Middle Years Students Influencing Local Policy

Middle Years students often do not see mathematics as useful. Authentic and real mathematics tasks and artefacts are frequently advocated as arresting this situation. However, often such experiences are contrived and lack authenticity. This paper reports on how a group of Middle Years students used mathematics and technology to engage in a real community issue, of the need for a teenage safe space, to inform local Council policy. Data were collected for this case study via journal observations and reflections, semi-structured interviews, samples of students' work and videos of students working. The data were analysed by identifying the main themes that were connected with designing and locating the space and focused on the stages of the statistical investigation cycle used. How this impacted students' beliefs about the usefulness and value of mathematics is discussed. [This research was funded by a University of the Sunshine Coast Research Grant.]