoretical framework.
During this study I developed a model, entitled A Model for the Development of Students’ Mathematical Understanding, which illustrates six mathematical resources students use as they solve problems. These resources are: materials, mental picture images, drawn picture images, transformed mental images, transformed drawn images and number properties. Students’ engagement with these six resources illustrates how they develop understanding of mathematical concepts. The students identified a preference for using drawn rather than mental images when solving problems. This study also emphasizes the complexity of the imaging process, and the fluid and multifaceted nature of learning in mathematics. This study serves to highlight the complexities of the teaching and learning process in mathematics for both teachers and students.
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au, M. Kemp@murdoch edu, and Marian Kemp. "Developing Critical Numeracy at the Tertiary level." Murdoch University, 2005. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20060831.171947.
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Students at university encounter quantitative information in tables and graphs or through prose in textbooks, journals, electronic sources and in lectures. The degree to which students are able to engage with this kind of information and draw their own conclusions, influences the extent to which they need to rely on the interpretation of others. In particular, students who are studying in non-mathematical disciplines often fail to engage seriously with such material for a number of reasons. These may include a lack of confidence in their ability to do mathematics, a lack of mathematical skills required to understand the data, or a lack of an awareness of the importance of being able to read and interpret the data for themselves. In this thesis, the successful choice and use of skills to interpret quantitative information is referred to as numeracy.
The level of numeracy exhibited by a student can vary depending on the social or cultural context, his/her confidence to engage with the quantitative information, the sophistication of the mathematics required, and his/her ability to evaluate the findings. The first part of the thesis is devoted to the conceptualisation of numeracy and its relationship to mathematics.
The empirical study that follows this is focused on an aspect of numeracy of importance to university students: the reading and interpreting of tables of data in a range of non-mathematical contexts. The students who participated in this study were enrolled in degree programs in the social sciences. The study was designed to measure the effectiveness of a one-hour intervention workshop aimed at improving the levels of the students numeracy. The short length of the intervention was dictated by practical and organisational constraints. This workshop involved reading and interpreting a table of data using strategies based on the SOLO taxonomy (Biggs & Collis, 1982).
The SOLO taxonomy was developed mainly as a means of classifying the quality of responses across both arts and science disciplines. The categorisation uses five levels: prestructural, unistructural, multistructural, relational and extended abstract. It can be used as a diagnostic tool at all levels of education as it can be seen as a spiral learning structure repeating itself with increasing levels of abstraction. It can also be used as a teaching tool in feedback to students.
A measuring instrument, also based on the SOLO taxonomy, was designed to gauge the levels of the students responses to these tasks. Each response was allocated a level that was subsequently coded as a number from zero to seven. Because the responses were in distinct ordered categories, it was possible to analyse the scores using the Rasch Model (Rasch 1960/80) for polytomous responses, placing both the difficulty of the tasks and the ability of the students on an equal interval scale. The Rasch Model was also used to evaluate the measuring instrument itself. Some adjustments were made to the instrument in the light of this analysis. It was found that it is possible to construct an instrument to distinguish between levels of students written responses for each of the chosen table interpretation tasks.
The workshop was evaluated through a comparison of the levels achieved by individual students before and after the workshop. T-tests for dependent samples indicated a significant improvement (p < 0.01) in student performance.
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Thereesha, Fathimath. "Students' Perceptions of the Secondary Numeracy Project." The University of Waikato, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10289/2305.
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This thesis explores the perceptions and experiences of twenty four Year 9 students from two schools in New Zealand who had participated in the Secondary Numeracy Project. The two schools were in their first year of SNP at the time of data collection. The main focus was on four areas of mathematics learning: group work, equipment, communication and teachers. Data was collected mainly by using semi-structured and clinical interviews. Findings revealed that equipment was particularly important and were used more frequently by students in Low ability group. Students liked using equipment, working in groups and sharing multiple solutions. However, communication was not used much as a means of making sense of mathematics in these classrooms. Furthermore the students' responses depended on the ability groups. These findings complemented the work of other researchers who have explored students' perspectives at the primary level. These findings suggest that the SNP would be more successful if students were explicitly taught good communication and cooperative learning skills.
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Liu-Trofimovsky, Jia. "School Psychologists' Early Numeracy Training and Practices." Thesis, State University of New York at Albany, 2014. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=3621899.
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An emergent area of research pertains to early numeracy, or number sense. Early numeracy plays a significant role in the development of mathematics skills, and researchers have recognized its importance for overall academic achievement. This study surveyed practicing school psychologists to investigate current early numeracy training and practices. A nationwide sample of 279 school psychologists completed a Web-based survey modeled after the available early numeracy research. The majority of individuals reported receiving at least one professional development training for academic concerns per year. A larger number of participants had training for reading and early literacy compared to early numeracy. Related to early numeracy practices, more respondents reported being involved in screening and assessment in contrast to intervention and progress-monitoring. Typically, students were screened in kindergarten through fifth grade using measures such as AIMSweb: Computation and AIMSweb: Problem-Solving. The most often utilized early numeracy instrument was AIMSweb: Number Identification. Most frequently, group academic assessments used were comprised of state tests, and individual measures were often broadband or screener-type measures. Commonly used curricular interventions have demonstrated limited to moderate levels of evidence. Only Classwide Peer Tutoring had a strong level of intervention effectiveness. Intensive interventions that were noted as being regularly implemented (e.g., Board Games, Explicit Instruction, Peer Tutoring, Touch Math) were mainly instructional in nature. The results for consistently used progress-monitoring tools were similar to those for screening (computation, problem-solving, and number identification). Perceived facilitators of participants' early numeracy involvement entailed administrator support and the topic being a current need in schools. School psychologists noted lack of resources and time as two main hindrances for their involvement in early numeracy activities. The implications of this study include increased early numeracy training, involvement in intervention and progress-monitoring, screening practices, alignment with the Common Core Standards, and time allocation and resources. Limitations of the current research were: low response-rate, lengthy survey, and non-response for specific early numeracy components. Finally, potential future research includes investigating progress-monitoring instruments for students in earlier grades, interventions for students with mathematics disabilities (e.g., retention, generalization of skills), home-school partnerships for early numeracy skills, and validation of technological applications.
15
Angelis, Desi. "Adult numeracy, mathematical education and social meanings." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/17496.
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Bibliography: pages 74-83.In sum, the theoretical framework proposed here for adult numeracy, and developed from a discourse of mathematics education, has as its task the elaboration of the social implications of principles in adult education and the pedagogic outcomes of three sets of numeracy materials.
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Garcia, Rodriguez Santiago. "Visualization and numeracy in consumer decision making." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/12684/.
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This thesis investigates the relationship between the cognitive style of visualization, composed of an Object and a Spatial component, and its effects on numeracy and numerical decision-making contexts. Extant research points to spatial visualization skills aiding numerical performance. However, the findings are not conclusive and only refer to spatial visualization as a skill, not as a cognitive style. The role of object visualization on numerical skills and numerical decision-making contexts has been ignored altogether by previous research. This work aims to fill these gaps in the literature. Firstly, the relationship between Object and Spatial visualization as parts of a cognitive style was investigated, with all performed studies consistently supporting the idea that these are two independent mental constructs. The study of the relationship between numeracy and visualization revealed that, while higher Object visualization predicts lower scores in a numeracy test (Abbreviated Numeracy Scale, ANS), higher Spatial visualization predicts greater numerical ability in the same test. This result proved to be consistent across all the experiments in this study. Having established the relationship between the ANS and visualization, this study extended the investigation to other numerical and graphical scenarios which resemble tasks that could be found in natural scenarios. The results showed that spatial visualization predicts better performance in numerical and graphical tasks beyond the ANS. This thesis then extended the investigation to see whether the biases Peter et al. (2006) and Weller et al. (2012), which were found to be affected by Numeracy, were also similarly affected by visualization, therefore widening the potential impact of visualization on the field of Decision-Making. The results indicated that in a task with a normatively correct answer, spatial visualization predicted better performance, whereas numeracy or object visualization did not have this effect. In the tasks where only judgments of preference or attractiveness were elicited, neither numeracy nor visualization predicted preferences or attractiveness. Finally, this study investigated whether the cognitive style of visualization had an effect on individuals’ weighing information consistent with their cognitive style more heavily. In a task where participants saw information in the form of tables or graphs, accompanied by a human figure, it was found that neither spatial or object visualization preference seemed to influence the weighing of object or spatial information. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the relationship between numeracy and visualization style, and is the first investigation demonstrating how visualization cognitive style is related to numeracy and how a person’s visualization cognitive style affects Decision-Making tasks. The close relationship found between Spatial visualization and Numeracy, with Spatial visualization in some cases predicting results where Numeracy failed to show a differential effect, also opens the door to further consideration of the use and creation of Spatial visualization measures to be used instead of Numeracy scales in the numerical decision-making contexts.
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Kemp, Marian. "Developing critical numeracy at the tertiary level." Thesis, Kemp, Marian (2005) Developing critical numeracy at the tertiary level. Professional Doctorate thesis, Murdoch University, 2005. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/122/.
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Students at university encounter quantitative information in tables and graphs or through prose in textbooks, journals, electronic sources and in lectures. The degree to which students are able to engage with this kind of information and draw their own conclusions, influences the extent to which they need to rely on the interpretation of others. In particular, students who are studying in non-mathematical disciplines often fail to engage seriously with such material for a number of reasons. These may include a lack of confidence in their ability to do mathematics, a lack of mathematical skills required to understand the data, or a lack of an awareness of the importance of being able to read and interpret the data for themselves. In this thesis, the successful choice and use of skills to interpret quantitative information is referred to as numeracy.
The level of numeracy exhibited by a student can vary depending on the social or cultural context, his/her confidence to engage with the quantitative information, the sophistication of the mathematics required, and his/her ability to evaluate the findings. The first part of the thesis is devoted to the conceptualisation of numeracy and its relationship to mathematics.
The empirical study that follows this is focused on an aspect of numeracy of importance to university students: the reading and interpreting of tables of data in a range of non-mathematical contexts. The students who participated in this study were enrolled in degree programs in the social sciences. The study was designed to measure the effectiveness of a one-hour intervention workshop aimed at improving the levels of the students? numeracy. The short length of the intervention was dictated by practical and organisational constraints. This workshop involved reading and interpreting a table of data using strategies based on the SOLO taxonomy (Biggs and Collis, 1982).
The SOLO taxonomy was developed mainly as a means of classifying the quality of responses across both arts and science disciplines. The categorisation uses five levels: prestructural, unistructural, multistructural, relational and extended abstract. It can be used as a diagnostic tool at all levels of education as it can be seen as a spiral learning structure repeating itself with increasing levels of abstraction. It can also be used as a teaching tool in feedback to students.
A measuring instrument, also based on the SOLO taxonomy, was designed to gauge the levels of the students' responses to these tasks. Each response was allocated a level that was subsequently coded as a number from zero to seven. Because the responses were in distinct ordered categories, it was possible to analyse the scores using the Rasch Model (Rasch 1960/80) for polytomous responses, placing both the difficulty of the tasks and the ability of the students on an equal interval scale. The Rasch Model was also used to evaluate the measuring instrument itself. Some adjustments were made to the instrument in the light of this analysis. It was found that it is possible to construct an instrument to distinguish between levels of students' written responses for each of the chosen table interpretation tasks.
The workshop was evaluated through a comparison of the levels achieved by individual students before and after the workshop. T-tests for dependent samples indicated a significant improvement (p < 0.01) in student performance.
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Kemp, Marian. "Developing critical numeracy at the tertiary level /." Access via Murdoch University Digital Theses Project, 2005. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20060831.171947.
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Genis, Amelia. "Numbers count: the importance of numeracy for journalists." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52371.
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Thesis (MPhil) -- Stellenbosch University, 2001.Bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Few news subjects or events can be comprehensively covered in the media without numbers being used. Indeed, most reports are essentially 'number stories', or could be improved through the judicious use of numbers. Despite this there are frequent complaints about poor levels of numeracy among journalists. Although numbers are fundamental to virtually everything they write, the most superficial review of South African newspapers indicates that most encounters between journalists and numbers of any sort are uncomfortable, to say the least. Reporters shy away from using numbers, and frequently resort to vague comments such as "many", "more", "worse" or "better". When reports do include numbers, they often don't make sense, largely because journalists are unable to do simple calculations and have little understanding of concepts such as the size of the world's population, a hectare, or a square kilometer. They frequently use numbers to lend weight to their facts without having the numerical skills to question whether the figures are correct. Numeracy is not the ability to solve complicated mathematical problems or remember and use a mass of complicated axioms and formulas; it's a practical life skill. For journalists it is the ability to understand the numbers they encounter in everyday life - percentages, exchange rates, very large and small amounts - and the ability to ask intelligent questions about these numbers before presenting them meaningfully in their reports. This thesis is not a compendium of all the mathematical formulas a journalist could ever need. It is a catalogue of the errors that are frequently made, particularly in newspapers, and suggestions to improve number usage. It will hopefully also serve to make journalists aware of the potential of numbers to improve reporting and increase accuracy. This thesis emphasises the importance of basic numeracy for all journalists, primarily by discussing the basic numerical skills without which they cannot do their job properly, but also by noting the concerns of experienced journalists, mathematicians, statisticians and educators about innumeracy in the media. Although the contents of this thesis also apply to magazine, radio and television journalists, it is primarily aimed at their counterparts at South Africa's daily and weekly newspapers. I hope the information contained herein is of use to journalists and journalism students; that it will open their eyes to the possibility of improving number usage and thereby reporting, serve as encouragement to brush up their numerical skills, and help to shed light on the numbers which surround them and which they use so readily.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Min nuusonderwerpe of -gebeure kan in beriggewing tot hul reg kom sonder dat enige getalle gebruik word. Trouens, die meeste berigte is in wese 'syferstories', of kan verbeter word deur meer sinvolle gebruik van syfers. Tog is daar vele klagtes oor joemaliste se gebrekkige syfervaardigheid. Ten spyte van die ingeworteldheid van getalle in haas alles wat hulle skryf, toon selfs die mees oppervlakkige ondersoek na syfergebruik in Suid-Afrikaanse koerante joemaliste se ongemaklike omgang met die meeste syfers. Hulle is skugter om syfers te gebruik, en verlaat hulle dikwels op vae kommentaar soos "baie", "meer", "erger" of "beter". Indien hulle syfers gebruik, maak die syfers dikwels nie sin nie: meermale omdat joemaliste nie basiese berekeninge rondom persentasies en statistiek kan doen nie, en min begrip het vir algemene groothede soos die wereldbevolking, 'n hektaar of 'n vierkante kilometer. Hulle sal dikwels enige syfer gebruik omdat hulle meen dit verleen gewig aan hul feite en omdat hulle nie die syfervaardigheid het om dit te bevraagteken nie. Syfervaardigheid is nie die vermoe om suiwer wiskunde te doen of 'n magdom stellings en formules te onthou en gebruik nie; dis 'n praktiese lewensvaardigheid, die vermoe om die syferprobleme wat die daaglikse roetine oplewer - persentasies, wisselkoerse, baie groot en klein getalle- te verstaan en te hanteer. Hierdie tesis is nie 'n versameling van alle berekeninge wat joemaliste ooit sal nodig kry nie; maar veel eerder 'n beskrywing van die potensiaal van syfers om verslaggewing te verbeter en joemaliste te help om ag te slaan op die getalle rondom hulle en die wat hulle in hul berigte gebruik. Die doel van die tesis is om die belangrikheid van 'n basiese syfervaardigheid vir alle joemaliste te beklemtoon, veral die basiese syfervaardighede waarsonder joemaliste nie die verslaggewingtaak behoorlik kan aanpak nie, te bespreek, en ook om ervare joemaliste, wiskundiges, statistici en opvoeders se kommer oor joemaliste se gebrek aan syfervaardigheid op te teken. Hoewel alles wat in die tesis vervat is, ewe veel van toepassing is op tydskrif-, radio- en televisiejoemaliste, val die klem hoofsaaklik op hul ewekniee by Suid-Afrikaanse dag- en weekblaaie. Ek hoop die inligting hierin vervat sal van nut wees vir praktiserende joemaliste en joemalistiekstudente om hulle bewus te maak van die moontlikhede wat bestaan om syfergebruik, en uiteindelik verslaggewing, te verbeter en as aanmoediging dien om hul syfervaardigheid op te skerp.
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Cardemil, Winkler Magdalena. "Numeracy and education in Chile 1860-1940 cohorts." Tesis, Universidad de Chile, 2015. http://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/134458.
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Tesis para optar al grado de Magíster en Políticas PúblicasThe study of human capital development is an important although complex task as it has a multidimensional nature but also because data is not as systematically available as researchers would hope so. Literacy is the most used historic variable to proxy for human capital, nevertheless, in the last decade or so the study of numeracy has gained strength trough the development of the Age heaping Technique. In this thesis we link the upwards trend in numeracy experienced by the 1860-1950 Chilean cohorts to the expansion of public primary education triggered by the primary instruction law of 1860. We find a strong and significant correlation between educational coverage and numeracy. Also, the effect is stronger for females, coherent with the fast expansion of schooling in this sub group.
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Cook, Rose. "Gender differences in adult numeracy : a comparative study." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2018. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10055384/.
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This thesis presents a comparative study of gender differences in adult numeracy in 20 OECD countries. It explores the ways in which the widespread male advantage in adult numeracy is associated with gender relations. Gender relations are measured in terms of gender differences in power and status, the gender division of paid and unpaid labour, and gender culture. The thesis uses quantitative secondary analysis of data from the OECD’s 2012 Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), which provides direct measures of adults’ numeracy skills. The analysis proceeds from an original theoretical framework which combines insights from life course research on the determinants of skills in adulthood, as well as integrating feminist theory of multidimensional gender relations. At the individual level, the results demonstrate that female advances in education do not necessarily equalise adult numeracy. Women’s participation in the labour market is also not enough to guarantee equal levels of adult numeracy: women must also be able to access occupations that use numeracy skills. Cross-nationally, there is no obvious empirical relationship between gender inequality, conventionally conceived, and the gender difference in adult numeracy. Instead, paradoxically, gender differences in adult numeracy are larger in societies that combine egalitarianism with gender segregation in the labour market, and smaller in countries with relatively inequitable gender relations. Overall, there is little evidence that gender differences in adult numeracy are associated with conventional indicators of gender inequality in this sample of countries. The thesis thereby questions the findings of previous research and suggests that instead of being framed as an outcome of female disempowerment, gender differences in adult numeracy should be understood in relation to the multidimensionality of gender relations in post-industrial societies.
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Whitburn, Julia. "The acquisition of mathematical knowledge in the early days of schooling : Japan and England." Thesis, Oxford Brookes University, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.325438.
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Higgins, Thomas. "Literacy and numeracy demands and usage in the workplace." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2016. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/98419/.
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This research focuses on the demand for and use of literacy and numeracy skills in low paid work. The motivation for the research is to examine the assumption, widely espoused by policy makers, that literacy and numeracy skills are vital at all levels of the labour market and that deficiencies in these skills are the source of widespread economic problems. The primary aim of this study is to understand the extent to which employees in low paid occupations use literacy and numeracy skills in their work. Alongside this, the research considers the extent of mismatch between the skills of employees and the demands of their job, the extent of change in the demand for literacy and numeracy skills and the sources of demand for literacy and numeracy skill. Methodologically the research focuses on qualitative case studies of frontline work in two major low paying sectors, retail and residential care. Research took place in three Nursing Homes in England and three retail outlets in South Wales. This qualitative analysis is supplemented by a quantitative analysis of the Skills and Employment Surveys from 1997 to 2012, which provides a broader picture of the extent of and changes in the use of literacy and numeracy skills in low paid work. The research raises doubts about the extent of demand for literacy and numeracy skills in occupations at the lower end of the labour market and the incidence of deficiencies in the skills of employees. This in turn leads to questions about the viability of approaches to literacy and numeracy policy predicated on these assumptions.
