A project that focused on how the field of adult numeracy education had been shaped in Australia over the last 20 years sought answers to these research questions: (1) What does the past tell about adult literacy and numeracy policy, provision, and research? (2) Are Australians numerate? (3) What sort of numeracy activities do Australians engage…

Examines the often experimental programs and approaches of the Australian Army Education Service pertaining to adult literacy during World War II. The article records the extent of numeracy and literacy difficulties in the 1940s, comments on army responses to the pedagogical challenge they posed, and finds interesting similarities to the current…