Numeracy is found in the technology used in our everyday lives. The increased use of technology in the workplace and the use of smart phones, smart watches, tablets and other technologies that we encounter daily, has increased the frequency of our interactions with numeracy.
The mathematics skills that we encounter when using these devices, sometimes looks very different to the maths you might see in educational settings. It is important to consider what mathematics skills are used in real life and teach our children these skills in context.
Technology in context may be either analogue or digital. The context will drive the selection of technology.
Some examples:
- A medicine cup is most appropriate in the home for administering medicine whereas, in a health setting, a syringe is commonly used.
- A tape measure may be used in the home whereas a digital laser measure is used in the construction industry to provide greater accuracy.
Computer or app software includes context-specific algorithms, written specifically for a task, for example:
- Geospatial technology in mapping apps uses algorithms to provide travel options between a starting point and destination.
- Banking sites and the Moneysmart website have mortgage calculators that use algorithms to help prospective homebuyers calculate mortgage repayments.
- Streaming services use information-filtering systems that predict the viewing preferences of users, learning user behaviour to recommend content.
