A quasi-ethnomethodological analysis of examinees' ways of working in the Grade 12 National Senior Examinations (NSC) high stakes examinations: The case of sequences and series

Abstract

This study employed a quasi-ethnomethodological approach to investigate and elucidate the intricate ways in which examinees engage with sequences and series in the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) high-stakes examinations. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study focused on examining situations in their natural settings and applied an interpretive paradigm. To arrive at recommendations and findings, an ethnomethodological analysis was employed, coupled with Pickering’s resistance and accommodation, which he refers to as the "dance of agency," to reveal the textures of examinees’ ways of working. Examinees’ scripts from different examination centres were used as data for this study. This study focused on the examinees’ ways of working with sequences and series. The data was analysed using the documentary approach to make visible those aspects that typically go unseen in their way of working. Ethnomethodology studies how people develop and apply shared methods to make sense of their social environment, investigating the everyday practices used to interact with one another and form social relationships. This study viewed the interaction as examinees acting in situ with the problem text. The study sought to show examinees' ways of working in a high stakes examination and how the context influenced the production of mathematical work through social facts. The study offered to provide feedback to policymakers and curriculum developers and empower Grade 12 teachers to adjust their pedagogical strategies. The scripts came from the Department of Higher Education's (DHET) marking centre in the Western Cape. The researcher ensured the confidentiality and safety of any information collected from the marking centre.