The Usefulness of Mathematics: Individual Versus Group Conceptions of Utility in Mathematics Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable: Self Beliefs and Valuing of Mathematics

Abstract

In the United States, there has been a significant emphasis on the notion of usefulness in mathematics. Most research on usefulness conceptualizes it in terms of individual forms of usefulness – such as for one’s future career, for daily life as an adult, or for one’s current day-to-day life. In this work, I explore two alternative conceptualizations of usefulness in mathematics: usefulness for the country and usefulness for one’s social or cultural group. Using policy documents that focus on the relationship between education and our country’s national security and international competitiveness, as well as more recent sociopolitical research in mathematics education, I explicate these perspectives and discuss potential implications of focusing solely on individual conceptions of usefulness in mathematics.

Author

• Tracy Dobie, Northwestern University