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Mathematics at Work: A Study of Working Students of Higher Classes in a Greek Secondary School

Received: 1 October 2021    Accepted: 4 February 2022    Published: 9 March 2022
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Abstract

The aim of this research is to find out the level of Mathematics students of an Evening Lyceum are required to use in the workplace and how this correlates to the material taught in the subject of mathematics. The research was qualitative and was conducted in Greece, specifically on the islands of the South Aegean. On these islands the majority of the population is engaged in tourism. The survey included students the majority of whom had dropped out of high school (73%) for various reasons and decided to continue their school studies in order to receive a high school diploma as required by the Greek state. These former high school dropouts work in the mornings on various tasks. The rest of the students attend classes according to their age and also work in the mornings. They also try to get a high school diploma. The questions that concerned us were the kind of Mathematics the target population of students to be surveyed use at work, and whether there are differences in the mathematics taught in the Lyceums compared to Maths students use at work. An additional question is what kind of math each task requires. The research therefore mentions the activities of their daily work and students explain the ways in which they come into contact with mathematics. We discover that most professions need only a low level of mathematical knowledge and this marks the disparity in the nature of “everyday” mathematics and the mathematics taught in the classroom setting. Mathematics taught at schools in higher classes has been forgotten and few use it. This happens to almost all students. Finally, it is suggested that there should be changes in the curricula. Mathematics curricula should be more relevant to students' daily activities in the workplace. So, the teaching of Maths needs to be put on a more realistic basis.

Published in Science Journal of Education (Volume 10, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11
Page(s) 49-57
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Level of Mathematics, Mathematics in Professional Life, Activities and Kind of Mathematics, Evening Lyceum

References
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[2] Carraher, N. Carraher, W. and Schliemann, S. (1985). “Mathematics in streets and schools”, British Journal of Developmental Psychology 3, 21-30.
[3] Jurdak, M. and Shahin I. (1999). “An ethnographic study of the computational strategies of a group of young street vendors in Beirut”, Educational Studies in Mathematics Education 40, 155-172.
[4] Kent P, Noss R. (2002). The mathematic components of engineering expertise: the relationship between doing and understanding mathematics. Paper delivered at the conference Engineering Education 2002, Institution of Electrical Engineers, London,
[5] Noss, R. Hoyles C. (1996). The visibility of meaning: modeling the Mathematics of banking. Int J Comput Math Learn? 1 (1): 3-31.
[6] Cockcroft, H. (1982). Mathematics counts: report of the Committee of Inquiry into the teaching of Mathematics in schools. London: The Stationary Office (HMSO).
[7] Gainsburg, J. (2005). School Mathematics in work and life: what we know and how we can learn more, Technology in Society 27 1-22.
[8] Packer, A. (1997) Mathematic competencies that employers expect. In: Steen LA, editor. Why numbers count: quantitative literacy for tomorrow's America. New York: College Entrance Examination Board? p. 137-54.
[9] National Research Council (1989). Everybody counts: a report to the nation on the future of Mathematics education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
[10] Chazan, D. (2000). Beyond formulas in mathematics and teaching: Dynamics of the high school algebra classroom. New York: Teachers College Press.
[11] Janvier, C., Baril, M., & Mary, C. (1992). Contextual reasoning of electrical technicians. Les Cahiers du CIRADE, 1, 155–169.
[12] Smith, J. P. (1999). Tracking the mathematics of automobile production: Are schools failing to prepare students for work? American Education Research Journal, 36 (4), 835–878
[13] Magajna, Z., & Monaghan, J. (2003). Advanced mathematical thinking in a technological workplace. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 52, 101–122. Masingila, J. O. (1994). Mathematics practice in carpet laying. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 25 (4), 430–462.
[14] Gainsburg, J. (2007). The mathematical disposition of structural engineers. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 38 (5), 477–506.
[15] Kent, P., Noss, R., Guile, D., Hoyles, C., & Bakker, A. (2007). Characterizing the use of mathematical knowledge in boundary-crossing situations at work. Mind, Culture, and Activity, 14 (1&2), 64–82.
[16] Hoyles, C. Noss, R. Kent P. and Bakker A. (2013) Mathematics in the Workplace: Issues and Challenges Educational Interfaces between Mathematics and Industry.
[17] Hasapis, D. (1996). the frames of report of mathematic significances at their teaching in the first degree education and their ideological orientations. The Mathematics in the education and the society. Practically 1st Pan-Hellenic Congress of Mathematic Education, Athens, 1996 p. in 117.
[18] Bosniadou, St (1995). The Psychology of Mathematics Publications: Gutenberg Athens 110-148.
[19] Bruner, J. (1972). Relevance of Education. London: Penguin.
[20] Carme (2007). http://carme2007.edu.duth.gr/images/them_sin.htm.
[21] Spirtou A., Koumaras, P. and Psyllos D. (1995). A constructive strategy for the education of future teachers. Modern Education, 84, 50-59.
[22] Voigt, J. (1996). Negotiation of Mathematical Meaning in Classroom Processes: Social Interaction and Learning Mathematics. In L. P. Steffe, & P. Nesher (Eds.), Theories of Mathematical Learning (pp. 21-50). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
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    Andreas Marinos. (2022). Mathematics at Work: A Study of Working Students of Higher Classes in a Greek Secondary School. Science Journal of Education, 10(2), 49-57. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11

