Faculty Attempt to Incorporate Outside-of-School Geometry into Geometry Teaching in the Classroom

What is it about?

Research has revealed a deficiency in cultural congruence in the pedagogy and acquisition of geometrical knowledge as the cause of students’ poor performance in geometry. Drawing upon the historical context of mathematics education and its evolution, incorporating ethnomathematical perspectives was introduced as a potential remedy. This embedded mixed methods study explored how mathematics teacher educators incorporate the mathematics found outside of school into geometry teaching in the classroom. Based on the findings, male and female mathematics teacher educators at the colleges of education tend to employ culturally responsive teaching (a pedagogical perspective of ethnomathematics) to integrate the mathematics found outside of school into geometry teaching in the classroom. Nonetheless, only a few mathematics teacher educators (one from each case) strove to incorporate the forms of mathematics found outside of school to teach plane geometry by citing appropriate cultural examples.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

This embedded mixed methods study aimed at exploring the forms of mathematics found outside of school that mathematics teacher educators do/can incorporate in their teaching of geometry and how mathematics teachers can incorporate the forms of mathematics found outside of school in their teaching of geometry. Utilizing an ethnomathematical perspective, such as incorporating mathematics outside of school into geometry teaching, facilitates a broader comprehension of geometry outside conventional school mathematics. Consequently, this perspective has the potential to revolutionize the pedagogy of mathematics education. Thus, this approach to mathematics education facilitates the expansion, validation, and redistribution of mathematical creation and empowerment.