The Sociology of Mathematics Education: Mathematical Myths / Pedagogic Texts

by Paul Dowling

Overview

Until the 1960s, maths was studied as an academic subject in a desire to have more mathematicians. The current trend, however, has moved away from viewing maths as a purely intellectual endeavour and towards developing a more mathematically competent workforce and citizenry. This trend has seen a large increase in the number of maths schemes being produced by the major educational publishers, which attempt to make maths easier and more approachable by using language instead of symbols. So why do so many children still fail at maths? The author contends that to understand this, teachers need to analyze and evaluate the maths textbooks they are currently using. The author shows the reader how to systematically analyze and evaluate these textbooks. This interrogation of classroom resources, should have important implications for teaching strategies and for textbook design and use.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135710026
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	11/01/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Paul Dowling

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Mathematical Myths; Chapter 2 Juggling Pots and Texts; Chapter 3 Sociology, Education and the Production of 'Ability'; Chapter 4 The Analysis of School Texts: Some Empirical Antecedents; Chapter 5 Towards a Language of Description: Some Theoretical Antecedents; Chapter 6 Constructive Description and Social Activity Theory; Chapter 7 An Introduction to the Empirical Text; Chapter 8 The Textualizing of Algebra; Chapter 9 Genres of Production; Chapter 10 Setting and the Public Domain; Chapter 11 Interpellating the Teacher; Chapter 12 Disturbing and Re-establishing Equilibrium;

Editorial Reviews

Dowling (education, U. of London) uses social activity theory and semiotics to investigate the pedagogic texts used in the British secondary school mathematics scheme, SMP 11-16. His central concerns include the relationship of mythical forms to the strategies that constitute the texts, the manner in which school mathematics is established as a set of practices, and the divisions and distributions within mathematics and between mathematics and other practices. Distributed by Taylor & Francis. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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