Describing mathematics departments: the strengths and limitations of complexity theory and activity theory

This paper draws on two studies of mathematics departments in 11-18 comprehensive maintained schools in England to compare and contrast the insights provided and questions raised by differing theoretical perspectives. In one study a mathematics department was viewed as a complex system and analysed accordingly. In the other activity theory was used to describe and analyse features of the departments involved. In both cases the departments involved were considered to be systems and it was the learning of the system rather than of individuals that was of interest. The affordances and limitations of the analytical perspectives are discussed. In this paper, mathematics departments are seen as identifiable systems, operating with a purpose that distinguishes them from other groups of people within their respective schools. Although mathematics teachers may have other roles, such as being form tutors, teaching other subjects, or undertaking management responsibilities outside the teaching of mathematics, they belong to the mathematics department with respect to their work of teaching the subject. Departments concerned with teaching different subjects may operate in similar ways for many purposes, such as putting school policies into practice, respondin