Reimagining mathematics pedagogy through SoTL: A framework for South African Universities of Technology

Reimagining mathematics pedagogy through SoTL: A framework for South African Universities of Technology

Themba M. Mthethwa

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 2 2026 Article 3 pp.37-52
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026723 Published online 11th March 2026.

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ABSTRACT

Mathematics education in South African Universities of Technology (UoTs) faces persistent challenges—high attrition in gateway courses, weak alignment with vocational practice, and limited pedagogical inclusivity—that undermine both student success and institutional mandates. This conceptual paper develops a SoTL-informed framework to reimagine mathematics pedagogy in UoTs. Situated within a constructivist epistemology and guided by the Research Onion, the study uses a transparent three-stage conceptual method (theoretical integration, targeted literature synthesis 2000–2024, and iterative framework construction) to ensure methodological coherence and defend theoretical choices. Drawing on Constructivism, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological PCK (TPACK), and SoTL principles, the framework identifies five interrelated pillars—discipline-specific PCK, vocational relevance, inclusive and adaptive pedagogy, reflective SoTL inquiry, and digital integration—and explicates how they interlock to support vocational readiness, equity, and sustainable pedagogical change in UoTs. The paper’s contributions are (1) a context-sensitive, theoretically grounded model specifically tailored to the UoT sector; (2) an explicit methodological and epistemological justification for conceptual framework development; and (3) practical institutional recommendations (professional development, SoTL institutionalisation, curricular alignment, and digital capacity building). Visual representations and summary tables accompany the framework to aid uptake and empirical testing. This work thus moves beyond descriptive review to offer a clearly articulated, actionable blueprint for scholarship and practice in mathematics teaching at UoTs.

Keywords: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), mathematics pedagogy, Universities of Technology, PCK, TPACK, constructivism, inclusivity.

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AUTHOR(S)

Themba M. Mthethwa holds a B Paed Science & B Ed ScienceHon. from UNIZUL and MSc & Ph D (Mathematics Education) from Wits University, and currently serves as the Deputy Director & Senior Researcher in the Learning and Teaching Development Centre (LTDC) at Mangosuthu University of Technology. Research interests include: Teaching and learning mathematics, Mathematics Education, curriculum issues and technology in mathematics teaching, SoLT and UDL.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Mthethwa, Themba M. “Reimagining mathematics pedagogy through SoTL: A framework for South African Universities of Technology.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.2 (2026): 37-52. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026723