[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-588637-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":80,"doc-detail-588637-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":73,"head_meta":75,"extra_data":77,"updated_unix":79},105,"en","connecting-mathematics-teaching-with-vocational-learning","Connecting Mathematics Teaching with Vocational Learning","","For many vocational students in England, mathematics has become a compulsory programme component, yet embedding an academic subject within vocational pathways creates persistent learning and engagement challenges. This paper analyzes case studies of vocational student groups in Further Education colleges, comparing functional mathematics and vocational-class practices. Contrasting approaches can lead students to see mathematics as isolated and irrelevant, especially when socio-cultural aspects of vocational learning are missing. Building coherence requires classroom culture that links mathematics learning with vocational values and pedagogy.",{"@graph":14,"@context":72},[15,34,55],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/connecting-mathematics-teaching-with-vocational-learning/588637/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/connecting-mathematics-teaching-with-vocational-learning/588637.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Rizky","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":30},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",{"@type":56,"mainEntity":57},"FAQPage",[58,64,68],{"name":59,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":61},"Why does adding mathematics to vocational programmes create challenges for students?","Question",{"text":62,"@type":63},"The paper argues that vocational and academic pathways are historically separated in purposes, curricula, and forms of knowledge, which can make mathematics feel isolated and irrelevant in vocational settings.","Answer",{"name":65,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":66},"How do functional mathematics and vocational classes differ in students’ experiences?",{"text":67,"@type":63},"Case-study analysis shows that contrasting practices in functional mathematics versus vocational classes can reinforce perceptions that mathematics is disconnected from students’ vocational learning, especially when socio-cultural features are absent from mathematics lessons.",{"name":69,"@type":60,"acceptedAnswer":70},"What classroom approach does the paper recommend to address the disconnection?",{"text":71,"@type":63},"Adopt mathematics classroom practices that reflect the surrounding vocational culture, creating greater coherence and improving students’ engagement with mathematics learning.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":74,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":76,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":78,"site_id":7},588637,1792192263,{"code":4,"msg":81,"data":82},"success",[83,87,91,95,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":84,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},"Story & 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\n\u003C[diane.dalby@nottingham.ac.uk](diane.dalby@nottingham.ac.uk)>  \nAndrew Noyes  \nUniversity of Nottingham  \n\u003C[andrew.noyes@nottingham.ac.uk](andrew.noyes@nottingham.ac.uk)>  \nAbstract  \nFor many vocational students in England, mathematics is now a compulsory part of their programme, yet the inclusion of an academic subject within a vocational course presents challenges. In this paper, an analysis of a series of case studies of vocational student groups in Further Education colleges in England shows how contrasting practices in ‘functional mathematics’ and vocational classes reinforce perceptions that mathematics is an isolated and irrelevant subject. Some mathematics teachers made contextual connections by embedding mathematical problems in vocationally-related scenarios but distinctive socio-cultural features of vocational learning situations were often absent from mathematics classes. Addressing this disconnection requires a pedagogical approach and classroom culture that links mathematics learning with vocational values. The findings suggest that adopting mathematics classroom practices that reflect the surrounding vocational culture creates greater coherence for students and has positive effects on their engagement with mathematics learning.  \nKeywords: mathematics, functional mathematics, vocational education  \nBackground to the study  \nThe separation of vocational and academic pathways in post-16 education is a result of longstanding divisions that remain unresolved within the English education system (Young, 1998) . Entry to the academic pathway is largely controlled by success in GCSE examinations at age 16 and those with low GCSE grade profiles often transfer to vocational pathways in separate institutions such as Further Education colleges. The divisions between the academic and vocational pathways are not only institutional but there are distinct differences in the curricula, qualification types and forms of knowledge associated with each strand. Students have constrained choices in post-16 education within a highly-stratified system (Pring et al., 2009) that tends to prioritise the academic over the vocational.  \nWithin vocational education, both the mathematical skill levels of students and the qualifications undertaken have attracted criticism (Wolf, 2011) . Historically, many lowattaining 16-year-olds have taken no further mathematics qualification by age 18 (DfE, 2014) . Recent policy changes, however, now require these students to work towards re-sitting the GCSE mathematics examination until they achieve a grade C. When coupled with the recent extension of compulsory education to age 18 years in England, this means that many more students on vocational pathways now learn mathematics as a compulsory part of their study  \nprogramme. This GCSE mathematics curriculum is traditional and academic in nature and so does not sit easily with their vocational learning.  \nThe research reported herein was conducted prior to these national policy changes, with students who were taking a Functional Mathematics qualification rather than re-sitting the GCSE examination. Functional Mathematics focuses on problem solving and applications in‘real life’ scenarios and, for most students in the study, the subject was compulsory due to college policies, although it was not a government requirement at the time. This paper examines the contrasts between mathematics teaching and vocational learning that emerged from a wider study of the students’ learning experiences of mathematics and was primarily concerned with students aged 16-18 years. Before examining the research findings, some of the relevant historical academic-vocational tensions are discussed.  \nDivisions of knowledge, curriculum and pedagogy  \nThe institutional divisions within the English education system can be traced back to the separate establishment of schools, work-relat","cbCaiu9xtyZmKb60","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiu9xtyZmKb60","pdf",361847,"English","# Abstract\n# Background to the Study\n## Separation of vocational and academic pathways\n## Policy context and Functional Mathematics\n# Divisions of Knowledge, Curriculum and Pedagogy\n## Institutional roots and societal hierarchies\n## Vocational training goals vs academic qualification purposes","[{\"question\":\"Why does adding mathematics to vocational programmes create challenges for students?\",\"answer\":\"The paper argues that vocational and academic pathways are historically separated in purposes, curricula, and forms of knowledge, which can make mathematics feel isolated and irrelevant in vocational settings.\"},{\"question\":\"How do functional mathematics and vocational classes differ in students’ experiences?\",\"answer\":\"Case-study analysis shows that contrasting practices in functional mathematics versus vocational classes can reinforce perceptions that mathematics is disconnected from students’ vocational learning, especially when socio-cultural features are absent from mathematics lessons.\"},{\"question\":\"What classroom approach does the paper recommend to address the disconnection?\",\"answer\":\"Adopt mathematics classroom practices that reflect the surrounding vocational culture, creating greater coherence and improving students’ engagement with mathematics learning.\"}]","Connecting Mathematics Teaching with Vocational Learning | PDF",1792065648,25]