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03 October 2018 | Story UFS | Photo Stephen Collett
Using ethnomathematics to enhance understanding maths
An ethnomathematical approach helps to create a connection between mathematics in the classroom and the real world, said Prof Mogege Mosimege during his inaugural lecture.
The integration of ethnomathematical approaches and studies in the teaching and learning of mathematics is almost certainly bound to change how learners view and understand mathematics. It is the opinion of Prof Mogege Mosimege of the School of Natural Sciences and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of The Free State (UFS), where Prof Mosimege delivered his inaugural lecture.

His research interests include sociocultural contexts in mathematics education (ethnomathematics), mathematical modelling; indigenous knowledge systems and mathematics teacher education.

Classroom maths must connect real world 

He says an ethnomathematical approach does not only serve as a sound basis for a deeper conceptual understanding, but it also helps to create a connection between mathematics in the classroom and the real world.

Prof Mosimege says the foundation phase of the South African school mathematics curriculum indicates, amongst others, that there must be a critical awareness of how mathematical relationships are used in social, environmental, cultural and economic relations, and that there must be a deep conceptual understanding in order to make sense of mathematics.

"I want to argue the current curriculum does not give enough space for that," he says. "The minute you say deep conceptual understanding you must do things differently and not just teach formulae, but also teach why things work the way they do."

Prof Mosimege says the classroom activities teachers engage in must be able to push learners to that deep understanding phase.

He says even at the Further Education and Training Phase real-life problems should be incorporated into all mathematical sections whenever appropriate.

Teachers need to make maths real

"Contextual problems should include issues relating to health, social, economic, cultural, scientific, political and environmental issues whenever possible."

 If done this way teachers will make mathematics to become real. "It will perhaps not be as abstract as it is perceived, and will help our learners and students to understand why it is important to relate what they do to real life."

Prof Mosimege says his future work would be to look past the phase of focusing strictly on procedural aspects of mathematics and look further at an ethnomathematics bridge to mathematical modelling, which is his next area of research. He says the definitions of ethnomathematics suggest that mathematical concepts and processes would be more comfortable and better understood by the learner when they are related to sociocultural contexts as well as real-life situations.

"How can we use ethnomathematics to do problem-solving?" he asks. 

News Archive

New challenges for animal science discussed
2006-04-04

Some of the guests attending the congress were from the left Dr Heinz Meissner (honorary president of the South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) and senior manager at the Animal Production Institute of the Agricultural Research Council), Mr Paul Bevan (President of SASAS) and Prof Magda Fourie (Vice-Rector:  Academic Planning at the UFS).
Photo: Lacea Loader

New challenges for animal science discussed  

The South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) is presenting its 41st Congress at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) Main Campus in Bloemfontein. 

The congress started yesterday and will run until Thursday 6 April 2006.  The theme is New challenges for the animal science industries.

It is one of the largest congresses in the 45 years since SASAS was founded in 1961.  Among the delegates 12 African countries are represented, with the biggest delegation from Kenya.  Delegates are also from the United States of America, Iran, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal and African countries like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana.

“Many of our members play an important role in the training of animal scientists at universities.  The congress is specifically industry orientated so that scientists can interact with farmers through the respective producer organisations,” said Prof HO de Waal, Chairperson of the organising committee and lecturer at the UFS Department of Animal, Wildlife and Grassland Sciences.

According to Dr Heinz Meissner, honorary president of SASAS and a senior manager at the Animal Production Institute of the Agricultural Research Council, the National Livestock Strategy (NLS) Plan clarifies the role and responsibility of the livestock sector. 

“Through this strategy we need to focus on enhancing equitable access and participation in livestock agriculture, improve global competitiveness and profitability of the livestock sector and ensure that the ventures implemented do not over utilise our resources,” said Dr Meissner.

In her welcoming address, Prof Magda Fourie, Vice-Rector:  Academic Planning at the UFS highlighted the related challenges that the UFS will be focusing on specifically over the next five years.  “We have identified five strategic clusters that represent broad areas of excellence in research and post-graduate education.  Two of these are food production, quality and safety for Africa and sustainable development,” she said.

“The food safety and security cluster will focus on the production of food in all its varieties within the African context, encompassing the entire value chain – from production to consumption and nutrition related issues.  This would include a strong emphasis on sustainable production systems,” she said.

According to Prof Fourie the rural development cluster will engage in questions around the role of higher education in sustainable development.  “One of the focus areas in this strategic cluster pertains to sustainable livelihoods.  It refers to a way of approaching development that incorporates all aspects of human livelihoods and means by which people obtain them,” she said.

Prof Fourie said that the challenges we are facing such as food production can only be effectively addressed through collaborative efforts.  “That is why it is important that collaboration takes place between different scientific disciplines, researchers, institutions and countries who are confronted with similar difficulties,” she said.

According to Prof de Waal the congress will give key role players a unique opportunity to present a profile of what they perceive an animal scientist should be and state their specific requirement regarding the animal sciences and its applications. 

“In this way we can determine what the industry’s needs are and we can re-align our curriculum to suit these needs,” said Prof de Waal.

During the next two days, various areas of interest will be discussed.  This includes ruminant and monogastric nutrition, animal physiology, beef, dairy, sheep and ostrich breeding and sustainable farming covering the range from commercial to the small-scale farming level.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel:   (051) 401-2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
4 April 2006

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