Service mathematics in Irish universities: Some findings from a recent study

In this paper the authors report on a qualitative investigation into service mathematics carried; out in Irish universities against a backdrop of major concerns nationally and internationally; embodied in the so-called “Mathematics problem‖. The enquiry involved a close inspection of; how service mathematics is perceived, planned, delivered, evaluated, assessed and experienced; by both lecturers and students in selected service mathematics courses in all seven Irish; universities. Murphy (2002) used Brousseau‟s concept of didactical contract to uncover the; implicit contract present in Irish second level classrooms. The authors emulated this work to; discover the hidden learning contract in university service mathematics lectures in Ireland.; Major outcomes of the study include insight into the nature of the didactical contract at work in; the service mathematics courses surveyed, and the development of a preliminary; characterisation of service mathematics in Irish universities. Service mathematics is also an; issue for adult mathematics education and impacts on it.