Adults' Mathematical Thinking and Emotions: A Study of Numerate Practice [Paperback]

The crisis around teaching and learning of mathematics and its use in everyday life and work relate to a number of issues. These include: The doubtful transferability of school maths to real life contexts, the declining participation in A level and higher education maths courses, the apparent exclusion of some groups, such as women and the aversion of many people to maths. This book addresses these issues by considering a number of key problems in maths education and numeracy:
*differences among social groups, especially those related to gender and social class
*the inseparability of cognition and emotion in mathematical activity
*the understanding of maths anxiety in traditional psychological, psychoanalytical and feminist theories
*how adults' numerate thinking and performance must be understood in context.
The author's findings have practical applications in education and training, such as clarifying problems of the transfer of learning, and of countering maths anxiety.The crisis around teaching and learning mathematics and its use in everyday life and work relate to a number of issues. This book addresses these issues by looking at a number of key problems in maths education and numeracy.'Jeff Evans' book is a welcome contribution to the developing literature on adults learning mathematics and a worthy addition to Paul Ernest's excellent Studies in Mathematics Education series.' - Diana Cohen, Studies in the Education of Adults

'Evans' intellectual journey is stimulating, challenging and ongiong, for him and other researchers and practitioners.' - Diana Cohen, University of Nottingham

' I welcome this book written for anybody interested in adults' relationship to mathematics ... valuable reflections for changing practicl³1