Mathematics Education and life experience: research in Irish prisons

Mathematics Education built on life experience: research in Irish prisons

In the webinar, Catherine will describe the ways that prison teachers create a safe learning space within a prison environment to enable learners to bring their educational hopes and dreams to fruition. This involves building on the real-life mathematics experiences of the students, and the invisible skills that students have acquired through life.

She will describe how she makes help people to engage in learning in this context and how she works with the students to increase their awareness of their hidden skills that they acquire through their everyday uses of mathematics. The students often grow in confidence and self-esteem from this discovery of their invisible mathematics skills.

Many people entering prison have no educational certification, and many have issues with reading, writing and mathematics. Achieving national accreditation therefore means a lot to them. Attending education in prisons can have positive benefits for prisoners during their detention and in their future lives. Mathematics is a gateway subject and restarting maths in prison can help people to unlatch the gate.

Her research is looking at mathematics competency, mathematical self-efficacy, motivation, mathematical resilience, and mathematics learning histories.