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Robertson, Ailie. "Precision teaching for numeracy : an application of behaviour analysis." Thesis, University of the West of Scotland, 2002. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.751391.
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Hardwick, Nick. "An outcome evaluation of the LifeMatters Foundation's Numeracy Programme." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25077.
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This dissertation includes an outcome evaluation report of the LifeMatters Foundation Numeracy Programme. This programme focuses on strengthening the foundational numerical skills of the participants, in this case a group of Grade 2 learners from two schools in the Western Cape area. In total, these two schools had five Grade 2 classes of which constituted the sample. While this programme has run before, the LifeMatters Foundation decided to redesign the programme and run a new pilot programme in 2016. This dissertation focuses on the evaluation of this pilot programme with the goal to attain information on two outcome questions. The first of these questions examined whether the programme participants' foundational numerical skills improved by the end of the programme and if they improved more than the skills of the comparison class. The comparison class for this evaluation was made up of 12 learners of one class that met the criteria for selection, but did not receive treatment. Each of the other four classes had the weakest 12 learners selected on the results of a class-based assessment delivered by the teachers. Therefore, in total, the evaluation included 60 participants. The second question examined if programme dosage, or the amount of attendance, was a significant contributor to the improvement of participants' numerical skills. As the programme was conducted over the course of the year, this question sought to control for the impact of maturation on the results and identify a programme effect. Secondary data, provided by the LifeMatters Foundation, were used in order to answer the two evaluation questions. This data consisted of the results of the participants on eight measurements conducted throughout the year. These measurements were standardised tests, known as Formal Assessment Tasks, designed by the Western Cape Education Department. The data analysis methods included descriptive and inferential statistics for learners' performance and average programme dosage, a repeated measures ANOVA with a betweensubjects factor for the differences between classes on each measurement, and a linear regression model for determining the effect of programme dosage on learners' final year mark. Results highlighted that two of the four classes were significantly different from the comparison class. Furthermore, analysis revealed that, on average, the programme was not having the desired effect on the learners' performance. These results must be interpreted with caution as there was an issue of overcoverage in the programme. This refers to the ratio of participants in the programme that should not be in the programme over the total number of participants. More than half of the participants should not have been included in the programme, as they were far more academically advanced than the rest of the participants. In order to improve this facet, it is recommended that the LifeMatters' foundation develop a selection measure that is standardised, valid, and reliable. The second evaluation question dealt with the impact of programme dosage on overall final mark, and as the average attendance of the programme was approximately 50%, there was no significant impact of attendance on final year mark. It is suggested that the requirements for attendance be re-evaluated as the low attendance rates played a role in the low programme effect. The evaluation was limited by a lack of an adequate comparison of groups at baseline, as well as poorly controlling for maturation, a threat to internal validity, through the poor attendance. Despite the limitations, the evaluation has provided useful information for programme improvement, and if the recommendations are followed further evaluations will provide more conclusive results around programme effect.
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Thompson, Ross A. G. "Affective, demographic and educational predictors of numeracy performance in undergraduate students." Thesis, Queen's University Belfast, 2015. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.676611.
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Heldsinger, Sandra. "Accounting for unit of scale in standard setting methodologies." Thesis, Heldsinger, Sandra (2006) Accounting for unit of scale in standard setting methodologies. Professional Doctorate thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/72/.
Full textAbstract:
Substantial sums of money are invested by governments in state, national and international testing programs. Australia in particular engages at all three levels. There are number of purposes served by these programs. One of these is to report student performance against standards.
Standard setting exercises with respect to a particular assessment are commonly used by testing programs where there is a requirement to determine the point at which it can be said that students have demonstrated achievement of a standard. Several methodologies have been devised that use expert judgements to derive a numerical cut-score on an achievement scale. A commonly used standard setting methodology is one proposed by Angoff (1971).
The kernel of the Angoff procedure is the independent judgement of the probability that a minimally competent person can or cannot answer a dichotomously scored item correctly. This methodology typically involves three stages: orientation and training, a first round of performance estimation followed by feedback, and then a second round of performance estimation. In the orientation session, judges are asked to define a hypothetical target group. This definition is dependent upon the judges' tacit understanding of the standard. For example, in the context of a mathematics test, judges would be asked to agree the skills the students should be expected to have mastered. Then they would be asked to envisage a student with those skills and to estimate the proportion of a hypothetical group of equally competent students (as defined by the expected standard) who would answer each item correctly. This proportion is the estimate of the required probability. Then the sum of these probabilities is taken as the raw cut-score on a test composed of the items.
Several studies, however, question the validity of the Angoff methodology because of the finding that judges were unable to perform the fundamental task required of them: to estimate the probability a student would answer an item correctly, (Shepard, 1995) even for groups of students who are well known to them (Impara and Blake, 1996).
In addition, standard-setting exercises invariably take place in situations where the reporting of educational standards has a high profile and is of political importance. To address the accountability requirements that accompany such a task, a wide range of stakeholders are invited to act as judges in the exercises. Inevitably, however, variability between the judges conception of the standard, as represented by the cut-score set by each of them, causes concern. Can the public have confidence in the standard set if the judges themselves cannot agree? Several studies report the introduction of further rounds of performance estimation and more refined feedback in an attempt to obtain greater consistency between the judges' ratings (Impara and Blake, 2000; McGinty and Neel, 1996; Reckase, 2000).
In more recent studies Green, Trimble and Lewis (2003) report a study in which three standard setting procedures were implemented to set cut-scores and which required judges to synthesise the results to establish final cut-points. Green et al report studies such as Impara and Blake (2000) where convergence of results among multiple standard settings are used as evidence of validity of cut-scores, but note that while convergence may occur to a reasonable degree when variations of the same method are used, there are few reports of convergence when different procedures are used.
The distinguishing factor between the standard-setting exercises reported in the literature, which rely on judges' tacit understanding of the standard and this study, is the existence of an explicitly and operationally defined standard. In 1996 the Australian Ministers for Education agreed to a national framework for reporting of student achievement in literacy and numeracy and arising from this decision was the drafting of benchmark standards against which the achievement of students in years 3, 5, 7 and 9 could be reported. The benchmark standards are articulated in two components. Criteria describe the skills that students need to have acquired if it is to be said that they achieved the standard and sample work exemplify these criteria.
The setting of standards independently of placing them on a scale permitted a more rigorous assessment of the effects of different designs on the setting of cut-scores. Two different standard-setting methodologies have been employed in this study to translate descriptions of the standards into cut-scores. One draws on the Angoff method and involves the use of a rating scale. Judges consider the items of a test and indicate the probability that a student at the cut-score will answer each item correctly. The probabilities are in increments of 0.10, ranging from 0.0 to 1.0. The sum of the probabilities that a judge gives to the items is taken as the raw score cut-score from that judge. The second study involves a method of pairwise comparison of the same items together with items that are operationalised to be benchmark items. The judge has to decide which of each pair of items is the more difficult.
