The Role of Culture in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Review
Eric Machisi, Sontaga Elliot Selepe, Mpho Gift Manamela
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Source: Crossref
Published: Sep 27, 2026
DOI: 10.64850/cognitive.v2i2.448
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Culture plays a fundamental role in shaping mathematics education, yet research examining its influence remains dispersed across diverse theoretical and pedagogical traditions, limiting an integrated understanding of how culture informs mathematics teaching, learners' mathematical experiences, curriculum development, and educational practice. This systematic review synthesized contemporary evidence on the role of culture in mathematics education. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search of Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, and Education Source (EBSCOhost) identified 2,233 records. After duplicate removal, title and abstract screening, full-text assessment, and application of predefined eligibility criteria, 205 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2020 and 2025 were included in the final synthesis. Data were systematically extracted using a structured evidence extraction framework and analyzed using inductive thematic synthesis. The thematic synthesis identified five interrelated themes: (1) culture as a resource for mathematical meaning-making, (2) Indigenous knowledge and the decolonization of mathematics education, (3) language, multilingualism, and mathematical participation, (4) equity, identity, and social justice in mathematics education, and (5) culturally responsive mathematics pedagogy. The synthesis indicates that culture shapes mathematics education by influencing curriculum development, teaching practices, learners' mathematical experiences, classroom participation, teacher education, assessment, and educational policy. Meaningful cultural integration extends beyond contextualizing mathematical content to recognizing multiple knowledge systems, supporting multilingual participation, affirming learners' identities, and promoting equitable opportunities for mathematical learning. This review contributes a systematic synthesis that integrates five major cultural dimensions of mathematics education within a single analytical framework, providing a contemporary international perspective on the role of culture in mathematics education. The findings offer evidence-informed implications for curriculum development, teacher education, educational policy, and future research.
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