| 1. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, et al.
(author)
-
Ethics as part of mathematical reasoning in sharing
- 2023
-
In: Prometeica. - : Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo. - 1852-9488. ; :27, s. 649-657
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a greater need in today's society, to understand and critically discuss how the limited resources of our planet are allocated. Often, mathematical models are used in connection with resource allocation problems, and a common view is that mathematics in itself is neutral. In this article, we challenge this view of mathematics as a neutral practice through an analysis of possible solutions to a sharing task. The tasks come from a research project aiming to study how mathematics can support ethical reasoning and ethical arguments can support different mathematical solutions when sharing a resource. In ethical reasoning, three components are addressed: Information, Coherence, and Engagement. We show that ethical reasoning is part of mathematical reasoning in all the solutions to the task, independent of whether the dividend is treated as indivisible or divisible.
|
|
| 2. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, et al.
(author)
-
How long will it take to have a 60/40 balance in mathematics in mathematics PhD education in Sweden?
- 2016
-
In: Proceedings of the 40th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. - : International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. - 9781365463457 ; , s. 251-258
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We investigate female participation in PhD education in mathematics. Nine of eleven subject areas for PhD studies in Sweden had reached a 60/40 gender balance in 2010, the exceptions being mathematics and engineering and technology. Using linear regression, we fit a growth model to the increase in the proportion of female PhD students. We show that mathematics has a slower growth rate in female participation than other subjects, and present differences can’t be attributed simply to a lower initial female participation. If current trends continue, it will take approximately another 15 years for mathematics to reach a 60/40 gender balance.
|
|
| 3. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
La ética como parte del razonamiento matemático en el compartir
- 2023
-
In: Prometeica. - 1852-9488. ; :27, s. 649-657
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is a greater need in today's society, to understand and critically discuss how the limited resources of our planet are allocated. Often, mathematical models are used in connection with resource allocation problems, and a common view is that mathematics in itself is neutral. In this article, we challenge this view of mathematics as a neutral practice through an analysis of possible solutions to a sharing task. The tasks come from a research project aiming to study how mathematics can support ethical reasoning and ethical arguments can support different mathematical solutions when sharing a resource. In ethical reasoning, three components are addressed: Information, Coherence, and Engagement. We show that ethical reasoning is part of mathematical reasoning in all the solutions to the task, independent of whether the dividend is treated as indivisible or divisible.
|
|
| 4. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, et al.
(author)
-
Modelling gender differences in participation in PhD studies in mathematics
- 2021
-
In: SN Social Sciences. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2662-9283. ; :1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In most subject areas, the proportion of women PhD students is around 50%. Mathematics differs despite minimal differences between boys’ and girls’ school achievements. In this paper, we show, drawing on Swedish data from the last 45 years, that low female participation in mathematical PhDs is due to low participative growth rates rather than historical low levels. In comparison, science has twice as strong growth rate, while non-STEM subjects have grown four times faster. The results show that gender differences regarding participation is indeed dynamic, but changes do not occur despite political initiatives such as laws on non-discrimination and encouragement of equal parental leave. Instead, the results imply that in order for maths departments to avoid continuing being gendered institutions, it requires active changes in structures and working environment.
|
|
| 5. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, et al.
(author)
-
Sharing Four Biscuits Between Three People: An Illustrative Example of How Mathematics is Intertwined with Human Values
- 2024
-
In: Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. - : Claremont Colleges Library. - 2159-8118. ; 14:1, s. 74-93
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite convincing arguments by mathematicians, philosophers, sociologists and machine learning practitioners to the contrary, there remains a widespread no- tion amongst many members of the general public (and some practitioners) that mathematics is neutral, that it is free from human values. One reason why this notion persists is that we lack clear-cut examples that demonstrate how math- ematics and values are intertwined. In this paper, we offer one such example. In particular, we show that when sharing four biscuits between three people, several possible mathematical and ethical frameworks can be used. We demon- strate that different solutions—hiding one biscuit, arbitrarily sharing the extra biscuit, randomizing allocation, dividing the extra biscuit into three parts, and successively dividing it into smaller and smaller parts—involve different mathe- matical methods and evoke different human values. We discuss the construction of quantum biscuit splitting devices and the use of machine learning to divide biscuits. We argue that the multitude of different mathematically-correct so- lutions to this problem (each with its own ethical justification) might influence the values held by practicing mathematicians. The example we propose here has been used in teaching to help students understand why mathematics cannot be cleanly separated from human values.
|
|
| 6. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, et al.
(author)
-
Understanding Segregation : Upper Secondary School Student’s Work with the Schelling Model
- 2019
-
In: Proceedings of the Tenth International Mathematics Education and Society Conference.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There are few research studies focusing on how humans can better understand segregation using mathematical models. In this paper, we explore how upper secondary school students work with the Schelling model using a computer game that was purposely designed for this study. The students were then allowed to run the model themselves. The results show that it was difficult to anticipate the degree to which segregation is generated within the model. The students mainly gave two types of explanations for the results. The first one was based on human psychology and the other was based on the mathematical principle that underlie the utility function of the model. The results are discussed from a perspective that illustrates the complexity of the subject, rather than as a measure of the teaching intervention.
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Sumpter, Lovisa, 1974-, et al.
(author)
-
Upper secondary school students' gendered self-evaluation in mathematics
- 2022
-
In: Twelfth Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (CERME12). - : European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. ; , s. 1434-1441
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Self-evaluation is considered one of the key concepts when trying to understand motivation, and it is gaining more interest especially when looking at the age span 15-18 years. Previous studies in self- evaluation and mathematics tend to use data from international large scales assessments, arriving with rather ambiguous conclusions, and smaller studies tend to use only one measure without control factors. The aim of this paper was to test the hypothesis that boys are more confident than girls in mathematics, while using Swedish as a control subject. A questionnaire was handed out to 399 upper secondary school students from different regions in Sweden, both vocational programmes and programmes preparing for further studies. Using both non-parametric analysis and linear regression, the results support the hypothesis. The relationship to the idea of confidence gap is discussed.
|
|
| 9. |
- Tsvetkova, Milena, et al.
(author)
-
An experimental study of segregation mechanisms
- 2016
-
In: EPJ DATA SCIENCE. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2193-1127. ; 5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Segregation is widespread in all realms of human society. Several influential studies have argued that intolerance is not a prerequisite for a segregated society, and that segregation can arise even when people generally prefer diversity. We investigated this paradox experimentally, by letting groups of high-school students play four different real-time interactive games. Incentives for neighbor similarity produced segregation, but incentives for neighbor dissimilarity and neighborhood diversity prevented it. The participants continued to move while their game scores were below optimal, but their individual moves did not consistently take them to the best alternative position. These small differences between human and simulated agents produced different segregation patterns than previously predicted, thus challenging conclusions about segregation arising from these models.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
