I started drafting this post, writing about an experience I had paying with cash at the grocery store.
It turned into the oft-spoken “secret” of generative AI and its ability for mimicry. In the audio-visual space, this would be about deep fakes. In this space, this blog post, I find it hard to pick where my writing style stopped and ChatGPT’S mimicry of my style started.
I wrote what is in blue, and gave ChatGPT several links to various Reserve Bank of Australia reports from the RBA website.
Maths, cash and young cashiers
I did my grocery shopping yesterday, and it came to the grand total of $18.18. I paid with cash, giving the young cashier a $20.20, expecting to get $2 back. The young cashier looked at what I had given them and told me I had paid too much. I kept a straight face when I explained that they would just need to give me $2 back. They didn’t believe me until they rang it up on the register.
Granted, I’m 52, with a lifetime of the applied mathematics that is intrinsic to life. It was an action without thought, seeing an $18.18 total and offering $20.20 to pay it. It would seem, though, that it was not instinctive and obvious to them. This brings to mind two separate issues. Firstly, numeracy and mathematical skill. What are they teaching kids at school today? Secondly, the use of cash in Australia.
What are they teaching kids about mathematics these days?
Schools in Australia teach to the Australian Curriculum. The Australian Curriculum is set by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). ACARA is an independent statutory body, given authority under the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority Act (Cth) 2008. ACARA’s purpose is to “be the authoritative source of advice on, and delivery of, national curriculum, assessment and reporting for all Australian education ministers, with international recognition of our work” (https://acara.edu.au/about-us).
On ACARA’s website, you will find information about the current Australian Curriculum, version 9.0, as well as information about revisions to the Australian Curriculum. Looking at the Australian Curriculum V9 online, it appears that money transactions are covered in mathematics in Year 2.
“Achievement standard: Year 2
Subject achievement standard
By the end of Year 2, students order and represent numbers to at least 1000, apply knowledge of place value to partition, rearrange and rename two- and three-digit numbers in terms of their parts, and regroup partitioned numbers to assist in calculations. They use mathematical modelling to solve practical additive and multiplicative problems, including money transactions, representing the situation and choosing calculation strategies. Students identify and represent part-whole relationships of halves, quarters and eighths in measurement contexts. They describe and continue patterns that increase and decrease additively by a constant amount and identify missing elements in the pattern. Students recall and demonstrate proficiency with addition and subtraction facts within 20 and multiplication facts for twos. They use uniform informal units to measure and compare shapes and objects. Students determine the number of days between events using a calendar and read time on an analog clock to the hour, half hour and quarter hour. They compare and classify shapes, describing features using formal spatial terms. Students locate and identify positions of features in two-dimensional representations and move position by following directions and pathways. They use a range of methods to collect, record, represent and interpret categorical data in response to questions.”
If you dig further on ACARA’s website, you can get examples of completed mathematics assessments, de-identified, at above satisfactory, satisfactory and below satisfactory grades. If you go into the Year 2 “satisfactory” PDF file, scroll down to page 37, you will see that students are expected to complete simple addition and subtraction. The video example shows a child counting coins to find out how much money they have.
The decreasing use of cash in Australia
The second issue my experience brought to mind is the declining use of cash in Australia. There are multiple reports and studies published by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) that highlight this trend. For instance, a report on consumer payment behavior in Australia noted a significant shift towards electronic payment methods, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for physical cash has seen a decline as more consumers and businesses prefer the convenience and security of digital transactions (RBA, 2023).
Moreover, another RBA bulletin explained that the overall circulation of banknotes has been decreasing, reflecting the broader global move towards cashless societies. This shift raises interesting questions about how we prepare young people for real-world financial literacy, especially as they might encounter cash transactions less frequently in their day-to-day lives.
Despite the decreasing use of cash, understanding basic money handling remains an essential skill. Real-world situations, like the one I encountered at the grocery store, underscore the need for solid foundational numeracy skills. As our society continues to evolve and embrace digital payments, it is crucial that we don’t overlook the importance of teaching practical, everyday maths skills.
In conclusion, my experience with the young cashier was a small yet telling glimpse into the broader issues of numeracy education and the ongoing transformation in how we use money. While our tools and methods of payment might change, the need for basic mathematical competence remains constant. Ensuring that future generations are equipped with these essential skills is not just about preserving tradition, but about fostering a well-rounded and capable society.
The Auld Skald's Fudgel 