Pathways to equity in mathematics education: how life experiences impact researcher positionality

Abstract

This study examined the life histories of a group of emerging scholars in the field of mathematics education who identify themselves as having a particular interest in and concern for issues of equity and diversity. Experiences of being the "other," "bearing witness" to "othering experiences," and "orienting experiences" in relation to issues of equity proved to be prominent themes in participants' life histories. These experiences were then linked to the positionality that these scholars now have in relation to their research in mathematics education.

Seeing culture and power in mathematical learning: toward a model of equitable instruction

“…Some teachers may be more sensitive (Gresalfi, 2009) than others toward opportunities to develop these forms of noticing, despite having few experiences in which the interrelations between culture, power, and mathematics learning were made explicit. Future research might explore how and why mathematics teachers become aware of the relation between mathematics learning and issues of structural injustice (Foote & Gau, 2011), whether this is prompted by a different kind of classroom noticing, and what else they notice in classroom mathematics learning as a result.…”

What is the responsibility of mathematics education to the Indigenous students that it serves?

“…(p. 9) In this way, mathematics educators, including researchers, through the schooling that they promote can become active contributors to supporting an education for the good of the individual and the good of the society, in a far broader manner than simply valuing its potential economic benefits. As stated at the beginning of the paper, our own life experiences affect the sort of research we undertake and the data that we focus on (Foote & Bartell, 2011). However, the assumptions that such life experiences engender within us need to be questioned continually if we are to educate as ethically as our students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, need us to be.…”

A Mixed Methods Study Of The Implementation Of Collaborative Technology Tools For Enhancing Collaboration And Student Engagement In Online Learning: Faculty Experiences And Student Perspectives

“…This critical role requires clear identification of personal values and cultural norms that may influence the interpretation of the research findings. According to Foote and Bartell (2011), "the positionality that researchers bring to their work, and the personal experiences through which positionality is shaped, may influence what researchers may bring to research encounters, their choice of processes, and their interpretation of outcomes" (p. 46).…”