Howson and Mellin-Olsen (1986) distinguish the aims and expectations of different social groups, including mathematics teachers, parents, employers and those in the higher levels of the education system ( e.g. Universities). They posit two conflicting types of socially situated aims, the S-rationale (social, or intrinsic goals) and the Irationale (instrumental, or extrinsic goals) further elaborated elsewhere (Mellin-Olsen,1987).