title: Embedded numeracy teaching practices at an Institute of Technology: Vocational tutors' characterisations of embedding numeracy and related professional development

authors: Winter, Lynette

abstract: As part of a multi-pronged strategy to improve levels of adult numeracy, embedded numeracy provision is a required element of foundation-level vocational education in New Zealand. Embedded numeracy, as it is interpreted in New Zealand, means learners develop numeracy skills within vocational courses and programmes rather than as a separate programme of study. This approach means that vocational educators, rather than numeracy specialist educators, are largely responsible for teaching numeracy. While it is acknowledged that the crux of embedding is good teaching practice, little is known about the embedded numeracy teaching practices of these vocational educators.
The purpose of this study was two-fold. Firstly, I set out to explore how vocational tutors characterise embedding numeracy as part of their teaching practice with respect to evidence-based knowledge of effective practice. Secondly, I wanted to consider how professional learning and development has impacted their practice, and what further professional development approaches might prove useful.
To that end, I undertook a case study research approach using qualitative analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews. I conducted interviews with six foundation-level vocational tutors employed in the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) sector. Additionally, participants provided examples of teaching and learning resources, and I consulted official programme documentation for each sample case. 
Approaches to embedding numeracy can be situated on a continuum from numeracy-saturated, practice-based embedding to opportunistic embedding. In all cases, tutors use authentic contexts that are meaningful to the learners, a key element of an embedded approach. Learners’ anxieties towards mathematics are acknowledged and assuaged as tutors model numeracy practices in the vocational role that learners aspire to rather than as a teacher of a subject that many learners loathe and fear. Collectively, tutors’ characterisations of their practice align with evidence-based effective practices, but mathematical expertise and confidence varies between tutors and so, therefore, does the depth and quality of the mathematical tuition. Tutors gauge learners’ numeracy development through their engagement in context-related numeracy practices; this development may not be captured by numeracy proficiency measures. Benefits of an embedded approach to numeracy development are compromised by a lack of resourced collaboration time between vocational tutors and numeracy specialists.
Given that good teaching is at the heart of embedded numeracy, further research that includes observations in teaching spaces and the voices of tutors and students is warranted. Tutors desire more collaborative opportunities to learn from each other and from numeracy experts. Professional learning going forward should include opportunities to create professional knowledge and skills through interaction with information and other people.

text: Embedded numeracy teaching practices at an Institute of Technology: Vocational tutors' characterisations of embedding numeracy and related professional development As part of a multi-pronged strategy to improve levels of adult numeracy, embedded numeracy provision is a required element of foundation-level vocational education in New Zealand. Embedded numeracy, as it is interpreted in New Zealand, means learners develop numeracy skills within vocational courses and programmes rather than as a separate programme of study. This approach means that vocational educators, rather than numeracy specialist educators, are largely responsible for teaching numeracy. While it is acknowledged that the crux of embedding is good teaching practice, little is known about the embedded numeracy teaching practices of these vocational educators.
The purpose of this study was two-fold. Firstly, I set out to explore how vocational tutors characterise embedding numeracy as part of their teaching practice with respect to evidence-based knowledge of effective practice. Secondly, I wanted to consider how professional learning and development has impacted their practice, and what further professional development approaches might prove useful.
To that end, I undertook a case study research approach using qualitative analysis of data collected through semi-structured interviews. I conducted interviews with six foundation-level vocational tutors employed in the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) sector. Additionally, participants provided examples of teaching and learning resources, and I consulted official programme documentation for each sample case. 
Approaches to embedding numeracy can be situated on a continuum from numeracy-saturated, practice-based embedding to opportunistic embedding. In all cases, tutors use authentic contexts that are meaningful to the learners, a key element of an embedded approach. Learners’ anxieties towards mathematics are acknowledged and assuaged as tutors model numeracy practices in the vocational role that learners aspire to rather than as a teacher of a subject that many learners loathe and fear. Collectively, tutors’ characterisations of their practice align with evidence-based effective practices, but mathematical expertise and confidence varies between tutors and so, therefore, does the depth and quality of the mathematical tuition. Tutors gauge learners’ numeracy development through their engagement in context-related numeracy practices; this development may not be captured by numeracy proficiency measures. Benefits of an embedded approach to numeracy development are compromised by a lack of resourced collaboration time between vocational tutors and numeracy specialists.
Given that good teaching is at the heart of embedded numeracy, further research that includes observations in teaching spaces and the voices of tutors and students is warranted. Tutors desire more collaborative opportunities to learn from each other and from numeracy experts. Professional learning going forward should include opportunities to create professional knowledge and skills through interaction with information and other people.