The results of the two benchmark setting designs appear to support findings from other standard-setting exercises reported in the literature. Namely,
i. Judges were unable to estimate absolute item difficulty for a student of prescribed ability.
ii. Where two different designs were used, there is no convergence in results.
iii. Ratings from different judges within each design varied widely.
To indicate the resultant discrepancy in setting the benchmark on the same test, the rating methodology gives a value of 16.08 and the pairwise a value of 7.10 on ostensibly the same scale. A closer examination of the judges' ratings, however, suggests that despite the evidence of dramatically different cut scores between the two exercises, the judges were highly consistent in their interpretation of relative item difficulty. Two lines of evidence indicate this high level of internal consistency: (i) the reliability index for the pairwise data; and (ii) the correlation between the item estimates obtained from the rating and pairwise exercises, which was 0.95. In addition, the correlation of the relative item difficulties with those obtained from students responding to the same items was a satisfactory 0.80 and 0.74 for the ratings and for the pairwise designs, respectively.
The high correlation between judgements across the two exercises, in conjunction with the relatively high correlation of the item difficulties from the judges' data and from the student data, suggests that problems observed in the literature do not arise because judges cannot differentiate the relative difficulties of the items. Accordingly, the unit of scale as assessed by the standard deviations of the item difficulties were calculated and examined.
The standard deviation of the items from judges in the likelihood design was half that of the item difficulties from the student responses, and the standard deviation of the items from the pairwise design was over twice that of the student scale. The substantial difference between the standard deviations suggests a difference between the units of scale, which presents a fundamental problem for common equating. In general, and in the literature, it seems that the unit of scale as evidenced from the standard deviations is not considered and it seems that it is simply assumed that the unit of scale produced by the students and the judges is the same and each design should be the same. Then if the results of different modes of the data collections do not arrive at the same or very similar cut-scores, it is not considered that this might be only a result of different units of scale.
In retrospect, it is not surprising that different formats for data collection produce different units of scale, and that different cut-scores result. In addition, it is not surprising that these might also produce a different unit of scale from that produced by the responses of the students. The reasons that the different designs are likely to produce different units of scale are considered in the thesis.
Differences in the unit of scale will inevitably have an impact on the location of the benchmark or cut-score. When the difference in standard deviation is accounted for, and the cut-scores are placed on the same scale as that produced by the students, the two exercises provide similar locations of the benchmark cut-score. Importantly, the thesis shows that these locations can be substantiated qualitatively as representing the defined standard. There are two main conclusions of the study. First, some of the problems reported in the literature in setting benchmarks can be attributed to difference in the units of scale in the various response formats of judges relative to those of students. Second, this difference in unit of scale needs to be taken into account when locating the standard on the student scale.
This thesis describes in detail the two cut-score setting designs for the data collection, and the transformations that are necessary in order to locate the benchmark on the same scale as that produced by the responses of the students.
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Heldsinger, Sandra. "Accounting for unit of scale in standard setting methodologies /." Access via Murdoch University Digital Theses Project, 2006. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20070717.160817.
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Dahl, Sarah Louise. "The impact on local practice of national numeracy policy initiatives." Thesis, University of Kent, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.413303.
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Ridler, Williams Catherine. "Is children's numeracy development related to communication in the classroom?" Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.400323.
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Winck, Stacy A. "Measuring early numeracy of kindergarten students in a group setting." ScholarWorks@UNO, 2011. http://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/1361.
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Early identification practices in assessment are crucial to preventing academic failure as well as identifying students at-risk for later learning disabilities. The PAM Early Numeracy Screening is a set of subscales designed to measure early numeracy in kindergarten students in a group setting. Given that the existing early numeracy measures are individually administered, the purpose of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Correlational analysis was the primary research design used to investigate the evidence of reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Criterion measures included the KeyMath-3 Diagnostic Assessment, Metropolitan Achievement Tests, Eighth Edition, Early Math Measures Study Teacher Rating of Students’ Math Proficiency, and the Early Numeracy Indicators. The sample consisted of 97 kindergarten students from a school district in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Results support the PAM Early Numeracy Screening as a promising group administered measure of early numeracy in kindergarten. Implications for future research include investigating the internal structure of the subscales and exploring evidence of predictive validity of the subscales, specifically the Quantity Discrimination subscale to independently predict later math achievement.
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Erford, Breann M. "Numeracy, Memory, and Predecisional Information Distortion in Number-Based Decisions." The Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1511812193384119.
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Prunier, Stephen G. "Individual Differences in the Mental Representation of Verbal Probability Expressions: The Role of Numeracy." University of Toledo / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1501800053986437.
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Poe, Jennifer Kilkus. "ASSESSING NUMERACY IN ONCOLOGY: THE ROLE OF PATIENT PERCEPTION AND PREFERENCES." UKnowledge, 2012. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/3.
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Treatment decision making (TDM) in oncology is complex. Understanding treatment information is essential for shared TDM. Research suggests many patients have low numeracy. This mixed methods study explored numeracy and experience with numbers in a sample of individuals diagnosed with follicular lymphoma. Participants completed questionnaires (N = 32) and interviews (N = 20) assessing numeracy, decisional conflict and regret, and number preference. Results suggest that mean objective numeracy was relatively high, and most reported high confidence in numerical ability. Most participants preferred to receive numbers during the TDM process. There was no relationship between numeracy and decision outcomes. Future research should investigate the use of numeracy measures in practice and the impact of patient preferences and beliefs on shared TDM.
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Malo, Teri. "Numeracy, Cancer Risk Perceptions, and Self-Protective Behaviors among U.S. Adults." Scholar Commons, 2011. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3229.
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Individuals have become more involved in health-related decisions, in part due to an unprecedented access to information that can be used to enhance both physical and mental health. Much of this health-related information is presented in a numerical format; unfortunately, research suggests many Americans may not possess the literacy skills necessary to comprehend numerical health-related information. More research needs to be conducted to examine numeracy and its role in cancer risk perceptions, and how those risk perceptions relate to cancer self-protective behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to: (a) examine socio-demographic variables associated with numeracy, (b) determine which factors are associated with cancer risk perceptions, and (c) apply the Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) Framework to examine associations between risk perception groups and cancer self-protective behaviors. The study used data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which was developed by the National Cancer Institute to collect nationally representative data on the U.S. public's use of cancer-related information. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between each dependent variable and independent variables associated with each research question. Results indicated age and education were associated with objective numeracy, whereas age, education, and occupational status were associated with subjective numeracy. Among participants with a previous cancer diagnosis, objective numeracy and smoking status were associated with a somewhat high/very high perceived risk of developing cancer in the future. Age, race/ethnicity, family cancer history, smoking status, and self-reported general health were associated with a somewhat high/very high perceived risk of developing cancer in the future among participants without a previous cancer diagnosis. RPA group was not significantly associated with cancer self-protective behaviors. Findings from this study have important implications for public health, including health communication and interventions designed to enhance health behaviors. Future research should focus on using a full objective numeracy scale with a nationally representative population and examining temporal relationships between cancer risk perceptions and health behaviors.
