Aiming for Equity in Ethnomathematics Research

Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Mathematics Education Library book series (MELI, volume 55)

Abstract

We reflect on the discourse patterns in our interactions in Mi’kmaw communities. Beginning with ethnomathematical conversations with elders and teachers, our interest in supporting cultural connections for community mathematics students turned our focus to supporting an initiative (the Show Me Your Math contest) that had students report on the mathematics they found in their communities. With this shift in positioning we observed a release from a colonialist hold on mathematics learning for students, but also noted further challenges relating to interactions among the people of the communities and the larger society. For our reflections we analyzed excerpts of the initial ethnomathematics interactions, of the conversations developing the contest, and of classroom resources that make cultural connections. This highlights important questions: To whom are students reporting their mathematics? Whose problems/needs are students addressing when they do the tasks assigned to them? How are people and communities represented in applications of mathematics introduced in school?

Keywords

Aboriginal Community Word Problem Aboriginal People Mathematics Classroom Mathematics Learning 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of EducationUniversity of New BrunswickFrederictonCanada
  2. 2.Faculty of EducationSt. Francis Xavier UniversityAntigonishCanada

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