Crisis in mathematics education. Student failure: challenges and possibilities

Abstract

The mathematics education community has recently submitted a proposal to the Council of Education Ministers about the crisis in Mathematics Education in South Africa. The purpose of the submission was to both outline and define the crisis and to make suggestions regarding the role of both National and Provincial governments in addressing the crisis (Amesa News 2000). This article suggests that there is a similar crisis at the tertiary level where students are failing mathematics. For example, in UDW - this article is about WHY students are failing Mathematics Education one in the School of Educational Studies at the University of Durban-Westville. The article also provides a rationale of the study, the method used in collecting and analysing the data, some of the main findings and recommendations for teacher education institutions in South Africa.


South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.15(3) 2001: 66-73