Using Graph Talks to Engage Undergraduates in Conversations Around Social Justice

Abstract

We present a mathematical activity called graph talks as a new pedagogical routine to intertwine social justice issues and mathematics. Adapted from number talks, graph talks involve students analyzing, interpreting, and discussing real-life data represented in graphs. Graphs may be strategically selected to both highlight a relevant social justice issue while also reinforcing the mathematics content of the course. We report on experiences using graph talks in undergraduate mathematics content courses for future teachers in the USA, and provide examples of the undergraduates doing mathematics while analyzing the social justice context of the graphs.