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A Framework for Evaluating Quality and Equity in Post-Compulsory Mathematics Education

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Abstract

Working with adults returning to study mathematics in order to achieve goals, such as entry to further study or employment, reveals that the tradition school mathematics education—in English-speaking countries at least—has failed to meet the needs of many. In the post-compulsory sector, traditionally autonomous higher education institutions are now competing amongst each other along with the vocational sector for student enrolments and funding, both public and private. Accompanying this has been an increasing interest and involvement in quality assurance. This chapter will draw upon the relevant quality literature together with the author’s extensive experience in adult and vocational education, also an activity theoretical foundation, to propose a framework for mathematics education that is intended to be flexible and encourage policy makers, educators, and practitioners at all levels to consider whether their mathematics curriculum and teaching effectively meets the needs of all their learners in their particular contexts.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See http://www.baldrige.nist.gov/Education_Criteria.htm

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, c/- 68 Bradleys Lane, 3113, Warrandyte, VIC, Australia

    Gail E. FitzSimons

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  1. Gail E. FitzSimons
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Correspondence to Gail E. FitzSimons .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Curtin University of Technology, Perth, West Australia, Australia

    Bill Atweh

  2. University of the Witwatersrand, Witwatersrand, 2050, South Africa

    Mellony Graven

  3. College of Arts and Science, University, Miami, 45056, USA

    Walter Secada

  4. Dept. Education, Learning &, Philosophy, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 10, Aalborg, 9220, Denmark

    Paola Valero

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FitzSimons, G.E. (2010). A Framework for Evaluating Quality and Equity in Post-Compulsory Mathematics Education. In: Atweh, B., Graven, M., Secada, W., Valero, P. (eds) Mapping Equity and Quality in Mathematics Education. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9803-0_8

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