ERIC Number: EJ1178795
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
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ISSN: EISSN-2156-1400
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The Portrayal of Mathematicians and Mathematics in Popular Culture
Barba, Kimberly
Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College, v9 n1 p9-14 Spr 2018
Mathematicians are often inimically portrayed in popular culture, resulting in an abundance of non-mathematical identities in the classroom. Various tropes are propagated by the media that dominate our mental schemas of what makes a mathematician: the eccentric Einstein-like old man; the young, tortured genius; and the "genetically different" savant. However, these portrayals in popular culture can be used as a tool--rather than a hindrance--if teachers know how to present them properly in the classroom. Although the media often promotes mathematical myths, it can also be used to debunk them.
Descriptors: Mathematics, Professional Personnel, Popular Culture, Stereotypes, Mass Media Use, Mass Media Effects, Mathematics Instruction, Misconceptions
Program in Mathematics and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. 525 West 120th Street Box 210-M, New York, NY 10027. Web site: http://www.tc.columbia.edu/jmetc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
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Language: English
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