April 23, 2026
- Reimagining the Compulsory Mathematics Curriculum: A Social Justice Approach to Enhancing Relevance and Engagement for College Students in the Caribbean
- Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
- Description: Abstract of the dissertation-
This qualitative study examines students’ perceptions of the relevance and engagement of the compulsory mathematics curriculum in Caribbean colleges, with a focus on those who have completed MAT 142 – Algebra Essentials. Compulsory mathematics is often experienced as abstract, culturally disconnected, and misaligned with students’ academic and career aspirations, contributing to disengagement and low performance. The analysis generated three interconnected themes: shifting identities of mathematics learners, navigating MAT142 between challenge, support, and survival, and contested meanings of relevance. The findings indicate that students’ mathematical identities evolve over time and are influenced by the perceived relevance of learning experiences. While participants recognized Mathematics as meaningful in everyday contexts, they described the formal curriculum as abstract, fast-paced, and disconnected from their lived realities. - Related Web Site: Dissertation defense: Antonia Bernadette Laurent-Goodman
- Contact Information:
Rashmi Sharma
Phone: (309) 298-1690
Email: r-sharma@wiu.edu - Source: College of Education and Human Services
