Socio-Cognitive-Affective Barriers to Mathematics Education in Developing Nations

Abstract

Mathematics (maths) education can be defined in terms of formal mathematics learning and teaching, typically within a primary/secondary school, college, or university context. This usually involves one or more qualified professionals taking responsibility for learners of maths. However, it also encompasses informal maths learning, e.g., pre-school and home environments. This involves parent–child interactions ranging from number play to more structured support with children’s school homework. The concept of maths itself can be considered in relation to basic number facts and procedures, including simple multiplication facts and counting. It also includes elements of maths progressively covered within formal education, e.g., numerical reasoning and problem-solving, measurement, shapes, geometry, fractions, and algebra. Functional maths includes the application of maths to real-world contexts. In the context of maths learning and education, social barriers include home-level socioeconomic factors, but also the wider economic position and availability of resources of a country. These factors range from poverty related to food, sanitation, relevant materials (e.g., textbooks or information technology), and money. Influencing factors can also be intangible factors such as societal attitudes that hinder or disadvantage certain groups. Cognitive barriers are limitations in the development of cognitive resources required for successful mathematical competency, e.g. attentional processes, language, and memory. Affective barriers are feelings and emotions that can hinder one’s ability to successfully learn and apply maths, the most common being maths anxiety. Such barriers can be discussed in the context of developing nations, which can be defined according to whether they appear in the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of countries eligible to receive official development assistance (ODA). This is based on countries with a comparatively low income per capita (according to the World Bank) and the least developed countries as defined by the United Nations. The list is updated every 3 years. As such, discussion of empirical evidence within a specific country needs to be in the context of whether the country appeared as a DAC-list ODA recipient at the time at which the work was conducted.