year: 2019

title: Accounting scandals, ethical dilemmas and educational challenges

authors: Low, Mary

subjects: accounting scandal

abstract: Publicity over the role of accountants often accompanies major corporate collapses. It is argued that recent corporate scandals have set a new low for the accounting profession. It is, after all, the accountants who have assisted in financial management, prepared financial statements and audited these statements. As a corollary to this, it can be argued that accountants play a significant role in good corporate governance and ethical sustainable business practices. Increasingly there are calls for greater transparency and corporate governance as well as increased adoption of professional and ethical practices by businesses. Is this possible given our inherently materialistic nature of accumulating wealth? The question must therefore be asked, if new or additional legislation would not work, what will? It has also been argued that poor quality professional education is one of the problems contributing to these scandals. This paper identifies and explores five factors that seemingly influences and contributes to the perpetuation of accounting and corporate scandals because of their impact on ethical behaviour. Also discussed in this paper is the debate related to the inadequacy of university curricula particularly with regard to the influence of ethics education on accounting graduates. To investigate further these issues, we surveyed students to ascertain whether they believe education can influence ethical behaviour. The findings from the surveys could not conclusively indicate that students perceived ethics education to have a significant influence on their ethical behaviour but nonetheless they believed that it was still important to have ethics education in their programme of study. This finding, in itself, suggests that it is still possible to influence the ‘thinking’ of accounting graduates before they entered the complex world of business.

text: Accounting scandals, ethical dilemmas and educational challenges Publicity over the role of accountants often accompanies major corporate collapses. It is argued that recent corporate scandals have set a new low for the accounting profession. It is, after all, the accountants who have assisted in financial management, prepared financial statements and audited these statements. As a corollary to this, it can be argued that accountants play a significant role in good corporate governance and ethical sustainable business practices. Increasingly there are calls for greater transparency and corporate governance as well as increased adoption of professional and ethical practices by businesses. Is this possible given our inherently materialistic nature of accumulating wealth? The question must therefore be asked, if new or additional legislation would not work, what will? It has also been argued that poor quality professional education is one of the problems contributing to these scandals. This paper identifies and explores five factors that seemingly influences and contributes to the perpetuation of accounting and corporate scandals because of their impact on ethical behaviour. Also discussed in this paper is the debate related to the inadequacy of university curricula particularly with regard to the influence of ethics education on accounting graduates. To investigate further these issues, we surveyed students to ascertain whether they believe education can influence ethical behaviour. The findings from the surveys could not conclusively indicate that students perceived ethics education to have a significant influence on their ethical behaviour but nonetheless they believed that it was still important to have ethics education in their programme of study. This finding, in itself, suggests that it is still possible to influence the ‘thinking’ of accounting graduates before they entered the complex world of business.

year: 2007

title: An evaluation of the Raukawa Health Services Kaumatua Mirimiri Programme

authors: Gregg, Lisa

subjects: Maori

abstract: The Kaumatua Mirimiri Programme was funded as a Service to Improve Access project under a contract which ran from 1st September 2004 to 30th June 2005. Its aim was to provide a “culturally based treatment and recovery programme to restore the health and independence” of people aged 40 years and over (Pinnacle Group Ltd, 2004a, p.1). However, as the service specification in the contract made clear, the programme was not designed be exclusive: it has attracted younger as well as older people, non-Māori as well as Māori, and people seeking help for a wide range of ailments and pain.

text: An evaluation of the Raukawa Health Services Kaumatua Mirimiri Programme The Kaumatua Mirimiri Programme was funded as a Service to Improve Access project under a contract which ran from 1st September 2004 to 30th June 2005. Its aim was to provide a “culturally based treatment and recovery programme to restore the health and independence” of people aged 40 years and over (Pinnacle Group Ltd, 2004a, p.1). However, as the service specification in the contract made clear, the programme was not designed be exclusive: it has attracted younger as well as older people, non-Māori as well as Māori, and people seeking help for a wide range of ailments and pain.

year: 2006-03