Georgia Southern University Digital Commons@Georgia Southern Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of Spring 2017 “i’m Not Good at Math”: Mathematical Illiteracy and Innummeracy in the United States G. Wesley Rogers Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Higher Education and Teaching Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, and the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Recommended Citation Rogers, G. Wesley, "“i’m Not Good at Math”: Mathematical Illiteracy and Innummeracy in the United States" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1597. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1597 This dissertation (open access) is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies, Jack N. Averitt College of at Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Georgia Southern. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “I’M NOT GOOD AT MATH”: MATHEMATICAL ILLITERACY AND INNUMMERACY IN THE UNITED STATES by GERALD WESLEY ROGERS (Under the Direction of John Weaver) ABSTRACT Why do we view mathematics the way we do in the United States and how have these views created an environment where we consider mathematical illiteracy and innumeracy socially and culturally acceptable when a lack of this knowledge and ability can function to enslave, exploit, restrict, and oppress. Throughout this investigation, I have explored some of the possible reasons for why we view education, mathematics, and the learning of mathematics the way we do and the impact of these views on our motivation and desire to learn mathematics. Using my over 20 years of teaching experience and the review of literature from writers such as Brent Davis, Peter Appelbaum, Susan Jacoby, Paul Ernest, Eric Gutstein, Fordham and Ogbu, Valerie Walkerdine, David Jardine, Winthrop Jordan, John Paulos, Edward Said, Antonio Gramsci, Paulo Freire, Stuart Hall, and many others, I investigated the influence of mathematics as a discipline, mathematics curriculum and pedagogy, race, gender, social class, standardized tests, intellectuals, anti-intellectuals, anti-intellectualism, and our various social and cultural institutions such as schools, teachers, the family, peers and peer culture, the mass media, and the corporate order in historically, socially, and culturally constructing, shaping, and reinforcing our views. These views have resulted in an environment where people have no desire or motivation to learn mathematics even though a lack of this ability may be detrimental to the individual as well as their communities. Finally, I envision a different world of/in/with mathematics that can hopefully help us find solutions for many of the issues associated with mathematics education in the United States. INDEX WORDS: Dissertation, Mathematics, Mathematical illiteracy, Innumeracy, Cultural Studies, Postmodernism, College of Graduate Studies, Student, Graduate degree, Georgia Southern University “I’M NOT GOOD AT MATH”: MATHEMATICAL ILLITERACY AND INNUMMERACY IN THE UNITED STATES by GERALD WESLEY ROGERS B.S., Georgia Southern University, 1995 M.S., Georgia Southern University , 1997 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION STATESBORO, GEORGIA © 2017 GERALD WESLEY ROGERS All Rights Reserved 1 “I’M NOT GOOD AT MATH”: MATHEMATICAL ILLITERACY AND INNUMMERACY IN THE UNITED STATES by GERALD WESLEY ROGERS Major Professor: John Weaver Committee: Ming Fang Ha Marla Morris Donna Saye Electronic Version May 2017 2 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my family, friends, and peers, who have encouraged me and given me the motivation and desire to succeed. 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my appreciation to my committee: Dr. John Weaver, committee chair, Dr. Ming Fang He, Dr. Marla Morris, and Dr. Donna Saye. I would like to thank them all for their encouragement and patience. In addition, I would like to thank all of the teachers and people I have met throughout this program at Georgia Southern University, for helping to open my eyes to a whole new world of learning and experience to see the world in a totally new perspective. This accomplishment has been one of the most difficult and one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their help and support throughout this long journey. I really enjoy many of our discussions on mathematics and education and hope they continue in the future. In conclusion I would like to thank all my families and friends for their sacrifice during this project. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...............................................................................................................3 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 5 2 CURRICULUM STUDIES AND MATHEMATICS ...................................................54 3 ISSUES OF RACE AND GENDER ASSOCIATED WITH EDUCATION AND MATHEMATICS ........................................................................................................109 4 INTELLECTUALS, ANTI-INTELLECTUALS, AND MATHEMATICS ...............156 5 THE MASS MEDIA IMPACT ON MATHEMATICS IN OUR CULTURE AND SOCIETY .................................................................................................................... 195 6 CHAOS IN MATHEMATICS AND CURRICULUM STUDIES .............................249 7 ENVISIONING A DIFFERENT WORLD OF/IN/WITH MATHEMATICS ............ 276 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................300 5 CHAPTER 1 “I’M NOT GOOD AT MATH”: MATHEMATICAL ILLITERACY AND INNUMMERACY IN THE UNITED STATES Why do we view education and mathematics the way we do in the United States and how have these views created an environment where it is socially and culturally acceptable to be mathematically illiterate and innumerate and accept poor math skills as the norm? For example, if a person is mathematically illiterate, they have an inability to recognize and understand basic mathematical signs, symbols, and operations, and lack the necessary problem solving and critical thinking skills necessary to function in society. According to Paulos in Innumeracy: Mathematical illiteracy and its consequences (2001), an innumerate person has “an inability to deal comfortably with the fundamental notions of number and chance” (p. 3). Without this knowledge and ability, people risk being easily misled, manipulated, and taken advantage of with numbers. Nevertheless, “a sizable minority of adult Americans wouldn't be able to pass a simple test on percentages, decimals, fractions, and conversions from one to another" (Paulos, 2001, p.164). Many of my students find these basic mathematical computations very difficult. But why? Aren’t these skills and knowledge necessary for a person to make informed educated decisions? Furthermore, if we consider ourselves a just society, it would be in our best interest for everyone to become mathematically literate and numerate because although mathematical knowledge and ability can be liberating and empowering, a lack of this knowledge can function to enslave, exploit, and oppress. What are my issues and concerns? As a teacher, I am concerned about the many contradictions that exist in the way our U.S. culture and society views education and our current reality, because our actions aren’t consistent 6 with our rhetoric. For example, isn’t it strange that people in our society claim to value education and consider knowledge and learning important; however, overwhelming numbers of people fear, loathe, and despise anything perceived as learning. They often rationalize why learning is not the social or cultural norm and commonly make statements about how learning something new makes their heads hurt. However this type of rhetoric when consumed by the masses, creates an anti-intellectualist sentiment so widespread that learning and the acquisition of knowledge are perceived as some type of punishment or torture. The question is why? The acquisition of knowledge is necessary for a person to reach their full human potential and transform society for the better. Nevertheless, we still have schools that are in serious disrepair and should be condemned; teachers who are not qualified to teach their respective subjects, or who don't care anything about the education of our youth but only teach because it is a job; a lottery for kids in poverty so that they can have a chance to attend a good school; a staggering drop-out rate, inequality, and social injustice on a grand scale. Why? How can this be when we are told time and time again that in the United States everyone is entitled to an equal and quality education? The only problem with this premise is almost nothing is “equal,” because we live in a capitalist society of winners and losers or what Peter McLaren in Capitalist and conquerors calls “capitalist accumulation of a winner-take-all variety” (2005, p. 23); a society where competition trumps equality and the winners always have more than the losers. A society