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    Andreas Marinos. Mathematics at Work: A Study of Working Students of Higher Classes in a Greek Secondary School. Sci. J. Educ. 2022, 10(2), 49-57. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11

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    AMA Style

    Andreas Marinos. Mathematics at Work: A Study of Working Students of Higher Classes in a Greek Secondary School. Sci J Educ. 2022;10(2):49-57. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11,
      author = {Andreas Marinos},
      title = {Mathematics at Work: A Study of Working Students of Higher Classes in a Greek Secondary School},
      journal = {Science Journal of Education},
      volume = {10},
      number = {2},
      pages = {49-57},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20221002.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20221002.11},
      abstract = {The aim of this research is to find out the level of Mathematics students of an Evening Lyceum are required to use in the workplace and how this correlates to the material taught in the subject of mathematics. The research was qualitative and was conducted in Greece, specifically on the islands of the South Aegean. On these islands the majority of the population is engaged in tourism. The survey included students the majority of whom had dropped out of high school (73%) for various reasons and decided to continue their school studies in order to receive a high school diploma as required by the Greek state. These former high school dropouts work in the mornings on various tasks. The rest of the students attend classes according to their age and also work in the mornings. They also try to get a high school diploma. The questions that concerned us were the kind of Mathematics the target population of students to be surveyed use at work, and whether there are differences in the mathematics taught in the Lyceums compared to Maths students use at work. An additional question is what kind of math each task requires. The research therefore mentions the activities of their daily work and students explain the ways in which they come into contact with mathematics. We discover that most professions need only a low level of mathematical knowledge and this marks the disparity in the nature of “everyday” mathematics and the mathematics taught in the classroom setting. Mathematics taught at schools in higher classes has been forgotten and few use it. This happens to almost all students. Finally, it is suggested that there should be changes in the curricula. Mathematics curricula should be more relevant to students' daily activities in the workplace. So, the teaching of Maths needs to be put on a more realistic basis.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    AB  - The aim of this research is to find out the level of Mathematics students of an Evening Lyceum are required to use in the workplace and how this correlates to the material taught in the subject of mathematics. The research was qualitative and was conducted in Greece, specifically on the islands of the South Aegean. On these islands the majority of the population is engaged in tourism. The survey included students the majority of whom had dropped out of high school (73%) for various reasons and decided to continue their school studies in order to receive a high school diploma as required by the Greek state. These former high school dropouts work in the mornings on various tasks. The rest of the students attend classes according to their age and also work in the mornings. They also try to get a high school diploma. The questions that concerned us were the kind of Mathematics the target population of students to be surveyed use at work, and whether there are differences in the mathematics taught in the Lyceums compared to Maths students use at work. An additional question is what kind of math each task requires. The research therefore mentions the activities of their daily work and students explain the ways in which they come into contact with mathematics. We discover that most professions need only a low level of mathematical knowledge and this marks the disparity in the nature of “everyday” mathematics and the mathematics taught in the classroom setting. Mathematics taught at schools in higher classes has been forgotten and few use it. This happens to almost all students. Finally, it is suggested that there should be changes in the curricula. Mathematics curricula should be more relevant to students' daily activities in the workplace. So, the teaching of Maths needs to be put on a more realistic basis.
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Author Information
  • Mathematical Education and Multimedia Laboratory, University of Aegean, Rhodes, Greece

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