Adults' Mathematical Thinking and Emotions

The perpetual concerns around the teaching and learning of mathematics and its use in work and everyday life, relate to a number of issues: -- doubts about the transferability of school learning to outside settings-- declining participation in A-level and higher education mathematics courses-- under-representation of certain groups, such as females, in mathematics study-- the aversion of many people to mathematics generallyThis book addresses these issues through investigating the following: -- the ways in which numerate thinking and performance of adults are context-related-- the inseparability of thinking and emotion, and the consequent ways in which mathematical activity is emotional, and not simply cognitive-- the understanding of mathematics anxiety in psychological, psychoanalytical and feminist theories-- social differences in mathematics performance, anxiety and confidenceDrawing on works such as those of Jean Lave and Valerie Walkerdine, and ideas for poststructuralism and psychoanalysis, this volume shows ways of reconceptualising current debates in mathematics education, including its psychological and sociological aspects. It points to ideas for practical applications in education and training, such as clarifying the problems with the transfer of learning, and countering mathematics anxiety. It also illustrates a number of ways of fruitfully combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies in educational research.