Maths4us – taking action on adult maths
One line in New Challenges, New Chances will have caught the eye of anyone who knows that maths counts: “…[The Government will]…promote a national maths campaign…we will work with stakeholders and seek to engage champions, including high profile employers.” Since this announcement, NIACE has been asked to lead and manage the initiative, working with a range of partners in the field to enthuse and encourage adults to engage with maths.
The initiative, Maths4us, is a partnership of specialists in a variety of areas who have come together to take action on adult maths. The participating organisations will show how we will add value, share communications and networks and work together to get ‘more bangs for our bucks’. It’s a blueprint for how national organisations can work successfully together for a common cause and how a small amount of funding can help more adults get the maths skills they both want and need.
NIACE and unionlearn will co-ordinate a range of existing intermediaries and peer supporters – Union Learning Reps, Community Learning Champions and Workplace Learning Advocates – bringing them together to train them as ‘Maths Champions’, whilst also engaging new employers in the scheme. Maths4us will also support National Numeracy’s new campaign – the National Numeracy Challenge – and will in turn be supported by crucial bodies like Workbase, UK Online Foundation, the BBC and The Open University.
A major strand of Maths4us will focus around new technologies. How can we harness new technologies such as the use of apps, social media and online courses, to enthuse those who think maths is not for them? So a call for feedback about effective maths apps for adults was launched at a joint BBC and NIACE conference in early December, together with an App challenge to develop the next big numeracy app. ALT, JISC and Learning Unlimited are just some of the organisations supporting these activities.
Underpinning all of this, Maths4us will signpost learners, teachers and mentors to existing learning resources, through support from NCETM. In addition, a programme of training will be launched to support teachers, mentors and champions, as well as a small research programme led by the Institute of Education to collect evidence about what works.
As NIACE’s national inquiry into adult numeracy found, there may be up to 17 million adults in this country who struggle with some aspects of numeracy. But a bigger problem is the number of people who think maths is not for them, or who treat their inability to do maths like a ‘badge of honour’, and happily or publicly admit it. Yet, we know that having better maths is related to potential lifetime earnings; that children with maths-literate parents will grow up to embrace maths; and that feeling confident about maths makes people more employable and feel more confident about engaging in community life.
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