Financial Literacy in Vocational Education: A Content Analysis from a Health Services Office AdministrationProgram Mathematics Textbook

Source abstract

This paper examines whether the financial content taught in a vocational education program supports students’ financial literacy development in a Health Services Office Administration program. Focusing on one postsecondary institution in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, we analyze how financial concepts are integrated into a non-business mathematics course through a specific textbook. The study is guided by the national financial literacy strategy of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada and uses qualitative content analysis to examine textbook narratives and end-of-chapter tasks in two financial chapters. Our analysis reveals that financial concepts are often presented through definitions, descriptive explanations, worked examples, and procedural tasks. Students are given limited opportunities to engage in meaningful financial reasoning, decision-making, or connections with the realities of health service management. We argue that the current approach does not effectively encourage financial literacy from a professional standpoint. These findings point to the need for further studies and instructional materials that connect financial mathematics to real-world situations, exploratory tasks, and classroom experiences focused on decision-making in work and adult life.