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(Possible) structure of session

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(Possible) structure of session

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  1. University of NottinghamCentre for Research in Mathematics Education Seminar12th July 2017Transforming secondary mathematics classroom practice through participatory action researchThis powerpoint presentation and further details about the TMSJ Research Project available from:http://maths-socialjustice.weebly.com/Pete WrightUCL Institute of Educationpete.wright@ucl.ac.uk@PeteWrightIOE

  2. (Possible) structure of session • A mathematical activity (10 mins) • The ‘teaching mathematics for social justice’ research project (15 mins) • Another mathematical activity (15 mins) • Initial discussion: constraints on classroom practice (10 mins) • Transforming classroom practice through PAR – methodological considerations (20 mins) • Further discussion (20 mins)

  3. A mathematical activity • Refer to the first page only of the handout • Which film should the three friends see? Why?

  4. A conceptualisation of ‘teaching mathematics for social justice’ • Collaborative problem-solving approach to teaching maths for all (Boaler, 2009). • Recognise students’ real-life experiences – cultural relevance of maths (D’Ambrosio, 2006). • Use maths to develop understanding of social, political, economic, cultural Situation (Gutstein, 2006). • Develop agency that enables students to engage in social action (Gutstein, 2006) and realise their foregrounds (Skovsmose, 2011). • Develop a critical awareness of the nature of maths and its position/status in society (Skovsmose, 2011).

  5. Why is change needed in maths education? • Secondary mathematics teaching tends to be teacher-led, boring, irrelevant and alienating (Boaler, 2009; D’Ambrosio, 2006; Nardi & Steward, 2003; Noyes, 2012); • Disempowering and exploitative – promotes ‘prescription readiness’ (Skovsmose, 2011), compliance (Gutstein, 2006); • Persistent association between mathematics attainment and family income (Boaler et al., 2011); • School mathematics acts as ‘critical filter’ – limits access to higher education, future employment (Black et al., 2009); • Perpetuation and reproduction of inequities – ‘cultural capital’ and ‘symbolic violence’ (Bourdieu & Passeron, 1990; Jorgensen et al., 2014).

  6. The TMSJ research project • Five teacher researchers from four different schools. • TMSJ Research Group – 7 meetings over one academic year (2013-14). • Participatory action research – three ‘plan/teach/evaluate’ cycles. • Data collected through interviews and student surveys. • Ideas generated from project used for the TMSJ book. • More about the research project: http://maths-socialjustice.weebly.com/

  7. TMSJ research project – pedagogical findings Impact on students: • Significant increases in students’ engagement with mathematics, particularly amongst lower-attaining; • Mathematics viewed as more meaningful, relevant, worthwhile and purposeful by some students; • Enhanced levels of student agency, particularly through the ‘Making a Change’ project. Impact on teacher researchers: • Greater awareness of links between school mathematics and social justice issues; • Re-engagement with reasons for becoming teachers; • Strengthened commitment towards ‘progressive’ teaching approaches and emerging interest in student agency;

  8. Another mathematical activity • Refer to the third page of the handout (an Unusual Ballot) • Decide which candidate would win the election under each of the five methods for counting the votes.

  9. Initial discussion Consensus amongst the mathematics education community for more than 30 years that a more engaging and relevant maths curriculum is needed, with greater emphasis on problem-solving and conceptual understanding (Cockcroft, 1982; Boaler, 2009; ACME, 2011; OFSTED, 2012). • Why has so little changed in (most) mathematics classrooms? • Why has (most) research in mathematics education had limited impact on classroom practice? • What constraints do teachers face in developing ideas such as those from the TMSJ project?

