The Thin End of the Wedge: South African Adult Offenders’ Empirically Calibrated Mathematics Learning Trajectories

Abstract

The substandard performance of children and adults in mathematics is a global conundrum. Studies identified large cohort of South African children who could not benchmark against their counterparts in standardized international tests. Similarly, an analysis of adults’ performance in mathematics reveals that mathematics understanding in adults’ learning contexts is direful. By assembling upon Gagne’s (1962) theorization of mathematics as a subject with a strong vertical demarcation and integration of concepts, the paper sought to explore adult offenders’ mathematics learning trajectories, with the context of Correctional Education Adult Education (AET) Level One to Adult Education and Training Level Four occupying the central focus. The phenomenon was viewed from the pragmatic epistemological stance. The study was framed within the QUANT-QUAL explanatory sequential mixed methods research design. For quantitative data, 150 adult offenders’ mathematics scores from standardized AET tests across four levels were analysed by SPSS, while qualitative data, inferred from 10 stratified sampled adult offenders through semi-structured interviews were analysed thematically. Based on empirical evidence, it was discovered that the combination of language barriers, prison contextual factors and AET curriculum structure inhibited adult offenders’ mathematics cognitive development. Furthermore, the findings were that language barriers, prison contextual factors and AET curriculum structure created a low ceiling, beyond which the progress in mathematics, across AET levels was improbable. Based on the findings, the model for flattening adult offenders’ mathematics learning trajectory is proposed, with implications on the use of multilingual pedagogies, Correctional Services Policy reform, and adult curriculum policy framework.