A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university

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dc.contributor.authorLe Roux, Kate
dc.contributor.authorAdler, Jill
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-25T11:57:33Z
dc.date.available2019-01-25T11:57:33Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractMathematical problems that make links to the everyday and to disciplines other than mathematics—variously referred to as practical, realistic, real-world or applied problems in the literature—feature in school and undergraduate mathematics reforms aimed at increasing mathematics participation in contexts of inequity and diversity. In this article, we present a micro- and macro-analysis of a prototypical practical problem in an undergraduate mathematics course at a South African university. This course offers an alternative route to a mathematics major for students considered disadvantaged by enduring educational inequalities in South Africa. Using a socio-political practice perspective on mathematics and critical discourse analysis—drawn from Norman Fairclough’s critical linguists—we describe what mathematics and mathematical identities practical problems make available to students and compare this to what is valued in school mathematics and other university mathematics courses. Our analysis shows that these practical problems draw in complex ways on sometimes contradictory practices in the wider context, requiring the student to work flexibly with the movement of meaning within and across texts. We raise for further consideration the possible consequences of this complexity and offer suggestions for practice that take into account issues of power.en_US
dc.identifier.apacitationLe Roux, K., & Adler, J. (2016). A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university. <i>Educational Studies in Mathematics</i>, 91(2), 227–246. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29167en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationLe Roux, Kate, and Jill Adler "A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university." <i>Educational Studies in Mathematics</i> 91, 2. (2016): 227–246. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29167en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationLe Roux, K., Adler, J. 2016. A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 91; 2; 227–246.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0013-1954
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Le Roux, Kate AU - Adler, Jill AB - Mathematical problems that make links to the everyday and to disciplines other than mathematics—variously referred to as practical, realistic, real-world or applied problems in the literature—feature in school and undergraduate mathematics reforms aimed at increasing mathematics participation in contexts of inequity and diversity. In this article, we present a micro- and macro-analysis of a prototypical practical problem in an undergraduate mathematics course at a South African university. This course offers an alternative route to a mathematics major for students considered disadvantaged by enduring educational inequalities in South Africa. Using a socio-political practice perspective on mathematics and critical discourse analysis—drawn from Norman Fairclough’s critical linguists—we describe what mathematics and mathematical identities practical problems make available to students and compare this to what is valued in school mathematics and other university mathematics courses. Our analysis shows that these practical problems draw in complex ways on sometimes contradictory practices in the wider context, requiring the student to work flexibly with the movement of meaning within and across texts. We raise for further consideration the possible consequences of this complexity and offer suggestions for practice that take into account issues of power. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 2 J1 - Educational Studies in Mathematics KW - Access KW - Advanced mathematics KW - Academic development KW - Calculus reform KW - Critical discourse analysis KW - Equity KW - Practical problems KW - Socio-political practice perspective LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2016 SM - 0013-1954 T1 - A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university TI - A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29167 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/29167
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationLe Roux K, Adler J. A critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African university. Educational Studies in Mathematics. 2016;91(2):227–246. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29167.en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.departmentAcademic Development Programme (ADP)en_US
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_US
dc.sourceEducational Studies in Mathematicsen_US
dc.source.journalissue2en_US
dc.source.journalvolume91en_US
dc.source.pagination227–246en_US
dc.source.uriEducational Studies in Mathematics
dc.subjectAccessen_US
dc.subjectAdvanced mathematicsen_US
dc.subjectAcademic developmenten_US
dc.subjectCalculus reformen_US
dc.subjectCritical discourse analysisen_US
dc.subjectEquityen_US
dc.subjectPractical problemsen_US
dc.subjectSocio-political practice perspectiveen_US
dc.titleA critical discourse analysis of practical problems in a foundation mathematics course at a South African universityen_US
dc.typeJournal Articleen_US
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