Equity, knowledge and power in South Africa in three phases: A maths - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Equity, knowledge and power in South Africa in three phases: A maths education researcher perspective Panel presentation: Transforming society and mathematics education in South Africa Jill Adler, Wits & KCL MES7, Cape Town, 2 March 2013 2013/04/02 MES7 2013 1

PDME2 1993 Desire, repression and ethnomathematics Nick Taylor Respondents: Paula Ensor, John Volmink

School mathematics performance 2012

Access for all, Learning (epistemic access) for some

Simplify where possible: 3x – y + x (Level 3) Prevalence in WMCS Data ICCAMS Codes + WMCS Codes Grade 9 Grade 11 Missing 7.1 7.8 Correct 4x-y Missing Letter Evaluated 16 48.8 2 4x-y a)±4xy 0.3 0 Conjoining 2 b)3xy 6.5 5.5 a)2xy b) 2x-y ±4xy Additional Wrong c) 4x+y d) Other 11.8 3.6 3xy 2.4 2.3 2xy 0.7 2.5 2x-y 3.4 4.8 4x+y 51.8 24.7 Other 2013/01/15 5

Dominant discourses and positions over time TIME Pre 1994 1995 - 2008 2009 - present Positions/ actions Discourses Framing Equity, knowledge, power (Janks) Maths Curriculum Maths Ed Research

Dominant discourses and positions over time TIME Pre 1994 Anti-State Positions/ Opposition actions Dichotomies Oppressed/or Powerful/less Discourses Banking/Processing Them/us Framing Access and/to power Janks 2010 Knowledge of the powerful Access, power, Access for all diversity design Apartheid curriculum Maths Segregation Curriculum Subjugation Verwoerd’s legacy Maths Ed Critical maths Research Ethnomaths

Dominant discourses and positions over time TIME Pre 1994 1995 - 2008 Anti-State Pro-State Positions/ Opposition Development - Design actions Dichotomies Boundaries Oppressed/or Maths knowledge  Powerful/less Academic-everyday  Discourses Banking/Processing Academic – work  Them/us Expert - representative Professional knowledge  Maths – pedagogy  Received – produced (texts) Framing Access and/to power Diversity and design Janks 2010 Knowledge of the powerful ‘Negotiated’ (Language/m Access for all All are capable - No deficits aths) Apartheid curriculum MLMMS – integrated Maths Segregated Outcomes – critical and specific Curriculum Authoritarian Verwoerd’s legacy for maths NCS - (Maths/Maths lite) Outcomes – content Maths Ed Critical maths Reform pedagogy Research Ethnomaths Participation Community

Dominant discourses and positions over time TIME Pre 1994 1995 - 2008 2009 - present Anti-State Pro-State Pro – Civil society Positions/ Opposition Development - Design Redesign actions Dichotomies Boundaries Complexity Oppressed/or Maths knowledge  Powerful/less Academic-everyday And not or …  Discourses Banking/Processing Academic – work Far harder, more complex  Them/us Expert - representative and contradictory than Professional knowledge Anticipated/realised  Maths – pedagogy  Received – produced (texts) Race Framing Access and/to power Diversity and design Access, power, diversity REDESIGN Janks 2010 Knowledge of the powerful ‘Negotiated’ Powerful knowledge Always about race (Language/m Access for all All are capable - No deficits Loss of potential aths) Rarely only about race Apartheid curriculum MLMMS – integrated NCS – CAPS Maths Segregated Outcomes – critical and specific Curriculum Authoritarian Topics Verwoerd’s legacy for maths NCS - (Maths/Maths lite) Increasing prescription Outcomes – content What, how and when Maths Ed Critical maths Reform pedagogy Identity Research Ethnomaths Participation Community Powerful maths

Concluding comments (from Janks, 2010) • ‘Access’ a double -edged sword (access paradox) • Access to powerful knowledge increases and entrenches its power ….

Desire for what one is excluded from, particularly mathematics and language is not simply of symbolic value – it has material consequences – both mathematics and English open and close doors to further study and employment “Becoming what we lack changes who we are. Something is always lost in the process. As educators, changing people is our work – work that should not be done without a profound respect for the otherness of our students. Desiring what one is not should not entail giving up what one is” (Janks) Enabling others to access mathematics – to do mathematics - is our work