| [continuing from & elaborating no3-a]
1.2 Communicating ideas and information
- Constant monitoring of activities and communication between staff is essential for the smooth flow of the operation/programme as well as for safety reasons.
- Knowledge of client needs, and preferences needs to be kept up to date on the computer records, with updated or new requests accommodated.
1.5 Solving problems
- Measured creativity in making improvements within constraints of space, time and/or money.
- Because of the creativity inevitably associated with customised work, problem solving plays a critical role in setting up the process and in maintaining the correct measurements throughout the job at hand. [CNC, for example]
1.6 Using mathematical ideas & techniques
- Financial literacy [especially small to medium enterprises].
- Record-keeping and stock control need to be accurate and up-to-date in order to ensure economic viability and financial accountability for taxation purposes, the smooth flow of inwards & outwards goods.
- Scrupulous attention to recording monetary details (e.g., accurate entries on the cash register and contents of safe).
- Attending to CNC machines requires the ability to think analytically and abstractly (i.e., algebraically), while relating the machine settings to the concrete numerical/measurement demands of the task.
- We all live and work in a three-dimensional, concrete world.
- The [mathematics] educational side of early childhood education is also becoming increasingly important. The preparation of new workers in this industry is requiring a greater depth of knowledge and understanding of the mathematical principles and their associated pedagogies.
- Design and storage [re/location] and retrieval of materials [e.g. stock and records] and/or computer files.
- The skills of design and location which encompass the styling and colouring of hair, CNC cutting work, web design, page layout of brochures, …
- The invisible skills of design and location which encompass the layout of the salon/shop (front and back of house) & warehousing.
- There is a logical flow of tasks to be executed in an optimal way, keeping in mind the constraints of carriers’ pick-up times and capacities.
- Choice of packaging materials and composition of consignment is context dependent — related to the nature [i.e., dimensions] of the sales items.
- Clear and accurate communication is of the essence, and is generally overtly mathematical in nature: identification codes, locations, measurements, costs and times.
1.7 Using technology
- The competent use of spreadsheets and other computer templates, including those of the ATO.
- The ability to understand the logic of the database system in order to enter and/or interpret data.
- Computer use requires a knowledge of prices to enable estimation of reasonableness; also ability to problem solve.
- Computer use requires a knowledge of spreadsheets, specialised data processing, and labelling.
2 Do calculations to be used in the context of workplace activity involve generic competencies of:
- communicating effectively with other workplace personnel in relation to the above?
- planning and organising tasks [where given responsibility] to ensure effective use of time, equipment, and consumable materials?
- following workplace instructions in regard to best practice; with calculations to be used in this context?
- applying skills that contribute to integrated management planning?
- working alongside experienced workers to gain the best advantage in how to develop their own experiential learning?
- retrieving information from electronic databases to access product details, where applicable to the enterprise?
- timely completion of numerical tasks that have an impact on workplace output?
3 How well does the activity incorporate the need for learners to use mathematics/statistics to:
- collect/analyse/manipulate/represent qualitative and quantitative data to diagnose problems?
- search for solutions?
- carry out or make recommendations for process improvement?
- communicate mathematically-expressed decisions and judgements to others (e.g., ‘vertically’ within a company to justify a plan or prediction or to explain a trend; ‘outwards’ to customers, clients, or inspectors/auditors and ‘horizontally’ to colleagues within teams)?
- develop hybrid skills (e.g., good technical and analytic knowledge combined with ability to communicate analytical information; or good people management combined with financial/budgeting skills)?
- use and interpret output from IT systems and software, and the mathematical models deployed within them? [This requires combining explicit and tacit knowledge of workplace procedures possessed by individuals and teams and developing mental models of the system.]
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