John Dewey's experience-based learning in ethnomathematics: Bridging abstract concepts and cultural realities

Resumo

Mathematics is frequently perceived as complex, abstract, and uninteresting by Indonesian students, and many teachers struggle to foster sustained engagement in classroom learning. Addressing this persistent problem, there remains a lack of qualitative, culturally grounded analyses that explain how local cultural resources can be systematically mobilized to make school mathematics more meaningful and relevant. This study therefore aims to review, explore, and analyze fundamental problems in mathematics learning through John Dewey’s cultural innovation perspective, emphasizing experience‑based and context‑embedded education. Adopting a qualitative design, the research utilizes primary and secondary data: primary data were collected through interviews with key informants, tests, and observations of mathematics lessons in schools, while secondary data were obtained from literature and document analysis. The informants comprised mathematics educators, junior high school students, and cultural activists, enabling a comprehensive view of how culture and schooling intersect in mathematics classrooms. The findings indicate that ethno‑pedagogy constitutes an appropriate local cultural innovation approach for mathematics learning, as it provides students with new, concrete experiences rooted in their daily lives. Within this approach, students perceive mathematics as more enjoyable and accessible because the content is easier to understand, which in turn increases engagement and supports improved academic achievement. The results affirm John Dewey’s educational theory that education should be grounded in real experiences relevant to learners’ lives, allowing understanding to develop through exploration and reflection. Overall, the study contributes novel evidence that integrating ethnomathematical principles into curriculum, teaching, and learning can serve as a viable pathway for stakeholders to innovate mathematics education in culturally responsive and pedagogically robust ways.

Dados da obra

Tipo

Artigo

Periódico

Journal on Mathematics Education, v. 16, n. 4, p. 1347-1364

Editora

Indonesian Mathematical Society

Ano

2025 (2025-12-01)

Idioma

en

Palavras-chave

Experiential Learning; Ethnology; Mathematics; Culturally Relevant Education; Mathematics Instruction; Junior High School Students; Mathematics Teachers; Educational Theories; Foreign Countries; Administrators; Artists; John Dewey; ethnomathematics; ethnopedagogy; cultural innovation; local cultural resources; student engagement; junior high school mathematics; Indonesian students; mathematics learning difficulties

Temas

Currículo, Etnomatemática

DOI

10.22342/jme.v16i4.pp1347-1364

ISSN

2407-0610, 2087-8885

Licença

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

Acesso

Download disponível

Fontes

Crossref; ERIC — Education Resources Information Center; OpenAlex

Na Biblioteca desde

01/10/2026 · verificada em 03/10/2026