THE ROLE OF ETHNO MATHEMATICS IN DEVELOPING TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS IN MATHEMATICS

As we know, in mathematics education, ethno mathematics is the study of the relationship between mathematics and culture (D'Ambrosio, 1999, 146).^[1] It means that ethno mathematics affect mathematics education a lot. Since a teaching learning process is a classroom is very depending on their culture. For example in Europe we can use mathematics problem based on four seasons. But we can’t do this in Indonesia, since Indonesia only has two seasons.

It different with mathematics education, pure mathematics is not related to ethno mathematics. Since a mathematician thinks that mathematics is free of culture and value, mathematics is just for mathematics, and mathematics is not match with ethno mathematics.

Scheme of the relation between mathematics education and ethno mathematics

In pure mathematics, definition is the beginning to make a theorem. But in humanities science, for example ethno mathematics; definition consists of some constraints. It means that mathematics education is not equal to pure mathematics since mathematics education is related to students who will form a society and also culture. And it also means that mathematics education is related to ethno mathematics.

The relation of mathematics education and ethno mathematics can be explaining in space and time perspective. In this world there are seven periods. First is archaic; in archaic period people only hunting and farming. This also called as ice age, Stone Age, Bronze Age, and also Iron Age. Second is tribal; people live in simplicity. For example is Badui ethnic in Kalimantan.  After that is traditional; where there is a kingdom on their society. The example of traditional period is Sriwijaya kingdom in Indonesia. And the fourth period is feudal, where there is a economic activity. Then there also modern period, post modern period, and contemporary.

Mathematics education can be seen in some different way. First is the abstraction or based on the political view. There are some different culture based on the political view, for example USA is a liberal democracy country, Indonesia is a democracy country. Then we can see a culture based on the anthropology. The examples of this anthropology are big cities, rural area, remote area, and isolated area. Based on the geographic view, we can classified some places, like north USA, east Asia, south Asia, West Europe, Africa, Middle Euro-Asia, Australia, etc. For the mathematics education, we can see based on the specifics. They are street mathematics (Brasilia), Ritual Mathematics (Yogyakarta), and Spiritual Mathematics (Indonesia). And based on the academic, we can classify some mathematics education, like Netherland develop Realistic Mathematics Education; Italy develop PISA; USA develop NCTM; and Japan develop Lesson Study.

Those all aspect that affect in mathematics education can be classify based on the space. They are:

1.      Object

2.      Subject

3.      Method

4.      Product

The product can be classified into two different products:

a.       Soft products

-          Ideas

-          Concepts

-          Believe

-          Theories

-          Paradigm

-          Philosophy

b.      Hard products

-          Artifact

-          Monument

-          Book

From all of the explanations above, we can conclude that mathematics education is not equal to pure mathematics, since mathematics education is related to ethno mathematics and pure mathematics is not. Then in this world there is much different ethno mathematics. As a teacher we can choose which culture that will we use in teaching mathematics that is compatible with the culture in our environment and society.