Mathematics Activities in Workplace for Computer Technology Department at Technical Colleges in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives: This research aims to reveal and understand mathematics activities in the workplace, for some disciplines of Computer Technology Department at Technical Colleges in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: The research follows the qualitative research approach by designing an exploratory case study, to explore mathematics activities in the workplace through interviewing a purposive sample of eight participants from market labour in the field of disciplines of computer technology, and its credibility and dependability were enhanced.

Results: The findings of the research revealed six topics which are: describing mathematics in workplace from the participants’ point of view, the most highlighted one is that it is an intuitive mathematics; mathematics topics in workplace, and the most important are arithmetic and geometry; mathematics skills in workplace, and the most important one is logical thinking; learning approaches in workplace, and the most important one is self-learning; working approaches in workplace, including small groups; and finally tools and techniques in workplace, which are used naturally due to the nature of specialization.

Conclusions: Mathematics topics and skills in the field of computers depend on specialty and vocation, and the research recommends developing the learning environment in mathematics classrooms, which provides an opportunity for practical applications and practices by those concerned in technical colleges.