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Mathematics for social justice

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Mathematics for social justice is a pedagogical approach to mathematics education that seeks to incorporate lessons from critical mathematics pedagogy and similar educational philosophies into the teaching of mathematics at schools and colleges. The approach tries to empower students on their way to developing a positive mathematics identity and becoming active, numerically literate citizens who can navigate and participate in society.[1][2] Mathematics for social justice puts particular emphasis on overcoming social inequalities.[3] Its proponents, for example, Bob Moses,[4] may understand numerical literacy as a civil right. Many of the founders of the movement, e.g. Eric Gutstein, were initially mathematics teachers,[5] but the movement has since expanded to include the teaching of mathematics at colleges and universities.[6] Their educational approach is influenced by earlier critical pedagogy advocates such as Paulo Freire and others.[7] Mathematics for social justice has been criticised, however, its proponents argue that it both fits into existing teaching frameworks and promotes students' success in mathematics.[8]

Mathematics for social justice often overlaps with other approaches to mathematics education, the practice and research of mathematics, including ethics in mathematics[9] and ethnomathematics.[10] Common to these approaches is that they can be understood as a sociopolitical turn in mathematics.[11]

Criticism

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Pedagogical approaches incorporating issues of social justice into mathematics classrooms have been heavily criticised by some mathematicians and educators.[12] They argue that mathematics is neutral and that its education and research should be separated from issues of social justice.[13][14] Balancing the requirements of a mathematical education that teaches students mathematical skills and social justice can be difficult.[15] Some of its opponents use this to argue against mathematics for social justice because it would necessarily come at the expense of teaching mathematical knowledge.[16]

Eric Gutstein's book Rethinking Mathematics has been said to calculate controversy[17] and to unnecessarily bring partisan politics into mathematics. The criticism is shared with other works in this area.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Gutstein, Eric (2003). "Teaching and Learning Mathematics for Social Justice in an Urban, Latino School". Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 34 (1): 37–73. doi:10.2307/30034699. JSTOR 30034699.
  2. ^ Frankenstein, Marilyn (2006). "Reading the World with Math". Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers (Eric Gutstein, Ed.).
  3. ^ Gutstein, Eric (2006). Reading And Writing The World With Mathematics: Toward a Pedagogy for Social Justice. Routledge. ISBN 9780415950848.
  4. ^ Moses, Robert (2002). Radical Equations: Civil Rights from Mississippi. Beacon Press. ISBN 9780807031278.
  5. ^ Buell, Catherine A.; Shulman, Bonnie (2019). "An Introduction to Mathematics for Social Justice". PRIMUS. 29 (3–4): 205–209. doi:10.1080/10511970.2018.1530707. ISSN 1051-1970.
  6. ^ Karaali, Gizem; Khadjavi, Lily (2019). Mathematics for Social Justice: Resources for the College Classroom. MAA Press: An Imprint of the American Mathematical Society. ISBN 978-1-4704-4926-1.
  7. ^ Stinson, D.; Bidwell, C.R.; Powell, G.C. (2012). "Critical pedagogy and teaching mathematics for social justice". The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy. 4 (1): 76–94.
  8. ^ Dover, Alison George (2009). "Teaching for Social Justice and K-12 Student Outcomes: A Conceptual Framework and Research Review". Equity & Excellence in Education. 42 (4): 506–524. doi:10.1080/10665680903196339. ISSN 1066-5684. S2CID 145272026.
  9. ^ Buell, Catherine; Piercey, Victor (2022). "Special Issue on Ethics in Mathematics". Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. 12 (2). doi:10.5642/jhummath.KXCU6801. S2CID 252698507.
  10. ^ D’Ambrosio, Ubiratan (2007). "PEACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND ETHNOMATHEMATICS". The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast. 1.2007.
  11. ^ Gutiérrez, Rochelle (2013). "The Sociopolitical Turn in Mathematics Education". Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 44 (1): 37–68. doi:10.5951/jresematheduc.44.1.0037. ISSN 0021-8251.
  12. ^ Fortin, Jacey. "California Tries to Close the Gap in Math, but Sets Off a Backlash". nytimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. ^ Crowell, Rachel. "New Math Research Group Reflects a Schism in the Field". Scientific American. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  14. ^ "Opinion | In California, 2+2=4 May Be Thought Racist". Wall Street Journal. 2021-05-24. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  15. ^ Bartell, Tonya Gau (2013). "Learning to Teach Mathematics for Social Justice: Negotiating Social Justice and Mathematical Goals". Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 44 (1): 129–163. doi:10.5951/jresematheduc.44.1.0129. ISSN 0021-8251.
  16. ^ Kang, Jay Caspian (2022-11-15). "How Math Became an Object of the Culture Wars". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
  17. ^ "NEA: April 2006 NEA Today - Up Front". 2007-09-30. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
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