Conceptualising and operationalising socio-mathematical agency

In this paper, I introduce a new theoretical construct of ‘socio-mathematical agency’ (SMA), which I define as the ability to use mathematics effectively to argue collectively for social change. I present a conceptualisation of SMA which embraces the need to generate powerful mathematical knowledge, and which draws on critical mathematics education in foregrounding the need to attend to learners’ individual and collective agency. I propose that developing SMA in learning mathematics can make a significant contribution towards cultivating the collective knowledge and critical understanding needed to address environmental, economic and social challenges facing global society. I present some suggestions for how SMA might be operationalized in the classroom, which I hope will generate further debate about the efficacy and possible future development of SM