Reimagining the sustainable and social justice mathematics classrooms in the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract

In this conceptual paper, we provide some ways to think about sustainability and a social justice approach to teaching of mathematics in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) classrooms. We imagine the mathematics classrooms in 4IR not only to provide sustainable education, but also to promote core values and qualities of social justice. The teaching of mathematics for social justice is a pedagogy that seeks to expose students to issues concerning power between social groups. It is an approach to teaching that seeks to enable students not only to maintain the status quo, but also to acquire the necessary skills to challenge current practices and offer alternatives. While there is an increasing emphasis on incorporating technology into the teaching and learning of mathematics to produce educated citizenry that will be able to function in 4IR, it is equally important that one guards against unintended consequences brought about by 4IR and not deny access to learners from a low socio-economic environment. Using critical discourse analysis, the paper argues that, as we usher 4IR into the mathematics classroom, one should also be mindful of the social skills that constitute humankind. Social skills and human capital are good foundations for understanding mathematical concepts, and critical skills need to operate effectively and productively in 4IR. Moreover, social skills such as persuasion and emotional intelligence are in higher demand across industries and in education sectors than narrow technical skills, which include, among others, programming or equipment operation and control.