Instructional design for mathematics learning through an ethnomathematics approach: A systematic literature review

Source abstract

Background: Ethnomathematics provides a framework for connecting formal mathematical concepts with culturally embedded knowledge and practices. However, evidence concerning how cultural knowledge is transformed into coherent instructional designs remains fragmented across exploratory, classroom-based, and developmental research. Aims: This study aimed to synthesize research on ethnomathematics-oriented mathematics learning and examine how cultural knowledge has been translated into instructional design and classroom practices. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted using records retrieved from Google Scholar and Scopus through Publish or Perish. The search covered publications from 2014–2023, yielding 147 records, of which 40 met the eligibility criteria. The selected studies were synthesized through data reduction, organization, comparison, and interpretation. Results: The literature clustered into three strands: ethnomathematical exploration, classroom application, and instructional-design development. The reviewed studies reported contributions to conceptual understanding, problem solving, representation, communication, reasoning, engagement, and learning-resource development. Ethnomathematics was also integrated with diverse instructional models and digital technologies, although evidence strength varied across research designs. Conclusion: Ethnomathematics is best understood as a contextual foundation for designing mathematically coherent learning experiences that connect formal mathematics with learners’ cultural environments.