This document discusses incorporating religious mathematics from the Apostolic Church sector in Zimbabwe into formal geometry teaching. It finds that Apostolic Church members apply geometric concepts without formal education through activities like basket weaving, pottery, and construction. The document observes these activities, finding uses of concepts like circumference, radius, diameter, and volume. It recommends including these cultural practices in math curriculum to make geometry more relevant and improve conceptual understanding. Teachers who participated said this research helped them appreciate how to teach math through cultural activities and connect school and cultural math. The study suggests this approach could improve math learning outcomes with little cost.
In the modern society and the information era, information-based teaching ability is a must for primary school English teachers. Thanks to the wide use of information technology in schools, the education system has witnessed big changes in the past few years, which poses new challenges to primary school English teachers. But in western rural areas in China, most primary school English teachers are poorly-trained in terms of information-based teaching. The study takes rural primary school English teachers in Leshan City, Sichuan, China as the research object, taking advantage of approaches like questionnaire survey and interviews, etc. Based on the analysis of the status quo and the influence factors of information-based teaching ability of rural primary school English teachers, the study aims to put forward strategies in order to improve the development of information-based teaching ability of the rural primary school English teachers.
Quality of Secondary Schools Trained Geography Teachers in Universities and D...MOHAMEDMUCHIRI
There has been a concern about the quality of secondary schools teachers being prepared and produced by University and Teachers Training Colleges especially in pedagogy and use of instructional resources which is naturally and technically a pedagogical issue. The study was guided by Shulman`s concept of pedagogical content knowledge. A total sample of the study was ten (10) secondary schools, ten (10) Heads of department, fifty (50) Geography teachers and five hundred (500) Geography students. Schools, Geography teachers and Heads/Chairs of departments were purposively selected while form three (3) and form four (4) classes were selected by simple random method. The researcher used a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design involving both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data were collected using questionnaires for Geography Teachers and interview schedules for Heads/Chairs of departments, observation schedules, and resources checklist. The major findings were most of University trained Geography teachers were not competent enough in pedagogy and faced difficulties in utilization of educational technology in teaching/ learning process which included: insufficient knowledge of meaningful instructional activities, fewer lessons in the timetable as recommended by the ministry, inadequacy of teaching/learning resources, examination oriented programme, cheating and inadequate teacher professional development in Geography. It was also noted most of TTCS trained teachers had been effectively oriented on the use of instructional resources but follow- up a mechanism like in-service training was inadequate. Based on research findings, the study recommended that Geography teachers should be in-service in the use of practical approaches and at least have six lessons per week to enable them to cover syllabus on time. It was also recommended that the ministry of education modernize all secondary schools in Kenya by technologizing them to make them tandem with the expectation of modern education. In addition, it was further recommended that most of the Geography departments should have Geography rooms which should be well equipped.
In the modern society and the information era, information-based teaching ability is a must for primary school English teachers. Thanks to the wide use of information technology in schools, the education system has witnessed big changes in the past few years, which poses new challenges to primary school English teachers. But in western rural areas in China, most primary school English teachers are poorly-trained in terms of information-based teaching. The study takes rural primary school English teachers in Leshan City, Sichuan, China as the research object, taking advantage of approaches like questionnaire survey and interviews, etc. Based on the analysis of the status quo and the influence factors of information-based teaching ability of rural primary school English teachers, the study aims to put forward strategies in order to improve the development of information-based teaching ability of the rural primary school English teachers.
Quality of Secondary Schools Trained Geography Teachers in Universities and D...MOHAMEDMUCHIRI
There has been a concern about the quality of secondary schools teachers being prepared and produced by University and Teachers Training Colleges especially in pedagogy and use of instructional resources which is naturally and technically a pedagogical issue. The study was guided by Shulman`s concept of pedagogical content knowledge. A total sample of the study was ten (10) secondary schools, ten (10) Heads of department, fifty (50) Geography teachers and five hundred (500) Geography students. Schools, Geography teachers and Heads/Chairs of departments were purposively selected while form three (3) and form four (4) classes were selected by simple random method. The researcher used a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design involving both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data were collected using questionnaires for Geography Teachers and interview schedules for Heads/Chairs of departments, observation schedules, and resources checklist. The major findings were most of University trained Geography teachers were not competent enough in pedagogy and faced difficulties in utilization of educational technology in teaching/ learning process which included: insufficient knowledge of meaningful instructional activities, fewer lessons in the timetable as recommended by the ministry, inadequacy of teaching/learning resources, examination oriented programme, cheating and inadequate teacher professional development in Geography. It was also noted most of TTCS trained teachers had been effectively oriented on the use of instructional resources but follow- up a mechanism like in-service training was inadequate. Based on research findings, the study recommended that Geography teachers should be in-service in the use of practical approaches and at least have six lessons per week to enable them to cover syllabus on time. It was also recommended that the ministry of education modernize all secondary schools in Kenya by technologizing them to make them tandem with the expectation of modern education. In addition, it was further recommended that most of the Geography departments should have Geography rooms which should be well equipped.
Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities (ALDM) of Secondary Social Studies T...AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT ; This research study explored the aspects of different Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities
(ALDMs)such as Home-Based/Modular Learning, the Blended Learning and Online Class Learning for
utilization of Secondary Social Studies Teachers aimed to address teaching pedagogies in the new normal. It
also focused on ascertaining the preferred support from their school on ALDMs. The respondents were the
Junior and Senior Social Studies teachers from Secondary Schools of Zone 2, DepEd, Division of Zambales,
Philippines. It was conducted during the second quarter of the school year 2020-2021. The research study is
descriptive and quantitative in its analysis. The Social Studies teachers are very much ready in ALDM mainly
on Home-Based/Modular Learning. The Social Studies teachers strongly agreed that they preferred to be
supported on ALDMs primarily on technological infrastructures and trainings and seminars. Specifically, the
teachers aimed and needs to be more familiar on the guidelines of blended learning utilization inside the
classroom and the need to be supplied with sufficient, strong and stable Internet bandwidth or speed. The
analysis of variance result revealed a significant difference in the perceived readiness/preparedness in the
ALDMs.
KEYWORDS: Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities, Home-Based/Modular Learning, Blended Learning,
Online Class Learning, Secondary Social Studies Teachers, COVID19 Pandemic
Validity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality,...USMAN GANI AL HAQUE
This PPT is intended to help the teachers in general and pupil teachers, would-be teacher educators in particular to understand the various key aspects in Secondary and Higher secondary education prevailing in India.
Validity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality,...USMAN GANI AL HAQUE
The present article is made keeping in view the improvement of Secondary education in India. It will also help the pupil teachers, would-be teacher educators, teacher and administrators in many aspects.
Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities (ALDM) of Secondary Social Studies T...AJHSSR Journal
ABSTRACT ; This research study explored the aspects of different Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities
(ALDMs)such as Home-Based/Modular Learning, the Blended Learning and Online Class Learning for
utilization of Secondary Social Studies Teachers aimed to address teaching pedagogies in the new normal. It
also focused on ascertaining the preferred support from their school on ALDMs. The respondents were the
Junior and Senior Social Studies teachers from Secondary Schools of Zone 2, DepEd, Division of Zambales,
Philippines. It was conducted during the second quarter of the school year 2020-2021. The research study is
descriptive and quantitative in its analysis. The Social Studies teachers are very much ready in ALDM mainly
on Home-Based/Modular Learning. The Social Studies teachers strongly agreed that they preferred to be
supported on ALDMs primarily on technological infrastructures and trainings and seminars. Specifically, the
teachers aimed and needs to be more familiar on the guidelines of blended learning utilization inside the
classroom and the need to be supplied with sufficient, strong and stable Internet bandwidth or speed. The
analysis of variance result revealed a significant difference in the perceived readiness/preparedness in the
ALDMs.
KEYWORDS: Alternative Learning Delivery Modalities, Home-Based/Modular Learning, Blended Learning,
Online Class Learning, Secondary Social Studies Teachers, COVID19 Pandemic
Validity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality,...USMAN GANI AL HAQUE
This PPT is intended to help the teachers in general and pupil teachers, would-be teacher educators in particular to understand the various key aspects in Secondary and Higher secondary education prevailing in India.
Validity and Significance of Course Content, Consistency with Social Reality,...USMAN GANI AL HAQUE
The present article is made keeping in view the improvement of Secondary education in India. It will also help the pupil teachers, would-be teacher educators, teacher and administrators in many aspects.
The aim of the study is to develop an understanding of the kinds and sources errors and misconceptions that characterise students’ learning of school algebra. Systematic random sampling was used to draw sixty-five participants from a population of two hundred and twenty-three form three students. A cross sectional survey design was employed to collect data using written tests, a structured questionnaire and interviewing of the students from one high school in Zimbabwe. Content analysis technique was applied to textual data from three sources in order to determine the types of errors and misconceptions. The main findings are that both procedural and conceptual errors were prevalent that errors and misconceptions can be explained in terms of the students’ limited understanding of the nature of algebra; in particular their fragile grasp of the notion of a variable. Sources of misconceptions could be explained in terms of the abstract nature of algebra Mathematics educators should embrace errors and misconceptions in their teaching and should not regard them as obstacles to learning but rather engage with them for better understanding of algebraic concepts by students. Future studies can be carried on systematic errors as one of the ways of improving students’ understanding school mathematics.
