Impacts of Mathematics: Institutional Theory and Pedagogical Practices

Assessing the Impact of Mathematics
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Assessing the Impact of Mathematics
Mathematics guides individuals’ cultural beliefs and norms as expressed by institutional theory. In particular, the institutional theory emphasizes the resilient aspects of the social structure. The concept considers various processes, such as rules, routines, schemes, and norms that are established as social behavior authoritative guidelines (Module 4, 2022). Institutional theory can be used to examine a specific culture. Indeed, it focuses on cultural behaviors and three primary changes that are influenced by mathematics, namely normative, cognitive, and regulative changes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how mathematics guides cultural norms and beliefs as expressed by institutional theory and show how the concept supports pedagogical practices.
Institutional theory portrays that cultural norms and beliefs are guided by mathematics. The three changes that are influenced by mathematics significantly affect people’s cultural beliefs and norms. Regulative changes are meant to happen, cognitive changes are wished to occur, and normative changes must happen (Module 4, 2022). Notably, cultural beliefs are things that are shared by people in a particular culture. Norms are expectations or rules of behaviors that are based on shared beliefs. For mathematics to influence a culture, arguments must be made that boil down to variables, which express the relationship between cultures. For example, individuals from the same culture worship in a specific way. Children are required to treat their seniors with respect. In some cultures, they are required to bow when greeting older adults. Based on the institutional theory, the norm or belief of bowing when greeting one another is determined by the age of individuals. For instance, a mathematical relationship can be developed in this scenario. If the age of a person is 18 years and below, then the individual should bow when greeting those whose age is 30 years and above. As a result, cultural norms and beliefs are guided by mathematical relationships since they involve how variables relate to each other.
Furthermore, institutional theory supports peda...