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ALM is an international research forum bringing together researchers and practitioners in adult mathematics/numeracy teaching and learning in order to promote the learning of mathematics by adults.
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ALM Bulletin: November 2024
Introduction from ALM Chair
There are important announcements in this bulletin regarding our virtual seminar series and other events, plus the publication of two new ‘online first’ journal papers. Alongside these we also have reflective pieces about recent conferences in which ALM members have participated. This mix of articles reminds me of the need to look backwards at times to ensure we have learned from the opportunities presented to us, so these make a difference to our professional lives, but to also keep our eyes on the future to ensure we remain forward-thinking and maximize our impact as individuals, and as an organisation.
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We are very pleased to get our 2024/25 seminar series underway and to have new journal papers published since these are valuable parts of our international presence. However, you may have noticed that we have not yet announced the venue for our next annual conference, ALM 32. Provisional plans for the venue, mentioned at the Annual General Meeting, have unfortunately had to be changed. The trustees are still keen to arrange a face-to-face conference for 2025 and we are in negotiation with a new host in the UK. We hope to have definite news soon but are still awaiting confirmation so not yet able to make an announcement.
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Meanwhile, please read on for more information about upcoming events and new articles, accompanied by the prompts for reflection already mentioned.
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ALM virtual seminars
We are excited to commence our 2024-25 Virtual Seminar series with two sessions from David Kaye, a previous Chair of ALM, about the History of Mathematics on 18th November (Part 1) and 18th December (Part 2). Both sessions will commence at 7pm UK time.
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Further details about both these seminars and how to register are here on the ALM website but summaries are also provided below. Please note that you may join for Part 2 without having attended Part 1 and that a recording will be available on our YouTube Channel after Part 1 for participants to review before attending Part 2.
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The History of Mathematics (Part 1): Numerals and Arithmetic
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David Kaye has worked as an adult numeracy specialist in Further Education and professional development in the UK. Throughout his career, David has been dedicated to integrating the History of Mathematics into educational practice and has shared his insights at several ALM conferences, including ALM13, ALM16, and ALM22.
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The first seminar in this two-part series focuses on the evolution of numerals and arithmetic, with an interactive exploration of various number systems. Common perceptions frame mathematics as a European-dominated, static field with single correct methods and answers. However, this seminar challenges these views by examining the rich, diverse history of mathematics across different cultures.
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“There is a popular image that mathematics (particularly school mathematics) developed in Europe, is unchanging, based on knowing the correct method and all questions have one correct answer. In current teacher education for adult numeracy these models are challenged. For example, trainee teachers are encouraged to be aware of the many ways of doing ‘long multiplication’.” - David Kaye
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Join the seminar to explore how drawing on over 5,000 years of global mathematical history across diverse cultures can help make mathematical concepts more accessible to adult learners, including trainee teachers and numeracy educators. The seminar will feature collaborative activities and provide an overview of key themes in the history of mathematics, all contributing to enhanced understanding and teaching effectiveness, especially in adult numeracy education.
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The History of Mathematics (Part 2): Mathematical Developments and Teaching Approaches
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This seminar delves into broader mathematical developments beyond numerals and arithmetic, focusing on the educational value of integrating historical mathematical topics into adult numeracy teaching. Building on the themes from Part 1 — where traditional views of mathematics were challenged by exploring diverse methods and cultural contributions — this session examines how a historical perspective can enrich learning experiences. Through collaborative activities and discussions, participants will discover how historical insights can enhance teaching approaches and deepen adult learners’ understanding of mathematical concepts. The seminar will specifically address the benefits of using mathematical history as a tool, rather than a subject, in mathematics education.
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ALM Maths in Prisons - Special interest group
The ALM Maths in Prison Group gave presentations in June 2024 at the Australian Correctional Education Association (ACEA) online conference – “Broadening Horizons: Navigating A Chaotic World.”
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Catherine Byrne (Ireland), Tatiana Harrison (USA) and Sarah Howe (Australia) each gave individual presentations on their experiences in the field of maths education in prisons and our connections through the ALM Maths in prison group, which was followed by a panel discussion with other participants.
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Our title was: Maths in Prison - collaborating across countries to find what works. We discussed how the Maths in Prison group is an international collaboration between practitioners that grew out of the Adults Learning Mathematics organisation. The presentation and panel discussion included teachers of maths in adult and juvenile carceral facilities in Ireland, the USA and Australia. We built on our networks developed at the previous ACEA conference, and at ALM 30 in University of Limerick.
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We covered topics arising from our shared experiences, like seeing the potential for learning in our students’ unique ‘dark funds of knowledge’ and their Maths life stories. We have a common interest in trauma-informed practice and how to incorporate this into maths teaching. One example we shared is the potential for using easy practice worksheets of sums as a soothing, focusing activity within maths class.
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We described the practical challenges of our teaching, for example, how we incorporate the theoretical maths with the practical everyday maths of students, as well as the logistics of working within the institution. There are many struggles we share in teaching maths, for example, fractions.
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We described how we feel as practitioners when we collaborate, compared to how we feel when we work alone. The benefits are in sharing resources, professional development opportunities, sharing our ideas and our frustrations, failures and successes. We see this collaboration as essential self-care, which is important for all practitioners and especially in the prison education context which can be an ever-changing space. We welcomed others to join us on this journey, and we were grateful for the warm response from other participants at the ACEA.
