Teacher-related challenges affecting the integration of ethnomathematics approaches into the teaching of geometry

Abstract

Geometry and culture are interrelated, making school geometry closely connected to the environment as well as culture in which it is taught. With regard to this connectedness, the Zimbabwean mathematics syllabus indicates that geometry should be connected to the learners’ environment and culture. This article explores teacher related challenges to the integration of ethnomathematics approaches into the teaching of geometry. Findings are based on feedback received from questionnaires and focus-group discussions in which 40 in-service mathematics teachers expressed their views on the challenges that affect the integration of ethnomathematics approaches into the teaching of geometry. Major challenges included lack of knowledge on ethnomathematics approaches and how to integrate these approaches into the teaching of geometry; teachers’ lack of geometry content knowledge, teachers’ views of geometry taught in schools, teachers’ competence in teaching geometry, teaching and professional experience as well as resistance to change by teachers. The study recommends that teacher training institutions need to redesign their curricula to include ethnomathematics approaches and that there is need for in-service training on ethnomathematics approaches.