Mathematics Education

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14540/64

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Ethnomathematical Studies on the Heritage of the Tharus
(Faculty of Education, 2009) Adhikari, Indra Prasad
The present study is entitled ‘ETHNOMATHEMATICAL STUDIES ON THE HERITAGE OF THE THARU’. It is a fresh attempt made at searching Tharus' mathematical knowledge, ideas and concepts with respect to their practical work basis. This study is carried on cultural, historical, pedagogical and mathematical perspective. It emphasizes the kind of mathematical process that are involved, in basketry, clay work, dancing and house painting. It also links those processes with mathematics curriculum. The researcher adopted the qualitative research methods to unveil local ideas of mathematics to interpret Tharus’ mathematical concepts. Seven informants were selected purposively in which three are women and four are men. For data colletion, the reshercher used in-depth interviews; participants' observation and photos of Tharus' goods used and made which are linked up with their society. All the possible information was recorded with the help of field notes and photos. The major findings of this study on basketry, clay, dancing, and house painting works are: i) while making baskets Tharus construct geometrical shape such as spherical, globular, height globular, truncated globular, cylindrical, cubical, and combined of these shapes. They also make triangular, hexagonal, check, wrap, square, parallel and coil patterns. For this they use estimation, counting, fingers measuring, and making equal size of weft, the rapping equal number of weft, and taking equal amount of coil material. ii) For clay work, they make rectangular, cubical, truncated cubical, half globular, elliptical, basin and parallelepiped shapes. In this work, they used estimation, making same size of coil material, counting coil numbers, measuring inner diameter, diagonal, sides and moulding. iii) With regard to dancing they use the concept of arrangement of row, column, and circle, center of circle, motion, and repetition of action, rotation, reflection, reduction and enlargement. The estimation, counting, walking step counting, seeing others’ actions guessing are used while dancing iv) For house painting they use rectangle, square, parallel line, triangular pattern, ratio and proportion, position, location, gap between figure, flower, zoomorphic, and anthropomorphic figures. For this they use counting, measuring, estimating, guessing, and trial and error. The dissertation is divided into six chapters. The Chapter 1 includes socio-cultural, economical and educational background of Tharus in Dang, statement of the problem, rationale of the study and research question. The Chapter 2 is the literature review of ethnomathematical ideas, history, philosophy, pedagogy and technology. The Chapter 3 includes methodology, its design and strategies. The Chapter 4 deals with the mathematical process and ideas that are analyzed with respect to practical activities. The Chapter 5 comprises mathematizing Thars' mathematics. The Chapter 6 discusses educational implication, finding, and suggestions for further research, glossary, reference and appendixes.
Inclusive mathematics classroom practices: An interpretive inquiry
(Department of Mathematics Education, 2023) Bista, Muna
The main concern of my study was on Inclusive Mathematics Classroom Practices: An Interpretive Inquiry’. The objectives were to explore the experiences of teachers and students in the practice of inclusive mathematics education, explore the challenges faced by them, and investigate the coping strategies to address the challenges faced by mathematics teachers and students in inclusive practices. The study employed a qualitative ethnographic research approach. I used the interpretive inquiry of ethnographic design. I used a purposive sampling technique and conducted an in-depth interview with four mathematics teachers, including two head teachers. Observation was carried out in the mathematics teachers‘ classes, and a focus group was formed with ten students from different ethnic backgrounds. I used data analysis procedures by Braun & Clarke (2006). At first I comprehended the data and generated initial codes. Then I extended and reviewed it with a side-by-side definition and development of the theme. At last I finalised the report on those themes. It was concluded that mathematics teachers are practising teacher-centred teaching methods with less collaborative teaching-learning activities. Moreover, from the administrative side, they employ poor or insufficient motivation and support for inclusive practices in mathematics classrooms. Similarly, there are other challenges like discrimination among students, time allocation for course completion, insufficient teacher training, teachers with minimum and lower-level academic degrees, irregularity of students in class, migration, and dropout. However, alternative strategic adaptations like student-centred teaching methods, students‘ motivation, appropriate teaching materials, a logical teacher-student ratio, trained teachers, necessary physical facilities, and supports have vi been practised to overcome challenges faced by teachers and students in an inclusive mathematics classroom.
Indigenous Mathematical Concepts of Gopali Community from their Cultural Perspective
(Faculty of Education, 2007) Dahal, Ramchandra
This study is focused on the perception of mathematical knowledge among illiterate Gopali people of Chitlang village of Makwanpur district. The Gopalis taken for the study are recognized as gwala/ sapu in the social community of Nepal. They have the identity of first ruler of ancient Nepal. So, the study concerned with ethno-mathematics this community is the appropriate one. The traditional practices followed by them were the main area of the study. Especially the ethno-mathematical practices, existing in Gopali people were the sources of the study. The study is focused on their measurement system, numerical system, and geometrical practices among them. Illiterate children, women and men were considered for in-depth study and common practices were achieved from the religious as well as cultural activities in the group participation. The participant observation and interview were two tools adopted for the collection of information. The study was guided by ethno-methodology as well as grounded theory. The study concluded that the ethno-mathematical practices has supported in preserving their cultural identity. Naturally, the ethno-mathematics and culture are interlinked. The perception of mathematics preserved by Gopalis differs from the school mathematics. There is discontinuity between traditional and modern measurement system but similar practices are found still among the illiterate group. Natural units are still practiced in present context. In the case of domestic purpose, mathematical concepts adopted by them are sufficient. The study is also concluded that the origin of ethno-mathematics is preserved by them. We can not claim that the formal mathematics is adopted in their traditional practices. Whatever mathematical concepts they have seem practical. The study demands the cultural preservation and academic application at their primary level education from