Cost, price and profit: what influences students’ decisions about fundraising?

Carly Sawatzki; Merrilyn Goos

doi:10.1007/s13394-018-0241-y

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Cost, price and profit: what influences students’ decisions about fundraising?

Journal article

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Cost, price and profit: what influences students’ decisions about fundraising?

Carly Sawatzki and Merrilyn Goos

Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol.30(4), pp.525-544

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-018-0241-y

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Abstract

Financial Mathematics

Financial mathematics

realistic mathematics

numeracy

financial literac

problem-solving

This article examines some of the complexities associated with developing financially literate, enterprising young Australians through school education. We aimed to explore what seems to influence students in pricing goods for sale within their school community. Data were collected from more than 300 years 5 and 6 students (10–12 years of age) in four government primary schools in urban Darwin. Students were asked to respond to problem contexts involving fundraising as an example of an enterprise activity. The findings reveal that familiarity with fundraising initiatives, personal values, and language and literacy skills shaped the responses students gave. Students who gave loss-making and break-even responses were price conscious, but also tended to confuse terminology influencing mathematisation—i.e., “cost”, “price” and “profit”. Students who gave profit-making responses applied reasoning that was mathematical, financial and entrepreneurial, giving explanations that distinguished between these terms. We argue that these insights contribute to our understanding how upper primary school students interpret and respond to financial problems, with useful implications for schools and teachers.

Details

Title: Cost, price and profit: what influences students’ decisions about fundraising?
Authors: Carly Sawatzki (Corresponding Author) - University of Canberra
Merrilyn Goos (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol.30(4), pp.525-544
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
DOI: 10.1007/s13394-018-0241-y
ISSN: 2211-050X
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Education and Tertiary Access
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99554408102621
Output Type: Journal article

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Web Of Science research areas: Education, Scientific Disciplines

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