Does 'African mathematics' facilitate access to mathematics?: towards an ongoing critical analysis of ethnomathematics in a South African context

Horsthemke, Kai; Schäfer, Marc

Title: Does 'African mathematics' facilitate access to mathematics?: towards an ongoing critical analysis of ethnomathematics in a South African context
Creator: Horsthemke, Kai
Creator: Schäfer, Marc
Date Issued: 2007
Date: 2007
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/141004
Identifier: vital:37936
Identifier: https://0-hdl.handle.net.wam.seals.ac.za/10520/EJC20885
Description: Mosibudi Mangena, the Minister of Science and Technology, said in an address to the Annual Congress of the South African Mathematical Society at the University of the Potchefstroom, November 2, 2004: "There is one thing we need to address before anything else. We need to increase the number of young people, particularly blacks and women, who are able to successfully complete the first course in Mathematics at our universities." How is this to be achieved? A popular trend involves a call for the introduction and incorporation of so-called ethnomathematics, and more particularly 'African mathematics', into secondary and tertiary curricula. Although acknowledging the obvious benefits of so-called ethnomathematics, this paper critically analyses three aspects of ethnomathematics that have been neglected in past critiques. Our focus is not on the relationship as such between ethnomathematics and mathematics education. Our critique involves (1) epistemological and logical misgivings, (2) a new look at practices and skills, (3) concerns about embracing 'African mathematics' as valid and valuable - just because it is African.
Format: 8 pages
Format: pdf
Language: English
Relation: Pythagoras
Relation: Horsthemke, K. and Schafer, M., 2007. Does' African mathematics' facilitate access to mathematics? Towards an ongoing critical analysis of ethnomathematics in a South African context. Pythagoras, 2007(65), pp.2-9.
Relation: Pythagoras volume 65 number 0 2 9 2007 2223-7895
Rights: Publisher
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Pythagoras Open Access Statement (https://pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/pages/view/journal-information)

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RU Department of Education

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