  10. The problem with maths education research • Much research ignores maths teachers’ perspectives, classroom situations, constraints (Bishop, 1998). • Maths education research is political in nature – research claiming to be objective and devoid of bias ignores power relationships and ideology (Valero, 2004). • Too much focus on school effectiveness – questions on purpose of curriculum discouraged (Leat et al., 2014) • Teachers’ reluctance to engage with research findings –distrust of new initiatives – seen as promoting a political agenda or tacit monitoring/scrutiny (Thomas, 2004). • Jaworski (2006) claims ‘communities of practice’ can lead to ‘alignment’ and perpetuation of the ‘normal desirable state’ (suggests ‘communities of inquiry’ as alternative).

  11. Participatory Action Research • PAR is collaborative, participatory, explicitly socio-political and democratic (Brydon-Miller, et al., 2003); • Involves academics (with expertise in conducting research) carrying out research ‘with’, rather than ‘on’, teachers (with detailed knowledge of the classroom situation); • Resonates with critical maths education – current situation should not be taken as given (Skovmose & Borba, 2004); • Aims to bring about positive social change and generate findings of greater relevance to practitioners (Torrance, 2004); • Develops greater ‘understanding of theory-in-practice’ amongst teachers (Torrance, 2004)

  12. Critical Action Research (Kemmis , 2009) • Technical Action Research – known end, aim to improve outcomes, others are objects of research, one-way relationship. • Practical Action Research – ends are open to question, others treated as subjects with a voice, practitioner-led. • Critical Action Research – decisions taken collectively, joint reflection on character/conduct/consequences of practice:“People involved in critical action research aim to change their social world collectively, by thinking about it differently, acting differently, and relating to one another differently – by constructing other architectures to enable and constrain their practice in ways that are more sustainable, less unsustainable.” (p.471)

  13. Critical model of PAR (Skovsmose & Borba, 2004) • Rests upon the assumption that the Current Situation (CS) needs to be changed for the better by addressing “possibilities that can be imagined and alternatives that can be realised”. • Pedagogical Imagination – develop critical understanding of CS, acknowledge should not be taken as given, explore alternatives. • Practical organisation – cooperation between researcher and practitioners/others to organise AS (bearing in mind constraints). • Explorative reasoning – analysing the AS in order to better understand the CS and feasibility of the IS. Imagined Situation (IS): the alternative vision Arranged Situation (AS): put some aspect of IS into practice.

  14. Methodological implications for the TMSJ research project • Aims/methods shared with teacher researchers (TRs) • TRs’ presented (selected) research literature to each other. • My role included providing external stimulus and facilitating critical reflection/discussion of TRs’ practice. • TRs decided ideas/activities to try out in classrooms. • TRs decided how to collect student-level data (follow up survey of students’ responses by TRs after each lesson). • Data generated from TRs’ own accounts (making use of student feedback and research journals). • My initial findings presented back to TRs for validation. • TRs encouraged to disseminate findings in professional journals.

  15. TMSJ research project – methodological findings • Findings highlighted TRs’ changing epistemologies of mathematics – began to see value-laden nature of subject. • TRs began to challenge previous assumptions/discourses about ability, attainment, inequity and disadvantage. • Shift in TR’s thinking towards recognising structural causes of inequity; social justice increasingly seen as integral to teaching maths rather than enrichment opportunity. • TRs gained more control over direction/development of their own practice. • Collaborative and mutually supportive nature of research group enabled TRs to overcome constraints and take risks.

  16. Some quotes from the teacher researchers I think the whole project is, for me, about developing myself as a practitioner, and in a way that I’d like to develop. (Anna, Interview 1, #12) And it’s also provided that additional incentive to do it, and to take the risk, because you know that you’re going to be asked to talk about it. But also you know you’re going to be allowed to talk about it in a way that says that messing up doesn’t matter. (Brian, Interview 3, #32) It is quite useful having that kind of, I don’t know, support almost and being able to just tell someone exactly what happened and have their, kind of, outside view on it. (Rebecca, Interview 2, #41)

