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Mathematical Saturation Within Workplace Contexts

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Mathematical Saturation Within Workplace Contexts

Author: Robyn Zevenbergen

Publication Year: 1998

Abstract

In this paper I propose that the literature on situated numeracy has an important role in the
reconceptualisation of mathematics education in general and workplace learning in particular.
There exists a substantive literature which documents the idiosyncratic knowledge and
procedures used by participants in situ to resolve tasks. This literature has been powerful in
challenging the orthodoxies within the field of mathematics education whereby the power of
mathematics comes from its capacity to be applied across a wide range of contexts. However,
this situatedness of mathematics must be considered in conjunction with the degree of
mathematics employed within a context. To this end, I propose and develop the notion of
"mathematical saturation" which permits the breaking of the dichotomy of school-mathematics
and non-school mathematics, and in its place proposes a continuum in which the degree of
"pure" mathematics is considered to be a critical element. Using the data collected from a
number of worksites, it will be argued that situated numeracy challenges notions of
transferability but must be considered alongside the degree of formal mathematics which is used
within that context.

Type: Research Paper

Robyn Zevenbergen
Mathematical Saturation Within Workplace Contexts

Short Communications & Round Tables

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a short communication or round table to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the abstracts which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the abstract submission

Submissions not exceeding one page are required for short communications and round tables. The submissions must be prepared using the conference template, and can include essential references. They will be reviewed by the Editorial Team and, if accepted, will be published in the conference proceedings as one-page abstracts (not as papers). Presenters are invited to prepare a paper for distribution at the conference, but these papers will not be included in the proceedings.

Short communications are suitable for reports on research in mathematics education that do not fully meet the requirements for published papers. These might include works in preliminary stages, reports of pilot projects, initial reviews of literature, ideas or suggestions for future study, and briefer discussions of particular issues. Short communications allow new researchers to obtain feedback on projects in a constructive and supportive environment, and foster the building of links between researchers with similar interests.

Short communications are presented by author(s) only, allocated half of the time for research reports (in past, this was 20 minutes). At least 5 minutes is to be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

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Research Papers

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MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission

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2. Reports that are not based on empirical research including:

a theoretical discussion;
a position paper;
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a literature review, a meta-study;
an account of a new initiative;
a reflective critique of practice; or
any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms.

When the work is a theoretical discussion, a position paper, a report of scholarly inquiry in progress, a review of literature, a theoretical study, a meta-study, an account of a new initiative, a reflective critique of practice or any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms, the material presented must be discussed critically, and alternative points of view relating to themes presented should be appropriately argued.
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Structure of research papers – All papers for publication in the conference proceedings should contain the following:

a statement of the problem/issue and a discussion of its significance;
a critical analysis of the research literature as it relates to the topic of the paper; and
conclusions and implications for mathematics education derived from the study.

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MERGA Paper Template (to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website)
MERGA Publication Agreement (to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission)

Presentation of groups of published papers related by theme in the form of a research symposium is encouraged. The symposium forum will be particularly suitable for presentations relating to a single large project or presentations that explore topical themes from different and/or related perspectives. Special Interest Groups [SIGs] are encouraged to consider the symposium option as a means for sharing and discussing current research.

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