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ALM International Journal
The editorial team have been very busy recently and are pleased to have two more papers recently published as “online first” articles. These are available on the ALM-IJ webpage
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Dalby, D. (2024) Using a Whole College Approach to connect formal mathematics and vocational numeracy
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Gula, T, & Lovric, M. (2024) Quality Numeracy Tasks: Development and Stress Test of Three Rubrics for Teachers and Designers.
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A new edition of the journal is due to be published very soon so please watch the website for this.
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ANN discussion about maths anxiety
ANN, one of our partner organisations, is running a ZOOM event soon and would welcome any ALM members or readers of the ALM bulletin to join them.
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Date: November 20th 2024, 3pm - 4pm ET (Eastern Time, USA)
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Are your students struggling with math anxiety? Join us for an insightful “Coffee Break” session led by Dr. Brooke Istas, moderator of the LINCS Community Math and Numeracy Group. This interactive discussion is designed to equip adult education math practitioners with practical strategies to recognize, understand, and address math anxiety in their students. Together, we’ll explore the psychological roots of math anxiety, examine real-life case studies, and share tools that can create a supportive, confidence-boosting environment for adult learners. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or new to teaching math, this session will provide valuable insights to help your students overcome their fears and improve their performance. Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and support your students’ journeys toward math success!
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Reflections on ICME 15
The International Congress on Mathematical Education, ICME, is the largest international conference on mathematics education in the world and is held every fourth year. This year was the 15th ICME, and hosted 7-14 July 2024 in Sydney, Australia. The overarching theme was very appropriate for ALM: "ICME-15: Come and be counted!"
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A highlight in the programme was Gal Iddo's plenary talk "What does it mean to prepare our graduates for adult life? Perspectives from statistics education and adult numeracy". Here he discussed how mathematics educators can understand and prepare graduates for real-world adult practices, develop criticality and a critical stance, and build graduates’ capacity to be critical consumers of authentic texts. His talk really highlighted the importance of numeracy, and that mathematics is more than a school subject. The plenary was engaging and well attended.
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The relevant Topic Study Group for ALM was TSG 5.7: Mathematics education in and for work; lifelong mathematics education including adult education, chaired by Javier Díez-Palomar. We had great discussions on task design, the role of mathematics education in sustainable development, professional development of teachers of adult numeracy and needed mathematics skills for different workplaces.
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Over the course of three sessions, approximately thirty participants engaged in discussions on topics such as numeracy as both a technical construct and a social practice, the application of numeracy in authentic contexts, the concept of multiple “numeracies” and even “multi-numeracies”, as well as the evolving nature of numeracy in the 21st century. Central to the discussions was a reconsideration of critical thinking, particularly the notion that competency involves applying mathematics to situations based on knowledge rather than intuition or assumptions. The impact of such discussions on policies, policymakers, and other stakeholders was also addressed. Participants further explored strategies to enhance the influence of their work on decision-makers.
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Additionally, a key focus was the lack of professional development programmes for teachers of adult learners in mathematics. It was noted that many teachers in adult education lack specific pedagogical training for working with adult learners, often relying on teaching methods designed for children.
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The second session concentrated on the intersection of numeracy and mathematics education with skills required for employment, exemplified by the situation in Nigeria, where 50% of workers require significant re-skilling. Students of mathematics education identified skills such as logical thinking, problem-solving, intellectual curiosity, teamwork, and creativity as crucial for employability. The discussion concluded that the transfer of mathematical knowledge and skills between academic and workplace contexts remains a challenge.
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The final session introduced the social impact of numeracy, with examples highlighting how women from marginalized backgrounds are learning mathematics by drawing upon their everyday experiences.
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In summary, across the three days, a range of topics emerged, reflecting the dynamic and growing field of adult mathematics education. This field presents multiple areas of research in need of further contributions in the coming years.
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Watch ALM's previous seminars and keynote talks on YouTube
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You can watch previous seminars, and keynote talks from previous ALM conferences on our YouTube channel. To watch the last seminar, Dyscalculia Uncovered: The Big Questions - Rob Jennings, click here.
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ALM Membership
ALM is reliant on the voluntary services of its trustees and other members to organize events and maintain its international presence. There are however some material costs associated with maintaining a public presence and hosting events, even those provided online. We also provide bursaries for emerging researchers and practitioners to attend ALM conferences, if funds allow.
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ALM members pay a modest annual fee, primarily to signify their support for the work of the organisation, but these fees also help to provide opportunities for others. As a member of the ALM community, you benefit from opportunities to share your knowledge and experiences with colleagues from other countries, with leading figures in mathematics education research, policy and practice, and with practitioners. In addition, our online seminars and annual conferences offer both members and others interested in adults learning mathematics the opportunity to discuss new ideas within a supportive and friendly research environment.
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If you already are a member, please note that your annual payment is due in January 2025.
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If you are unsure about your membership status, or have any other queries, you are very welcome to contact ALM Membership Secretary at membership@alm-online.net
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Future bulletins
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We hope that you are enjoying the regular ALM bulletin. If you have news from your part of the world that may be of interest to our international community then please do get in touch with Linda Jarlskog by linda.jarlskog@lund.se or send her a short draft item for the next bulletin by January 1st, 2025.
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Privacy Policy
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We do not send advertisements. We do not send data to third parties. Your membership data are stored offline. You can always ask to have your data removed permanently by sending a request to the membership secretary.
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By subscribing to the ALM-bulletin or by joining ALM, you agree to our Privacy Policy
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