Decolonising mathematics education: Towards a culturally relevant pedagogy

This study investigates the existence of Euro­centric biases in mathematics teacher education pro­grammes within South African higher education, focusing on the experiences and viewpoints of mathematics lectur­ers, mathematics student teachers, and department heads. It seeks to fill gaps in understanding how these biases impact educational practices and how the incorporation of cultur­ally responsive pedagogy can eliminate them. Underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm, this study employed a quali­tative research approach and a case study design. A purpos­ive sampling technique was used to select two mathematics lecturers, ten mathematics student teachers in their fourth year of study, and a head of department, resulting in a total of thirty-nine samples from three purposively selected tra­ditional universities across two provinces in South Africa. Thematic analysis was used to examine data gathered from semi-structured interviews, observational notes, and docu­ments. Thematic coding was performed inductively, lead­ing to the identification of principal themes that represent participants’ perspectives. Findings reveal a significant recognition of Eurocentric biases in mathematics education, with participants expressing concerns about the lack of culturally relevant content and pedagogical approaches. Based on the findings, the study concludes that addressing these biases is crucial for fostering inclusive educational environ­ments and enhancing the effectiveness of culturally responsive teaching in mathematics. It under­scores the need for mathematics teacher education programmes to align their curricula with the di­verse cultural contexts of South Africa, promoting social justice and equity in mathematics education.