Abstract
The notion of identity is often used in mathematics education research in an
attempt to link individual and social understandings of mathematical learning. In this paper
we review existing research making use of the notion of identity, and we point to some of the
strengths and weaknesses in the ways the notion of identity is being constructed. We propose
a conceptualization of the notion which points to the fragility and instability of identifi cation
processes as embedded into discourse. We contend that a notion of identity formulated from
a poststructuralist perspective and emphasising the dialectic relationship between identifi cation
and discourse offers interesting possibilities for interpretations of mathematical learning as a
fragile process characterised more by discontinuities and disruptions than by continuity and
stability. We further argue that a poststructuralist notion of fragile identities in action allows
us to bring attention to what is normally considered as “noise” or “impossibilities” in our
understandings of mathematics education and classroom interaction.
| Translated title of the contribution | Identities-in-action: On the fragility of discourseand identity in mathematics classrooms |
|---|---|
| Original language | Spanish |
| Journal | Educação Unisinos |
| Volume | 132 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 97-109 |
| ISSN | 1519-387X |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Keywords
- discurso de la clase
- discurso
- identidad
- aprendizaje
- educación matemática
- classroom discourse
- discourse
- identity
- learning
- mathematics education