Contextualising Educational Reform in Egypt: An embedded case study of mathematics teachers' perceptions about problem solving

Rooted in the wider historical context of socio-cultural and socio-political trends of schooling in modern Egypt, this study presents a contextual embedded case study of mathematics teachers' reported perceptions about problem solving across Egyptian missionary schools of varying socio-cultural standings. This is a timely investigation given the current nationwide reform initiative for schools to shift away from a memorisation oriented approach to mathematics instruction; an initiative that has been locally received with skepticism and criticism. Using the Goodson Change Model as a theoretical framework, the overarching aim of the study was to explore inter- and intra-cultural power dynamics across multiple layers of agency, in an attempt to uncover contextual influences on reported problem solving associations of mathematics teachers across the socio-cultural clusters of schooling. Specifically, the study used focus groups to explore how mathematics teachers in six schools, offering national compulsory education, varied in their understanding of the meaning of problem solving tasks, along with its classroom integration. Contextual barriers and enablers affecting the reported teacher perceptions were also explored. The analysis was based partly on the Mathematical Task Analysis Guide. Results showed minimal trends that could indicate an interrelatedness between the socio-cultural context of schooling and teacher perceptions about mathematical problem solving. Instead, the way that the teachers perceived the meaning and value of mathematical problem solving seemed to present itself more as a function of the unique local micro-culture of their school. A strong schooling microculture appeared to have the power to impose itself as a change agent to its stationed society, thereby overcoming the social and cultural hinderances imposed on it from the wider societal and political context where it was situated. This finding has important implications for future research and development work in the Egyptian schooling context.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Cambridge

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Makramalla, Mariam

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stylianides, Andreas

• context
• problem solving
• mathematics teachers
• socio-cultural
• power dynamics

Licence

• https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/77621dd0-7460-42a4-a04d-4d5adcfefc13/download
• https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/

Language dc:language

eng

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.68791

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/321672