Abstract
This article explores a smaller slice of a larger research project in an upper secondary school, on the social science program, in Sweden. A pedagogy that connected mathematics to society, with societal issues on the agenda, as intended within the domain of sociomathematics and supported by stated objectives in the Swedish national curriculum was arranged in two classrooms. An environment with possibilities for students to achieve agency and by that gain ownership in their learning of mathematics was aimed for. The students’ learnt mathematics through collaborative project work, inspired by critical mathematics education. Three carefully chosen teaching sequences, developed in the course, are explored in a way so that they illuminate different ways of conducting project work; the reasons for the context development and problems that arose. Locating the experiences in the socio-cultural context of the school gave an understanding of the complex situations that impacted on the choices of contextual topics and design of the projects. Assessment issues that arose are discussed. The students’ voices are accounted for through their comments on a blog, through interviews and evaluations. The findings in this case study indicate that students who not usually participated or achieved well in mathematics education told different or new stories about their engagement and their results in mathematics during and after project work.
