Supporting Elementary Mathematics Education in Rural Tanzanian Communities: Developing Relationships and International, Interdisciplinary, Cross-Sector Partnerships

• In Event: Complexities of Educational Experiences of Africans at Home and in the Diaspora

Abstract

Recognizing that “social innovation cannot be achieved by private action alone” (International Round Table on Social Innovation, 2010), the purpose of this paper is to describe the processes used to build relationships and develop an international, cross-sector, interdisciplinary partnership model to address the need for primary mathematics teacher development in rural and remote communities in Tanzania. Social innovation requires “new forms of collaboration, including “co-creation” and “co-production” among citizens and institutional actors” (International Round Table on Social Innovation, 2010, p. 1). Our partnership model, designed according to principles from complexity theory works towards co-creation and co-production of knowledge. In our case, “action” is through research studies, policy statements and teacher development strategies and activities.

Authors

• Florence A. Glanfield, University of Alberta

• Elaine Simmt, University of Alberta

• Joyce Mgombelo, Brock University

• Dawn Wiseman, University of Alberta