The Numeracy Progressions which were basically finalized in February 2008 are supposed to be part of the staple diet in adult numeracy learning in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The key task set before the country's adult educators was to see these progression "embedded" with a range of contexts, especially those of the "workplace".
The progessions were based on two primary sources: The New Zealand Numeracy Project in schools and an American Document Equipped for the Future.
Noticably lacking from the Numeracy Progressions is any mention of Algebra (apart from a quote in Bacground to the progressions). I wonder why this is so. It was mentioned in this 2004 document (see p. 4) where the early development of the numeracy progressions is discussed.
SABES the system for adult basic education supports offers a Framework for Adult Numeracy Standards. The website suggests that:
"Algebra includes more than formal methods of equation solving, age problems, and lots of X's and Y's. Conceptual understanding, algebra as a means of representation, and algebraic methods are all problem solving tools. Algebraic reasoning allows us to think about and express patterns, relations, and functions which ultimately give us access to technology."
I could not agree more. Yet, I notice that in New Zealand, Algebra is almost a dirty word when it comes to Adult Numeracy. However, the word occasionally appears - as in this NZQA unit for the Adult Literacy Educator.
I suspect the lack of algebra in the progression has much to do with its lack of presence in the Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum of 2001 in England which, like the progressions, sets forth perfomance continuums. However, it has made a presence in the 2007 review of the Core Curriculum.
So why is algebra overlooked?
* a concern with the everyday and the practical may mean algebra is seen as irrelevant.
* a lack of basic maths knowledge by many numeracy tutors may mean that algebra has been "avoided".
* similarly, anxiety over algebra on the part of tutors may mean algebra has been avoided.
* a conceptualisation of what algebra is and what it does is seriously lacking among numeracy educators.
In this short article, Donovan makes a case for the value of algebra for adults: The importance of algebra for everyone. Some of her early arguments in the piece are a bit suspect.
But she does hit upon some big things
• Seeing and formalizing patterns
• Generalization
• Using symbolic notation to express relationships
• An understanding of the relational meaning of the equals sign.
For more on the importance of algebra fro a productive economy click on this link.
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