Teachers' Facilitation of Students' Critical Mathematic Competences by Engaging Them in Climate Change

• In Event: 15.048 - Is Another Mathematics Possible? Mathematics and the Living World

Abstract

Climate change is one of society's biggest challenges. It is both urgent and complex to deal with. The extent of mathematics involved to describe, predict and to communicate the problem calls for involvement of mathematics education (Barwell, 2013). The objective for this research was to investigate how climate change in the mathematic classroom can develop students' critical mathematics competences. The study has a perspective towards both how teachers can facilitate different classroom activities, and on how students can critically reflect on issues of climate change. The theoretical foundation is from two fields, critical mathematics education and post-normal science. Skovsmose (2014) characterized critical mathematics education by concerns, "To address social exclusion and suppression, to work for social justice in whatever form possible, to try open new possibilities for students, and to address critically mathematics in all its forms and application" (p. 116). Other researchers such as Frankenstein (1983) and Gutstein (2006) have emphasised critical consciousness, education for social change, and social justice. Funtowicz & Ravetz (2003) refer to issues where "facts are uncertain, values are in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent" (p. 1) as post-normal science, and argue that citizens must be involved in decision making along with the experts, in an extended peer community. Critical mathematics education and post-normal science emphasize the social and political aspects of society, critique how citizens can engage in constructive ways, emphasize uncertainty and complexity, and portray a perspective that science or mathematics are neither objective, certain, neutral or value-free.

The data for the research was collected through a one and half year research partnership with three mathematics and natural science teachers and their 15-16 year old students. The partnership was inspired by action research. Seven research partnership meetings with the teachers were audio recorded, and 42 classroom activities were video and audio-recorded. In addition, students' and teachers' written materials were collected. The results from the teachers' perspectives showed that the they facilitated different teaching activities, e.g., field-work with climate change parameters (such as temperature and CO2 levels), group-work with the excursion-report, and reflected on some of the challenges and opportunities experienced through the different classroom activities. Preliminary results on the students' perspective showed that they critically engage in climate change issues, and that the mathematics involved was intertwined with personal views and ethical stands on how to deal with climate change issues. This empirical study demonstrates that when complex problems such as climate change are included in school mathematics, opportunities and challenges for teachers and students to engage in "real-life" mathematics are relevant and meaningful.

Author

• Lisa Steffensen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences