While researching ethnomathematics, It became clear that the word may be relatively new (first used in 1977 by Ubiratan D'Amborsio during a presentation for the American Association for the Advancement of Science), but the concept of it has been around for much longer.
Other cultures, societies, people and countries have had different forms of mathematics that have helped them live their everyday lives. Just because it is not the Western style of mathematics, does not mean that it is not mathematical. Cimen (2014) suggests that among differerent cultures and societies, can be relative to the shared activities and experinces of that culture of society. We know that different cultures and societies can estimate, tell how long something is, how wide it is, how many of an item is needed, this is mathematics.
We should be able to teach students that 'different' doesn't mean 'wrong'. Culture and diversity can be used to increase our knowledge Mathematically as well as in the other areas of the curriculum as well, not just as tokenism, but as a different technique. All over the world different cultures have had similar every day life problems, as Cimen (2014) points out, they have different perspectives and interpretations of their problems and the environment may be different but, the problem remains the same, and so can the outcomes of solving the problem. In Cimen's (2014) article (Discussing ethnomathematics, Is mathematics culturally dependent), the example is given of numbers and counting, The Inca's used Quipus, the Chinese used knotted cords. Different symbols and practices were used, but it was numbering and arithmetic.
In Cimen (2014) , Bishop (1998) is sited in text, of the six universal activities of mathematics, they are counting, locating, measuring, designing, playing and explaining. All societies and cultures use these six activities.
Therefore, at this stage, I do believe that mathematics is culturally dependent. I also believe that mathematics is evolving in relation to how it is viewed by society, as well as how it is taught in schools around the world. We all have a bigger role in ensuring that no culture is left behind, and we show respect to cultures different from out own.
Other cultures, societies, people and countries have had different forms of mathematics that have helped them live their everyday lives. Just because it is not the Western style of mathematics, does not mean that it is not mathematical. Cimen (2014) suggests that among differerent cultures and societies, can be relative to the shared activities and experinces of that culture of society. We know that different cultures and societies can estimate, tell how long something is, how wide it is, how many of an item is needed, this is mathematics.
We should be able to teach students that 'different' doesn't mean 'wrong'. Culture and diversity can be used to increase our knowledge Mathematically as well as in the other areas of the curriculum as well, not just as tokenism, but as a different technique. All over the world different cultures have had similar every day life problems, as Cimen (2014) points out, they have different perspectives and interpretations of their problems and the environment may be different but, the problem remains the same, and so can the outcomes of solving the problem. In Cimen's (2014) article (Discussing ethnomathematics, Is mathematics culturally dependent), the example is given of numbers and counting, The Inca's used Quipus, the Chinese used knotted cords. Different symbols and practices were used, but it was numbering and arithmetic.
In Cimen (2014) , Bishop (1998) is sited in text, of the six universal activities of mathematics, they are counting, locating, measuring, designing, playing and explaining. All societies and cultures use these six activities.
Therefore, at this stage, I do believe that mathematics is culturally dependent. I also believe that mathematics is evolving in relation to how it is viewed by society, as well as how it is taught in schools around the world. We all have a bigger role in ensuring that no culture is left behind, and we show respect to cultures different from out own.