  17. Some quotes from the teacher researchers The reality is that one of the few places you have the ability to really affect how social reproduction occurs, and how you re-shape the next generation, is through education. (Brian, Interview 3, #74) Further discussion: • What would a research project look like that would lead to sustainable transformations of classroom practice, in relation to teaching mathematics for social justice, on a wider scale? • What are the essential characteristics of the TMSJ research project that would need to be retained? • Is there a tension between scaling up PAR and maintaining its participatory and collaborative nature? • Should participants necessarily share a pre-existing commitment towards teaching mathematics for social justice? • OR YOUR OWN QUESTIONS …

  18. References • ACME (2011). Mathematical Needs – Summary. London: Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education. • Bishop, A. (1998). Research, effectiveness, and the practitioners’ world. In: A. Sierpinska & J. Kilpatrick, eds. Mathematics education as a research domain: A search for identity. Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp. 33-45. • Black, L., Mendick, H., & Solomon, Y. (2009). Mathematical relationships in education: Identities and participation. New York: Routledge. • Boaler, J. (2009). The elephant in the classroom: helping children learn and love maths. London: Souvenir Press. • Boaler, J., Altendorf, L., & Kent, G. (2011). Mathematics and science inequalities in the United Kingdom: When elitism, sexism and culture collide. Oxford Review of Education, 37(4), pp. 457-484. • Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J.-C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society and culture (2nd ed.). London: Sage. • Brydon-Miller, M., Greenwood, D. & Maguire, P. (2003). Why action research? Action Research, 1(1), pp. 9-28.

  19. References (continued) • Cockcroft, W. (1982). Mathematics counts: Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Teaching of Mathematics in Schools. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. • D’Ambrosio, U. (2006). Ethnomathematics: Link between traditions and modernity. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. • Gutstein, E. (2006). Reading and writing the world with mathematics: Toward a pedagogy for social justice. New York: Routledge. • Jaworski, B. (2006). Theory and practice in mathematics teaching development: Critical inquiry as a mode of learning in teaching. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Vol. 9, pp. 187-211. • Jorgensen, R., Gates, P., & Roper, V. (2014). Structural exclusion through school mathematics: Using Bourdieu to understand mathematics as a social practice. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 87, 221-239. • Kemmis, S. (2009). Action research as a practice‐based practice. Educational Action Research, Vol. 17 (3), pp. 463-474. • Leat, D., Lofthouse, R. & Reid, A. (2014). Teachers' views: Perspectives on research engagement. London: Research and Teacher Education: The BERA-RSA Inquiry.

  20. References (continued) • Nardi, E., & Steward, S. (2003). Is mathematics T.I.R.E.D.? A profile of quiet disaffection in the secondary mathematics classroom. British Educational Research Journal, 29(3), pp. 345-367. • Noyes, A. (2012). It matters which class you are in: Student-centred teaching and the enjoyment of learning mathematics. Research in Mathematics Education, 14(3), pp. 273-290. • OFSTED (2012). Mathematics: Made to measure. Manchester: Office for Standards in Education. • Skovsmose, O. (2011). An invitation to critical mathematics education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. • Skovsmose, O., & Borba, M. (2004). Research methodology and critical mathematics education. In: P. Valero & R. Zevenbergen, eds. Researching the socio-political dimensions of mathematics education. Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp. 207-226. • Thomas, G. (2004). Introduction: Evidence and practice. In: G. Thomas & R. Pring, eds. Evidence-based practice in education. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 1-18.

  21. References (continued) • Torrance, H. (2004). Using action research to generate knowledge about educational practice. In G. Thomas, & R. Pring (Eds.), Evidence-based practice in education (pp. 187-200). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press. • Valero, P. (2004). Socio-political perspectives on mathematics education. In: P. Valero & R. Zevenbergen, eds. Researching the socio-political dimensions of mathematics education. Dordrecht: Kluwer, pp. 5-23. • Wright, P. (2016). Social justice in the mathematics classroom. London Review of Education, 14(2), pp. 104-118. • Wright, P. (2017). Critical relationships between teachers and learners of school mathematics. Pedagogy, Culture and Society [Online], Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681366.2017.1285345

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