Browsing by Author "Frenzel, Jeanne-Mari"

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    Identity and modelling in mathematical literacy : a case study in designing mathematical literacy investigations
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-03) Frenzel, Jeanne-Mari; Lampen, Erna; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Curriculum Studies.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : This study was a case study undertaken as qualitative research, from the interpretivist paradigm. This case study was the case of observing the mathematical identities of an entire cohort of grade 11 Mathematical Literacy learners from a quintile four school. Mathematical Literacy is a uniquely South African subject, offered as an alternative to Mathematics with the aims of improving accessibility to mathematics education and improve mathematical literacy rates in the country. This study aimed to observe how the learners’ mathematical identities may be influenced by their interaction with context-rich Mathematical Literacy material. I focussed on identity in terms of to what extent these learners perceived mathematics to be useful in their present and idealised future lives, and how these views informed the learners’ motivations to engage in Mathematical Literacy. Data collection was done using multiple data sources such as questionnaires, written reflections by the learners, work produced by the learners and a focus group interview. The data was collected over three months, with multiple visits to the school. As a base, an initial Likert Scale questionnaire was administered to all 170 participants to establish their current views about Mathematical Literacy and about themselves as individuals capable of, and willing to learn mathematics. The learners were then invited to participate in two separate mathematical modelling orientation sessions. During these sessions, learners were given the opportunity to discuss and attempt to mathematise problems they were experiencing in their school environment. I used the ideas produced by the learners to formalise two mathematical investigations based on mathematical modelling principles. These mathematical investigations were completed by all the learners as part of their formal school assessment program, within the curriculum requirements and with permission from the school. The learners’ work from these investigations were mapped against existing modelling competencies. Based on their individual reflections to the orientation sessions, their questionnaire responses, and their willingness to participate, a group of 10 learners were selected for a focus group interview. The focus group interviews provided insight into how the learners’ experiences with the context-rich investigations, as well as with Mathematical Literacy in general, informed their mathematical identities. I analysed the focus group data using grounded theory and thematic analysis. From the data it was evident that these learners held an overtly positive mathematical identity that had been established through their keen ability to accept only positive narratives from their immediate environments, and to disregard narratives that threatened their self-held views. The data also indicated that being solely exposed to standardised, contextually shallow materials had hindered the learners’ ability to envision the role of mathematics in their lives, thus further misinforming their identities. In conclusion, I draw on the literature about the global need for mathematical literacy, as well as the nature and intended aims of Mathematical Literacy as a subject to argue a cause for the use of mathematical modelling as a means of instruction to enrich learning experiences and accurately inform the learners’ mathematical identities.
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    Learners’ awareness of their emotions and their engagement with mathematics tasks in a mathematics club
    (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2019) Frenzel, Jeanne-Mari; Lampen, Christine Erna; Brodie, Karin
    The role and influence of emotional experiences while working on mathematics tasks on learners’ decisions to engage or disengage is underresearched in South Africa. Cognitive education research points increasingly to the importance of emotional intelligence in cognitive activities. In this paper we describe the use of an emotions naming tool in a mathematics club setting with Grade 8 learners to help them gain more accurate awareness of their emotional experiences during tasks. We used observations, questionnaires and interviews to gather data about the learners’ awareness of emotions and their engagement and perseverance with mathematics tasks. Our results with this small group of learners indicate that consciousness about emotions through access to emotions vocabulary has positive influence on learners’ motivation for mathematical engagement, but that the expected social consequences of engagement in emotionally risky classrooms vitiate the personal gains.