The Mathematical Network: Exploring Cultural and Epistemological Dimensions of Leveraging Social Media in Mathematics Education

This chapter explores social media within their cultural environment. By connecting the characterising features of the embedding digital culture to Wenger’s theorisation of learning in social contexts as a balance of reification and participation, the chapter will investigate a dual approach to harness social media educational potential in the mathematics classroom: one centred on content and the other on behaviour. The first approach involves sourcing digital content from social media, such as mathematical memes or videos, and using them to inspire educational resources in the classroom. The second approach explores the adoption of behaviours and dynamics typical of social media within the school environment. For example, mathematical discussion can be transferred to instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, allowing students to interact in a less formal and more immediate way. Both approaches, when grounded in an understanding of the cultural context shaping them, can propel a transformative impact on educational practices. The purpose of the chapter is to illuminate the cultural implications involved in recontextualising social media within mathematics education, offering insights to combine effectively social media with known teaching practices to enhance mathematics teaching and learning.