Challenging task-driven pedagogies of mathematics

Abstract

Much primary mathematics teachers’ work consists of designing, selecting, assigning, and monitoring learning tasks. This paper uses postmodern perspectives to examine task-oriented pedagogies of mathematics, demonstrating how the discourse supporting such pedagogies conflicts both with the discourse embodied in international declarations which advance children’s right to participation in decisions affecting their lives, and also with participatory principles espoused within the discourse of ‘good governance’. The paper raises issues about children’s autonomy, entitlement to control their learning environment, and spontaneous determination of their own educational journeying and considers alternative discourses of participant-determined mathematical learning.