Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum

Desta Geneme Gebre; Solomon Areaya Kassa; Kassa Michael Wodeyesus

doi:10.30935/mjosbr/11291

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Desta Geneme Gebre ¹ ^* , Solomon Areaya Kassa ¹ , Kassa Michael Wodeyesus ¹

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¹ Addis Ababa University, ETHIOPIA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the indigenous number and number sense of people in Kafa and to explore its level of integration to school curriculum. To this end, the study followed a qualitative research method which utilized ethnographic case study (embedded) design. Data were collected from 22 key participants through interview, observation, and focus group discussion. In addition, content analysis was used to investigate the level of integration of number and number sense to school curriculum. Accordingly, the study found that base six (maqoo) and base sixty (uddoo) counting systems, fractions and measurement related mathematical systems are found embedded in Kafa agricultural setting. The study further found that indigenous number and number sense of Kafa people were partially integrated in school curriculum. The implication of the finding is that there is a need to improve the existing school curriculum in a way it covers indigenous number and number sense of the people in Kafa.

Keywords

indigenous counting
indigenous number
people of Kafa
ethnomathematics
integration

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES, Volume 5, Issue 3, October 2021, 41-50

https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

Publication date: 21 Oct 2021

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How to cite this article

APA

Gebre, D. G., Kassa, S. A., & Wodeyesus, K. M. (2021). Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum. Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research, 5(3), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

Vancouver

Gebre DG, Kassa SA, Wodeyesus KM. Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum. MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES. 2021;5(3):41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

AMA

Gebre DG, Kassa SA, Wodeyesus KM. Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum. MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES. 2021;5(3), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

Chicago

Gebre, Desta Geneme, Solomon Areaya Kassa, and Kassa Michael Wodeyesus. "Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum". Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research 2021 5 no. 3 (2021): 41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

Harvard

Gebre, D. G., Kassa, S. A., and Wodeyesus, K. M. (2021). Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum. Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research, 5(3), pp. 41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291

MLA

Gebre, Desta Geneme et al. "Ethnomathematics in Kafa, Ethiopia: Number Sense and its Level of Inclusion in School Curriculum". Mediterranean Journal of Social & Behavioral Research, vol. 5, no. 3, 2021, pp. 41-50. https://doi.org/10.30935/mjosbr/11291