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Kay, Jane E. "Perspectives on teachers' numeracy, investigated via examination of comment and conversation." Thesis, University of Bolton, 2016. http://ubir.bolton.ac.uk/1097/.
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For those training to teach in England, numeracy is required to fulfil the remit of a complete teacher education qualification. Trainee teachers in the post-compulsory sector must address their own level and depth of numerical comprehension whilst also examining the factors that surround the acquisition of this knowledge for their own learners in the classroom. For those training to teach in the compulsory sectors of primary or secondary education, a GCSE graded C or above and the completion of an additional numeracy professional skills test is required. Anecdotal evidence suggested prior to the initiation of research that numeracy within teacher education programs was not favourably received or welcomed by either trainee teachers or more established teachers. This research investigates in the first phase teachers’ and trainee teachers’ opinion and perception of numeracy using data collected from educational forums, prospectuses from teacher education providers, a critical review of resources available to support learning of numeracy for trainee teachers. In the second phase research utilises the observation of the delivery of a functional skills mathematics programme for teachers in the post-compulsory sector, recording information from participant observation, an online bulletin board and focus groups. Each successive method, through two distinct phases of research, focusses on comments and conversation, examining what teachers’ say to better understand their perceptions and opinions about the subject of numeracy. The findings indicate that teachers in the post-compulsory sector are reluctant to undertake any form of numeracy learning and those taking the training for the compulsory sector experience a lot of anxiety about the numeracy professional skills test in particular. The depth of negativity found to be present is extremely high with teachers’ words being collected and examined for their positive or negative direction and being overwhelming in their negative attitudes and opinions. Negative past experiences of teachers’ inform the development of negative perceptions of their own abilities and add to the anxiety they experience in relation to numeracy learning. Those teaching or training to teach are likely to be qualified to a university level but still demonstrate very high levels of negativity towards numeracy learning. The second research finding of conflict was present within the data not only from teachers’ words but also in the wording of prospectuses aimed at providing information for prospective trainees. The conflict was clear where prospectuses demonstrated avoidance of the mention of 3 numeracy as a course requirement for teaching, appearing to prefer not to stir up feelings of anxiety and negativity that are related to numeracy and mathematics. Teachers experienced conflicts between the need to maintain levels of professionalism, the traits expected of a teacher and their own feelings surrounding the subject. The findings of the research have been distilled down into the two main areas of negativity and conflict in relation to the perceptions and opinions of numeracy learning for teachers’. A naturalistic method has been used throughout to capture information that is not solicited and is not volunteered specifically for the purposes of research. The methods throughout analyse comments and conversation, however many of these take the form of online conversation or postings leading to a development in the innovative methodology which utilises the internet and electronic forms of communication. All of the research data is brought together for analysis to inform and support future practice in teachers’ numeracy through the development of a more positive attitude towards learning in numeracy for teachers. The development of a model for delivery is proposed which incorporates the findings and uses an acknowledgement of the inherent negativity surrounding the subject as a starting point for teachers’ numeracy learning to be more effective.
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Waltemire, Catlyn L. "Preschool Counts: A Case Study Investigating Preschool's Role in Early Numeracy." Miami University / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami152628417785085.
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Turvill, Rebecca Anne. "How are young children developing number sense, post national numeracy strategy." Thesis, Brunel University, 2016. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/13798.
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This thesis examines number sense in primary mathematics. I begin by presenting literature to demonstrate how a cognitive definition of number sense, dominates understandings of mathematical development. I argue that this has influenced fixed-ability practices in mathematics (e.g. Boaler, 1997; Marks, 2014) presenting number-sense as a natural ability. I outline the political landscape and explore data which demonstrates that mathematics education systematically disadvantages some people (Zevenbergen, 2001). After reviewing mathematics learning from a range of theoretical perspectives, I demonstrate a gap in the literature: a sociological exploration of number sense in primary school and illustrate the need to examine school structures and their implications for equitable outcomes for all children. To address this gap I have employed Bourdieusian tools of habitus, field and capital, to explore number sense development. Through ethnographic methods in Year 4 classrooms, I examine how number sense positions children in the field of primary mathematics. This research was undertaken during the first year of statutory implementation of the National Curriculum (DfE, 2013) allowing insight into the lived experiences of children at this time. My findings show that facts, fluency and flexibility are key ways children demonstrate their number sense. Through rapid recall of facts children are seen by their teachers, peers and themselves as ‘able’ at mathematics, leading to explicit reproduction of social class, as these facts are usually learned at home. Similarly, a demand for fluency has led to a focus on procedural accuracy with calculation. Based on this, children are sorted into ability groups magnifying infinitesimally small differences between them (Bourdieu, 1986). Finally, children demonstrate flexibility through different calculation strategies; however, lessons usually rehearse single methods, hiding this key mathematical practice. Each aspect of number sense differentiates children, advantaging those with middle-class habitus and therefore reproducing educational inequalities.
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Norris, Kelly. "Raising Teacher Sensitivity to Key Numeracy Competencies in the Early Years." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1473.
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Mathematical competence is a key capability for success in adult life, and yet many students do not achieve functional levels of numeracy during their school lives. Furthermore, many teachers report that they lack the confidence in teaching mathematics that they have for teaching literacy. Research indicates that it is possible to predict which students are likely to have difficulties in mathematics as early as the Pre-Primary year, and interventions can be provided which are effective in minimising such difficulties. The assumption framing this project is that raising teachers’ understanding of and thus sensitivity to markers of the skills most predictive of mathematical success in the early years will result in teachers planning more targeted and responsive learning programs and positively influence classroom practice.
A professional learning intervention focussed on raising professional knowledge about the sequence of number development and the predictors of mathematical difficulties was provided to teachers of five to eight-year-old students. Tools were provided which focussed on linear tracks (board games) as an external model of number magnitude. The study utilised a pre-test post-test design and surveys, teacher interviews, reflective discussions and student estimation tests to examine effects on four outcomes: teacher self-efficacy beliefs, confidence for teaching number and aspects of Pedagogical Content Knowledge; and, student estimation skills.
