A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change

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dc.contributor.authorLe Roux, Kateen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-11-29T17:25:12Z
dc.date.available2014-11-29T17:25:12Z
dc.date.issued2008en_ZA
dc.descriptionThis is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Language and Education on 19 December 2008, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09500780802152663.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe concepts of 'access' and 'relevance' feature prominently in the discourse of change in mathematics education in South Africa. One way in which these concepts have been played out in mathematics classrooms is in the use of mathematical problems with real-world contexts. This paper presents a Critical Discourse Analysis of one such problem, selected from a first-year university access course in mathematics at a higher education institution in South Africa. Fairclough's three-dimensional model for the Critical Discourse Analysis is used to identify traces of different texts within this problem. The author argues that, in spite of evidence of texts that point to recent reforms in mathematics education and some possible signs of change, the mathematics text and the text of the school mathematical word problem remain dominant, and position the student in a particular way. The results of this analysis challenge some of the prevalent assumptions about 'access' and 'relevance' in mathematics education. The paper also highlights the potential for using Critical Discourse Analysis in mathematics education research.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationLe Roux, K. (2008). A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change. <i>Language and Education</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9820en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLe Roux, Kate "A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change." <i>Language and Education</i> (2008) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9820en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLe Roux, K. 2008. A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change. Language and Education.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0950-0782en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Le Roux, Kate AB - The concepts of 'access' and 'relevance' feature prominently in the discourse of change in mathematics education in South Africa. One way in which these concepts have been played out in mathematics classrooms is in the use of mathematical problems with real-world contexts. This paper presents a Critical Discourse Analysis of one such problem, selected from a first-year university access course in mathematics at a higher education institution in South Africa. Fairclough's three-dimensional model for the Critical Discourse Analysis is used to identify traces of different texts within this problem. The author argues that, in spite of evidence of texts that point to recent reforms in mathematics education and some possible signs of change, the mathematics text and the text of the school mathematical word problem remain dominant, and position the student in a particular way. The results of this analysis challenge some of the prevalent assumptions about 'access' and 'relevance' in mathematics education. The paper also highlights the potential for using Critical Discourse Analysis in mathematics education research. DA - 2008 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Language and Education KW - access KW - critical discourse analysis KW - mathematics education KW - real-world problems KW - relevance KW - word problems LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2008 SM - 0950-0782 T1 - A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change TI - A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9820 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/9820
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLe Roux K. A critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of change. Language and Education. 2008; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9820.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentAcademic Development Programme (ADP)en_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceLanguage and Educationen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/09500780802152663en_ZA
dc.subjectaccessen_ZA
dc.subjectcritical discourse analysisen_ZA
dc.subjectmathematics educationen_ZA
dc.subjectreal-world problemsen_ZA
dc.subjectrelevanceen_ZA
dc.subjectword problemsen_ZA
dc.titleA critical discourse analysis of a real-world problem in mathematics: looking for signs of changeen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourcePostprinten_ZA
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