Adult Learning and Numeracy: Introduction

Many adults are mathematically ill-prepared for the future. Globalization and rapid changes in technology have created a need for adults to update their skill sets for career sustainability and to process a myriad of information for decision-making as world citizens. In these tumultuous economic times, strong mathematics skills enhance employability by increasing job performance, productivity, and access to further education and training. According to a report conducted by the Confederation of British Industry (2009), 735 surveyed employers identified workers' poor mathematics skills as negatively impacting customer service and expressed concern over the low technological abilities found in the available workforce. There is predicted to be a 38% increase in the number of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology occupations between 2008 and 2013 (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). Products, services, standards of living, and economic and military securities depend on citizens having the necessary mathematics and sciences skills. In the data-driven culture of the United States, basic calculation, estimation, data analysis, and probability interpretation are all necessary for active participation in a civil society. Patient numeracy is necessary for healthcare decision-making, including self-managing the chronic conditions of a disease and analyzing the risks and probabilities of medical interventions. An understanding of appropriate quantitative reasoning is crucial for examining complex concepts, such as a cost-benefit analysis of proposed universal healthcare legislation. This critical numeracy self-empowers decision-making by avoiding an indiscriminate dependence on "experts" who may be using politically skewed quantitative arguments. Steen (1990) punctuates this susceptibility coming with innumeracy in stating, "An innumerate citizen is as vulnerable today as the illiterate peasant of Gutenberg's time" (p. 211). American Adults Have Low Numeracy Dispositions A numerate citizenry is every bit as essential as a literate citizenry. Regardless of this reality, only 20% of males in the United States believe low numeracy skills limit their ability to obtain a job and 80% believe innumeracy has no effect on their job opportunities (Steen, 2004). American adults have low numeracy dispositions, which are the attitudes and beliefs to value numeracy as a way of thinking, and the ability to perform numerate activities (Blair, 2006). The Adult Literacy and Lifeskills (ALL) Survey (2005), a representative sampling of individuals between 16 and 65 years old from five nations, ranked the average numeracy of U.S. participants below every other nation studied, except Italy. Both the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) found the U.S. to have the largest variance between the highest and lowest numeracy levels of its citizens when compared to other nations in these comprehensive studies (Kirsch, 2001; National Center for Education Statistics, 2004). International comparisons and national assessments determine the numeracy achievement of U.S. adults to be feeble, and this innumeracy will prevent Americans, and America, from reaching their utmost potential (National Commission on Adult Literacy, 2008). Numeracy is Marginalized within Education Adult learning in mathematics, including numeracy, is marginalized within the field of education. The reasons for adults to learn mathematics is determined outside mathematics education. However, what is recognized as the necessary mathematics for adults is defined outside of adult education. An argument can be made that the mathematics needs of adult learners are disregarded by all dimensions of adult education because adult education subsumes adult mathematics learning under the umbrella of literacy. Furthermore, adult education policies, research, and professional organizations prioritize reading and writing issues above those of numeracy. …