The Portrayal of Mathematicians and Mathematics in Popular Culture
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, tor...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Columbia University Libraries
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College |
| Online Access: | https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/jmetc/article/view/599 |
| Summary: | 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.
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| ISSN: | 2156-1400 2156-1397 |