Questioning (in) school mathematics : lifeworlds and ecologies of practice
type: CreativeWork
description: The nature and experience of participation in school mathematics classrooms is considered through the analytical frames of community of practice theory (Lave and Wenger 1991; Wenger 1998) and the lifeworld by focussing on interactions generated by verbal teacher questioning of the whole class. The thesis reports on an explorative, personal inquiry that complements theoretical reflection with research material generated through interviews with learners of mathematics and by participant observation in school mathematics classes. The methodology is qualitative, hermeneneutical and engaged, and influenced by the principles of participative action research and co-operative inquiry in the context of post-modernist thought. The concept of usual school mathematics is developed to describe dominant social practices in mathematics in schools. Through an analysis of teacher questioning and the learners' experiences of it, the meaning of participation is problematised. The nature of marginal rather than legitimate peripheral participation in usual school mathematics classrooms shows that they are not communities of practice and are better described as regimes of practice. 'Ecologies of practices' is proposed as more flexible construct that allows the diversity of networks and practice in classroomsto be theorised. The nature of particular ecologies can be described(and researched) using similar dimensions to community of practice theory and this is illustrated by a case study which contrasts usual school mathematics practices with those that foster greater engagement by participants. The concept of the lifeworld supports understanding of the different experience of participants in ecologies of practice of mathematics and teacher questioning. The entities in mathematical lifeworld of learners of mathematics are not just simpler versions or a smaller subset of those in teachers' lifeworld but are existentially and ontologically different and this requires investigation. A case st…
abstract: The nature and experience of participation in school mathematics classrooms is considered through the analytical frames of community of practice theory (Lave and Wenger 1991; Wenger 1998) and the lifeworld by focussing on interactions generated by verbal teacher questioning of the whole class. The thesis reports on an explorative, personal inquiry that complements theoretical reflection with research material generated through interviews with learners of mathematics and by participant observation in school mathematics classes. The methodology is qualitative, hermeneneutical and engaged, and influenced by the principles of participative action research and co-operative inquiry in the context of post-modernist thought. The concept of usual school mathematics is developed to describe dominant social practices in mathematics in schools. Through an analysis of teacher questioning and the learners' experiences of it, the meaning of participation is problematised. The nature of marginal rather than legitimate peripheral participation in usual school mathematics classrooms shows that they are not communities of practice and are better described as regimes of practice. 'Ecologies of practices' is proposed as more flexible construct that allows the diversity of networks and practice in classroomsto be theorised. The nature of particular ecologies can be described(and researched) using similar dimensions to community of practice theory and this is illustrated by a case study which contrasts usual school mathematics practices with those that foster greater engagement by participants. The concept of the lifeworld supports understanding of the different experience of participants in ecologies of practice of mathematics and teacher questioning. The entities in mathematical lifeworld of learners of mathematics are not just simpler versions or a smaller subset of those in teachers' lifeworld but are existentially and ontologically different and this requires investigation. A case st…
author: Boylan, Mark Stephen
language: en
date published: 2004-03
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:31:00Z
provider: Sheffield Hallam University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Sheffield Hallam University