The data revealed that the intervention was successful in improving teacher self-efficacy beliefs and confidence, particularly with regard to planning and providing intervention for students with mathematical difficulties. Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge was improved, particularly with regard to understanding the sequence of number skills development and building mental representations of number, but the extent to which this was reflected in changes to classroom practice differed markedly between teachers. The teachers who made the greatest changes taught in the Pre-Primary year and were those who reported the most substantial changes in Pedagogical Content Knowledge. The study indicates that board game use could be beneficial in raising the accuracy of student number line estimation when combined with such changes in teacher PCK and associated practice.
Although the research supporting the use of board games to develop mental number line representations is compelling, teachers who did not experience a shift in thinking tended to use these as additional tools to complement existing programs, with little noticeable effect. The implications of these findings are discussed with regard to planning professional learning interventions for teachers which are narrow in focus, supported by a small number of specific classroom tools which can be used within existing whole-class or rotational structures, and targeted towards inducing particular changes in thinking.
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Carter, Merilyn Gladys. "Year 7 students’ approaches to understanding and solving NAPLAN numeracy problems." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2011. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/46648/1/Merilyn_Carter_Thesis.pdf.
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This study investigated how the interpretation of mathematical problems by Year 7 students impacted on their ability to demonstrate what they can do in NAPLAN numeracy testing. In the study, mathematics is viewed as a culturally and socially determined system of signs and signifiers that establish the meaning, origins and importance of mathematics. The study hypothesises that students are unable to succeed in NAPLAN numeracy tests because they cannot interpret the questions, even though they may be able to perform the necessary calculations. To investigate this, the study applied contemporary theories of literacy to the context of mathematical problem solving. A case study design with multiple methods was used. The study used a correlation design to explore the connections between NAPLAN literacy and numeracy outcomes of 198 Year 7 students in a Queensland school. Additionally, qualitative methods provided a rich description of the effect of the various forms of NAPLAN numeracy questions on the success of ten Year 7 students in the same school. The study argues that there is a quantitative link between reading and numeracy. It illustrates that interpretation (literacy) errors are the most common error type in the selected NAPLAN questions, made by students of all abilities. In contrast, conceptual (mathematical) errors are less frequent amongst more capable students. This has important implications in preparing students for NAPLAN numeracy tests. The study concluded by recommending that increased focus on the literacies of mathematics would be effective in improving NAPLAN results.
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Fox, Jillian Louise. "Young children and digital-numeracy in the prior-to-school year." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2010.
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In the Digital Age, the development of mathematical proficiency is a key issue for children and their education (Steen, 1997). The process of becoming numerate begins in the early years. Considering the widespread demand for a numerate citizenry in a digital age, it is essential that young children develop the foundations of digital-numeracy. The term "digital-numeracy" is used to describe the numeracy practices and behaviours which are mediated by digital technologies such as microwaves, mobile phones, computers, console games ( e.g., Playstations®), television and DVD players and MP3 players ( e.g., iPods®). The expansive growth of digital technologies has precipitated the demand for specific skills in order to participate fully in 21 st Century digital life. A reality of the digital age is the impact that digital-numeracy has on the lives of young children and the opportunities that digital devices provide for development of mathematics. Likewise, while it has been established that the roles teachers and parents play in children's prior-toschool experiences are significant, there is limited understanding of the role they play in young children's numeracy and technology experiences.
According to Vygotskian theory (1978) teachers and parents are More Knowledgeable Others play significant roles in the lives of young children providing the learning experiences and tools that influence children's learning. The key components of Vygotsky's socio-cultural theory of learning, social interactions (MKOs) and use of cultural tools (i.e., digital devices) are important for understanding young children's digital-numeracy experiences. Thus, the central aim of the study was to investigate the influence teachers and parents have on young children's digital-numeracy experiences in the prior-to-school year.
The perspectives of MKOs were investigated though an exploratory, single case study design. Data were gathered from parents and teachers of preparatory children. All parents who responded to the research invitation were mothers. Parent data was collected through questionnaires and focus groups. Teacher data was collected through interviews, email correspondence and photographic evidence. The data was reviewed according to five analytical strategies: content analysis, pattern matching, identification of emergent themes, comparative analysis, hypothesis-generation and identification of anomalous cases.
There were four significant findings. First, this investigation established foundational evidence that young children use digital devices and experience a range of digital-numeracy opportunities in prior-to-school settings. Second, findings indicated that teachers might not demonstrate the depth of content and pedagogical knowledge that is expected and parents might express a depth of knowledge not expected. Third, it was discovered that teachers were techno-optimists who included digital devices in young children's preparatory experiences. Finally it was found that parents were technopessimists who strongly opposed the inclusion of digital devices in the home. Thus, this research challenges the assumptions of who can be considered More Knowledgeable Others in supporting children to become digitally numerate.
This thesis has also identified four pertinent avenues for future research. Teachers' lack of content and pedagogical mathematics knowledge is an important component of effective preparatory classrooms and should be investigated. Additionally, there is a need to explore mothers' unexpected knowledge and their highly emotive negative attitudes to digital devices. There is also a need to investigate fathers' perspectives to digitalnumeracy because they were not represented in the participating parent group. Finally, there is a need to establish how socio-economic factors impact young children's access to digital devices because this research was undertaken within a high socio-economic setting.
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Alamu, Adrian. "Teacher beliefs, knowledge, and reported practices regarding numeracy outcomes in the Solomon Islands : a thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education /." ResearchArchive@vuw.ac.nz, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10063/1314.
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Alards-Tomalin, Douglas. "Numerical magnitude affects the perception of time and intensity." American Psychological Association, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/31033.
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The relative magnitude of an event (number magnitude) can have direct implications on timing judgments. Previous studies have found that large magnitude numbers are perceived to have longer durations than those of smaller numbers. This bias can be accounted for in several ways; first, the internal clock model theorizes that stimulus magnitude directly interacts with the components of a dedicated cognitive timer by increasing pacemaker speed. Another explanation posits that different quantitative dimensions (space, time, size, intensity and number) are all represented within a common cortical metric thus facilitating interactions within and across dimensions. I have expanded on this framework by proposing that perceived duration is inferred using flexibly applied rules of thumbs (heuristics) in which information from a more accessible dimension (e.g., number magnitude) is substituted for duration. Three paradigms were used to test this theory. First, commonalities in how the intervals separating discrete stimuli of different magnitudes were judged was examined across a variety of quantitative dimensions (number, size, and colour saturation). Perceived duration judgments increased systematically as the magnitude difference between the stimuli increased. This finding was robust against manipulations to sequence direction, and order, suggesting that interval duration was estimated by substituting information regarding the absolute magnitude difference. Second, the impact of number magnitude on sound intensity judgments was examined. When target sounds were presented simultaneously with large digits, they were categorized as loud more frequently, suggesting that participants substituted number magnitude when performing difficult sound intensity judgments in a manner similar to when judging duration. Third, the repetition of magnitude information presented in either symbolic (Arabic digits) or non symbolic (numerosities) formats was manipulated prior to the presentation of a target number, whose duration was judged. The results demonstrated that large numbers were judged to last for longer durations relative to small numbers. Furthermore, context had an effect in which a greater discrepancy in the target’s numerical magnitude from the initial context sequence resulted in a longer perceived duration. The results across all three paradigms suggest that people generally employ information regarding one magnitude dimension (number) when making difficult perceptual decisions in a related dimension (time, sound intensity).February 2016
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Booker, George. "Moving from Diagnosis to Intervention in Numeracy - turning mathematical dreams into reality." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2012. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-82356.
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Divett, Vicky, and n/a. "A profile of the adult numeracy student in the Australian Capital Territory." University of Canberra. Education, 1997. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060704.164546.
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Bolitho, Elaine. "The Early Numeracy Project : a study of teacher change : research project report." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Christchurch College of Education, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/3098.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study is to examine the changes that occurred in teachers' thinking and practice
as a result of taking part in the Early Numeracy Project (ENP). The study took place in the Junior
department of a high decile primary school in the South Island. Data was collected using the
following methods:
• Three in-depth interviews with four teachers taking part in the ENP
. Field notes gathered from cluster workshops and syndicate meetings
The four participating teachers in this study agreed that the ENP brought about significant changes
in the way they thought about and conducted their mathematics teaching. Their increasing
confidence and enthusiasm was fuelled by the commitment and interest of the children in their
class. The challenges and demands of the project were balanced by the knowledge that their
children were taking an active and imaginative part in learning mathematics. Children were
succeeding in an area often problematic for teachers.
In what ways did the ENP change what teachers did in the classroom? What were the key factors
that brought about these changes? What difficulties were encountered? This study describes the
teachers' experiences on the ENP, traces significant parts of their journeys and gives a voice to their
thoughts and feelings along the way.
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Pratt, Nicholas Malcolm. "Interactive teaching in the National Numeracy Strategy : tensions in a supportive framework." Thesis, University of Plymouth, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/1104.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is an exploratory study of teachers' and children's understandings of the National Numeracy Strategy, and of interactive whole class teaching in particular. It starts by identifying aspects of the Strategy that are of significance to teachers and develops these by detailing the challenges that face them in teaching in this way. Data are collected by means of interviews and classroom observations, progressively focusing the study. In particular, the way in which teachers and children understand the role of discourse in whole class discussion is examined. This understanding illuminates a tension between the rhetoric of the Strategy, which appears to promote a view of learning that is based firmly on negotiation of meaning through discourse, and its practice, which is seen to be little different from forms of pedagogy that have preceded it. The contribution to knowledge made by the thesis is represented by several features. First, it lies in the detail of the exploration of the interaction between teacher and children, illuminating new ideas about the nature of such interaction in the context of whole class teaching. Though discursive interaction has been examined in some depth through previous studies, few have done so in this context. Second the study's findings relate specifically to the National Numeracy Strategy and again, in complementing other recent (mainly quantitative) studies, it therefore relates previous theory to this particular contemporary initiative. Third, in addition to new knowledge in the field of class interaction and mathematics pedagogy, it develops a novel method of data collection from children, making use of video of children's own involvement in mathematics lessons to stimulate reflection in interviews.
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Redmer, Alina [Verfasser]. "Numeracy im Lebenslauf – Sekundäranalytische Betrachtungen alltagsmathematischer Grundbildung in verschiedenen Lebensphasen / Alina Redmer." Hamburg : Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg Carl von Ossietzky, 2020. http://d-nb.info/122108478X/34.
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Kubascikova-Mullen, Jana. "Adult numeracy and the conversion to the Euro in the Slovak Republic." Thesis, Middlesex University, 2013. http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/13129/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis investigates Slovak citizens’ attitudes towards the Euro changeover and the numerical demands imposed on them in the context of the currency change. The numerical demands varied considerably from country to country depending on the simplicity or complexity of the conversion rates. This research into currency change follows in the tradition of economic psychology. A number of studies have examined the problems with currency conversion, including the development of price intuition, using this approach (Marques and Dehaene, 2004; Ranyard et al., 2003; Hofmann et al., 2007). The present research draws on this, and in particular on ideas from the ‘Psycho-Social’ (Hofmann et al., 2007) approach within the economic psychology and from Adult Numeracy tradition (Evans, 2000; Lave, 1988). The model used here studies the relationship between cognitive performance and affective variables, an approach based on Evans (2000). This account of the currency changeover emphasises the importance of the context in which numerical thinking takes place, and aims to study the adult learner with conversion/calculation tasks in everyday life contexts. In order to illustrate the support given by the state, organisations and communities on national and local levels to guide the currency conversion, descriptions of various documents are presented. This repeated cross-sectional study elicits responses from a series of representative samples of citizens in the Slovak Republic on their attitudes to the Euro, their context specific conversion strategies (Hofmann et al., 2007), and the development of ‘price intuition’ (Marques and Dehaene, 2004). Respondents were selected based on a tightly designed quota sampling method, controlling for region, age and gender to collect the required number of responses from each group. The research was conducted at five different points in time: the ‘pilot study’ was conducted before the introduction of the Euro in April 2008; Phase 1 took place during the dual circulation in January 2009, Phase 2 in August 2009; and Phase 3 in January 2011. All four phases used primary survey data. Additional clinical interviews were conducted in July 2012. Some results are compared to the Eurobarometer surveys conducted in other EU countries to place the findings in a broader context. A key idea is that of an adaptation strategy. Hofmann et al., (2007) proposed that there were four different forms of adaptation: a conversion strategy, an anchor strategy, a marker value strategy, and an intuitive strategy. At the beginning of the Euro changeover, the conversion strategy was the most frequently used strategy by all socio-economic groups and none of the other strategies were used very often. However, two years after the changeover citizens became more selective and used different adaptation strategies for different problem solving tasks with the intuitive strategy being the most frequently applied. Furthermore, Slovak citizens share some common concerns with citizens of other countries, such as the perception that prices in the Euro currency appear cheaper; something known as the ‘Euro Illusion’. The illusion was stronger when people started to rely on intuition to make purchasing decisions. Overall, the empirical results show that the Slovak citizens adapted rather well to the new currency and the policy makers managed to avoid unexpected price increases which were common in other Eurozone countries. The experience and lessons learnt could be informative and supportive for new entrants and policy makers, as the Euro is likely to be introduced in other countries, particularly Central and Eastern European countries. Since this study has been done the Euro has been introduced in Estonia and Latvia could be joining as early as January 2014 followed by Lithuania in 2015.
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George, Rachel. "Numeracy development of 6-7 year old children with specific language impairment." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2002. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10020393/.
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