which cultural identity as well as importance of indigenous knowledge is preserved. For these a serious planning is required while designing curriculum and in teaching-learning process as well. The study tried to relate their ethno-mathematical practices in the educational implication. The transformation of learning from old generation to new generation can be exited in the similar context but in different situation it cannot be applicable and has great chance to disappear. The new generation of Gopalis are involved in different occupations and some of them have been migrated which may led to the non existence of indigenous knowledge. So, the documentation and implementation of practices of ethno-groups should give priority for the preservation of cultural identity. The conclusion drawn from the study is the identification of ethno-mathematics existing in their cultural and religious practices which should be preserved and at the same time, it has to chanalyzed in the formal education of the community. It is being the study of ethno-mathematics, the events, and practices of the Gopalis were observed in the mathematical sense or their knowledge related to mathematics is tried to cover by the study. Whatever information was mentioned here is based on the Gopalis situated in Makawanpur area. The interpretation of collected information carefully given priority for the cultural preservation, but it is not good to modify the cultural practices. Ramchandra Dahal
Practices of ICTs in Mathematics classroom: opportunities and challenges
(Department of Mahematics Education, 2023) Sah, Ranadhir Kumar
My research was entitled "Practices of ICTs in mathematics classroom: Opportunities and Challenges." My research objectives were to explore the practices, opportunities, challenges, and way forward of ICT integration in mathematics classrooms. My research was qualitative with an ethnographic approach. Three schools having facilities of ICTs were my research site. My research samples were six mathematics teachers, six students, two head teachers, and two ICT experts whereas sampling was purposive. My data collection methods were in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus group discussions. Teachers and students are practicing ICTs by engaging, demonstrating, gaming, and using applications. Motivation to learn, availability of learning materials, student and teachers interaction, opportunities for self-learning, and the chance of teaching- learning and earning are the opportunities whereas insufficient infrastructures, lack of internet network, lack of willingness of admin, teachers insufficient knowledge, lack of teacher‟s training, lack of time, insufficient budget, lack of skillful manpower, digital divide, misuse of technologies, and high cost of ICTs' tools are challenges of ICT integration in the mathematics classroom. Developing ICT-friendly infrastructures, conducting effective teacher training, developing well-acceptable applications, redesigning the syllabus, minimizing the cost of ICT tools, and recruiting skillful manpower are the coping strategies for these challenges. Teachers and students are practicing ICTs in mathematics classrooms by their choice but facing a lot of problems. To solve these problems this research would be the guideline for policymakers, curriculum designers, schools, teachers, and students to develop ICT-friendly plans, curricula, infrastructure, environment, and learning way.
The Upshots of Mathematical Knowledge and Skills Achieved in Friendship Groups through Cooperative Learning Paradigm
(Faculty of Education, 2009) Kshetree, Mukunda Prakash
The cooperative learning paradigm has been figure out as an umbrella method of all other methods. It has itself many methods but each and every one has been found to be dedicated to make the learning creative, joyful, socialized, team working and meaningful based on the potentiality of prior knowledge of the students as their cultural capital. As the method runs through social activity and teamwork, it seeks the true and direct participation of the learners with their own head and soul. It has mainly been spinning on the three theories; psychology of building knowledge through mental exercise/action of Piaget, Lave and Vygotsky’s anthropological perspective of learning through scaffolding and Dewey’s philosophy of truth is subjective. In this closure, the study was undertaken with the purpose of digging out the effectiveness of cooperative learning approach through the ‘friendship group’ formation in terms of immediate learning, withholding and ultimately the net gain in learning. In the mean time, it was tried to find out the problems being faced by the teachers while adopting cooperative learning system, self-regulation of the students and relevancy of this approach in Nepalese classroom situation. To ease my study, I had further formulated the principal research questions into other components as well. The basic framework of the theoretical closure was made to lay on the foundation of epistemology, ontology and axiology of the cooperative learning paradigm. In this study, the review of literature has covered the general overview of different types of related literatures to frame up the study with specific ingredients and some theoretical closures that to link the issues raised herewith. As I was basically concerned with the perception, participation and output of the learning of the students based on their cultural and social property, I adopted the qualitative research method along with the quantitative one. The research method used was non-equivalent control group of quasi-experimental design. The study was done by taking sample of size 74 students comprised of control and experimental groups from two schools of Kathmandu valley. The major tools of qualitative method were observation of classrooms with checklist and interview of students, subject teachers, general teachers, head teachers, subject experts, supervisors and curriculum experts with interview guidelines. Similarly, the pretest, posttest and retention test were administered to collect the data for quantitative analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed with the help of 13.0 version of SPSS package whereas the qualitative data were properly arranged and triangulated with the theoretical closures and previous findings and then gave the final meaning to my findings. The major findings were the significant achievements of the students of experimental group, who were taught according to the cooperative learning phenomena with the help of cooperative teaching incidents through friendship groups. The achievements were taken into account of immediate learning, last longer memory, net gain and three cognitive domains. Similarly, the study has shown the self-esteemness of the students and relevancy of cooperative learning method with some modifications in Nepalese classroom set-ups. In this study, I also realized that the importance of learning environment which includes classroom set up, friendship groups, cultural and social capital, valuing and relating the pre-existed knowledge of students to achieve the mathematical knowledge and skills.

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Browsing Mathematics Education by Academic Level "M.Phil."

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