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RESEARCH PAPER
Teachers’ perceptions about mathematics in a socio-religious context: A case from Pakistan
1
Aga Khan University, PAKISTAN
Publication date: 2021-12-20
EURASIA J. Math., Sci Tech. Ed 2021;17(12):em2059
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
This study investigated mathematics teachers’ beliefs about the nature of mathematics and the
contributory factors shaping them. A survey of 200 trained and untrained mathematics teachers
from public and private schools was carried out in Karachi Pakistan, a context with a strong
influence of religion on the socio-cultural practices of the people. The survey was followed by a
focus-group discussion with selected teachers and is the focus of this paper. This is a ground-breaking study in a hitherto under-researched socio-religious context.
Teachers across the system showed a strong similarity in beliefs. A commonly held view was that
mathematics is created by Allah and mathematicians have worked with this knowledge to invent
practical applications in service of religion. Teachers’ experiences of learning mathematics and
their deep-rooted religious beliefs shaped their views of mathematics. The study highlights the
sensitive and resilient nature of teachers’ beliefs and the significance of taking them into account
in reforming teacher education policy and practice.
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| eISSN: | 1305-8223 |
| ISSN: | 1305-8215 |
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