Research organization

Background

In the midst of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, math education in Japan is also hitting a tipping point. Although mathematical solutions can be calculated to predict the number of coronavirus cases, matters such as state of emergency declarations are social issues that cannot be solved by mathematical solutions alone. Such “questions which can be asked of science and yet which cannot be answered by science” (Weinberg, 1972) are called trans-scientific questions. There, it is necessary to nurture the ability to coordinate mutual interests and to make decisions socially and mathematically. In other words, for shifting from a society seeking one and only solution to a society seeking the optimal solution, Skovsmose’s Towards a Philosophy of Critical Mathematics Education (1994) aims to develop a deep understanding of fair social situations and to nurture critical citizens through mathematics. Meanwhile, the absence of a coherent curriculum (Brantlinger, 2013) is noted as an issue. Our research is challenging in the sense that it envisions a paradigm shift of math education in Japan by constructing a model curriculum of Japanese-style critical mathematics education that harmonizes the philosophy of critical mathematics education with Japanese teaching culture.

In this research, skills required for a value pluralistic society are sought in critical thinking, and case studies on the subject of the development of such skills have been conducted at each school stage. In these case studies, it was difficult to uniformly define critical thinking in mathematics education across school types, and the critical thinking demonstrated in each practice was the aspect of the thinking aimed at in the class. In this research, we aim to clarify the characteristics of thinking in each school type and to explore the possibility of extension of social open-ended problems by tentatively defining “critical mathematical literacy” as literacy that “critically examines mathematical ideas employed depending on the situation” in addition to “social judgment based on values using mathematical ideas as a method” that conventional social open-ended questions strived for.

The significance is as follows: Post-truth, chosen as the word of the year in 2016 by Oxford University Press, is a term that expresses that appeal to personal beliefs and feelings has a bigger influence on the formation of public opinion than objective facts do (Matsushita, 2017). Considering such a current state of tendency of public opinions and its influence on academia, when the meaning of post-truth is interpreted in the context of mathematics education, individual values should not be discarded aside from mathematical ideas. In fact, although the Japanese Courses of Study guidelines (ex. the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, 2018, 2008/2011) also state that math instruction needs to be considered in relation to moral education, this has yet to be realized. One of the causes is thought to be the traditional views of mathematics education. In this research, on the other hand, the role of mathematics education is reconsidered in pointing out a new possibility emerging within mathematics education research progresses day by day through proposing concrete teaching materials (potential extension of social open-ended problems) and lesson practice, and it has the significance of making a breakthrough for the next generation of mathematics education. “Critical mathematical literacy,” as the ability to make decisions through public discussion and collaboration with citizens with diverse values, unabashedly and critically grasping the claims of experts on trans-science questions, is a literacy for those who wish to survive in the future. Therefore, this research initiative, which seeks to lay down the principles of mathematics education for the cultivation of such literacy, is significant.

Future plans

• September 2022: Workshop
• March 2023: Workshop

Contact the principal investigator if you are interested.

Research method

Research method 1

Clarification of “critical mathematical literacy” to be developed based on the philosophy of critical mathematics education, and development of teaching materials and practice for extension of ‘social open-ended problem’ in arithmetic and mathematics education.

In our previous studies, we internationally proposed a social open-ended teaching method with the goal of fostering social judgment based on mathematical ideas (Baba, 2009; Shimada & Baba, 2012), as an extension of a mathematical open-ended teaching method with the goal of fostering mathematical ideas (complied by Shimada, 1977). The educational practice of each school type on the basis of these social open-ended questions has been implemented so far, where teaching data have been accumulated. However, these data are purpose-specific and have not been systematically analyzed, nor have had cross-school/cross-subject analysis. In this research, we first identify students’ critical thinking in each school type by collecting and analyzing typical and selective case examples in each school type, and then analyze the similarities and differences in each school stage. Based on the reflection on this, we aim to clarify “critical mathematical literacy” developed from critical thinking, and to develop teaching materials for an extension of social open-ended problems that further emphasize the perspectives of social justice and ethics, with the aim of dealing with trans-science questions. These can serve as underlying data for establishing a model curriculum.

Research method 2

Establishment of new principles of mathematical education based on the above-mentioned

It is crucial to organize the efforts of Research method 1 and relate them to publicness and fairness in order to deal with trans-science questions. We examine developed cases comprehensively, and derive principles for the essence throughout the cases, the characteristics at each school stage, and the correspondence between context and values. We establish the principles of new mathematics education from cross-school and cross-subject viewpoints by comprehensive consideration from the theory of construction (cross-school/cross-subject), teleology (ethics and values), and educational materials (extenstion of social open-ended problems).

Reference

• Basic research C “Theoretical and practical studies on the development of critical thinking through mathematical modeling processes” (April 2021-March 2025) (Principal investigator: Yuichiro Hattori)
• Basic research C “Theoretical and practical research on the importance of social values and the development of mathematics skills for a value pluralistic society” (April 2017-March 2022) (Principal investigator: Isao Shimada)