Perspectives on Developing, Enhancing and Sustaining Interests in the Teachin...ijtsrd
Mathematics is the beauty of sciences and the foundation of modern human society. highlighted that print media were not available. 27.4 to a low extent satisfied with the use of print media while 26.7 of them were highly satisfied. Instructional resources are first not available in our secondary schools in Cameroon and mathematics teachers do not make use of them in mathematics instruction. Besong Francis Mbeng | Agborbechem Peter Tambi "Perspectives on Developing, Enhancing and Sustaining Interests in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Secondary Schools in the South West Region of Cameroon" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-4 , June 2020, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd30912.pdf Paper Url :https://www.ijtsrd.com/humanities-and-the-arts/education/30912/perspectives-on-developing-enhancing-and-sustaining-interests-in-the-teaching-and-learning-of-mathematics-in-secondary-schools-in-the-south-west-region-of-cameroon/besong-francis-mbeng
Early mathematicians viewed mathematics as a beautiful and ethereal art form. However, the pupils in school appear to have no idea of this beauty. Misconceptions about mathematics among students, parents, and instructors are thought to be one of the root causes of the problem. Mathematical misconceptions and myths among instructors, parents, and students were examined in this study. These findings were obtained using a descriptive qualitative method of investigation. Research participants included elementary school pupils and their parents from East Java, Indonesia as well as 10 instructors, 10 students, and 10 parents. Random selection was used to pick the respondents. The results of this study showed that teachers, parents, and students have a wide range of misconceptions about mathematics. Among the misconceptions that occur among students, teachers and parents are: i) The conception of mathematics; ii) The aim of learning mathematics is only to train students to count and memorize formulas; iii) Mathematical ability is a genetic talent and only people who have talent will be proficient in mathematics; and iv) Mathematics is a non-applicable. The consequences of widespread misconceptions about mathematics among teachers, parents, and students are detrimental to the learning process and hinder the development of strong mathematical skills.
In Namibia, natural science (NS) is one of the priority subjects in upper primary phases (Grades 4 to 7). However, in the Omusati Region of Namibia, there are increasing public concerns that many learners are not performing well in NS. Thus, this study surveyed the views of NS teachers on the challenges affecting upper primary learners’ performance in NS at three selected combined schools in the Omusati Region. Qualitative research design using face-to-face interview was used to gather the views of upper primary NS teachers in the schools. Seven teachers who are currently teaching NS at the selected schools were selected using the purposive sampling method to participate in the study. The results obtained revealed that the following challenges affect upper primary learners’ performance in NS in the selected schools: medium of instruction, lack of adequate teaching and learning resources, lack of laboratories, sensitive topics, overcrowded classroom, indiscipline among learners, absenteeism, unfavorable teaching environment, hunger, and lack of proper guidance from subject advisory teachers. The study recommended that the government should provide schools with feeding programs, build laboratories, renovate classes and provide teaching materials. The schools should evolve disciplinary measures to check the learners’ indiscipline.
All Students Can Learn And Should Be Presented The Opportunity To Learnnoblex1
The current reform movement in the United States began in the 1990s and has manifested itself as a standards movement. It is a movement to establish state and national frameworks, to which local school districts are encouraged to link their efforts to implement local standards. The linchpin that holds together the standards framework is that they are rigorous; voluntary, in that states and localities decide whether or not to use them; and flexible, in that states and localities can decide which strategies are best for their own schools.
Today, virtually every state in the nation has gone about the business of articulating standards, revising curricular offerings, and developing assessments to measure whether the standards are being met. At the national level, initiatives by the federal government and national organizations have been joined in an effort to produce a comprehensive and coherent standards movement. Currently, many national professional organizations have developed or are in the process of developing national standards for their particular subject areas. States have connected to these efforts on numerous fronts.
The current movement has focused primarily on three types of standards: 1) content or curriculum standards; 2) performance or accountability standards; and 3) capacity or delivery standards (also referred to as opportunity-to-learn standards). The three types of standards are linked - one will not succeed without the other two.
The purpose of this paper is four-fold: First, we define "students of diverse needs and cultures" and the "standards movement." Second, we address specific initiatives of current reform efforts in progress in mathematics and science education. Third, we discuss critical issues related to the successful implementation of mathematics and science standards (i.e., teachers professional development, technological advancements, opportunity-to-learn standards, school organization, and assessments.) Fourth, we suggest references to be used as curriculum materials, how-to articles of use to teachers in the classroom, and seminal research and philosophical literature related to mathematics and science reform initiatives.
Who Are Students of Diverse Needs and Cultures?
American society has haltingly come to understand itself as being culturally diverse and pluralistic. Schools, public schools in particular, mirror what our society will look like in the 21st Century. The culture of schools and the capacity of teachers to implement standards and other initiatives are indispensable elements in the effort to reform mathematics and science education.
Source: https://ebookschoice.com/all-students-can-learn-and-should-be-presented-the-opportunity-to-learn/
International Journal of Engineering Inventions (IJEI) provides a multidisciplinary passage for researchers, managers, professionals, practitioners and students around the globe to publish high quality, peer-reviewed articles on all theoretical and empirical aspects of Engineering and Science.
Ethnomathematics and Academic Performance of Senior Secondary Students in Mat...ijtsrd
The study investigated ethnomathematics and academic performance of senior secondary students in mathematics in Rivers State Nigeria. Two thousand four hundred and eleven 2411 senior secondary two SS2 mathematics students in twenty one 21 co educational public secondary schools in EmohuaLocal Government Area of Rivers State Nigeria served as the populations of this study. Two of these schools with a sample of 138 mathematics students were randomly assigned experimental condition n=72 and control condition n=66 their intact classes were utilized. The study utilizeda non randomized pretest, post test quasi experimental research design. The research instrument for data collection was Mathematics Performance Test MPT . MPT reliability was ascertained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation, r=0.78 was obtained. Mean scores and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions whereas Analysis of Covariance ANCOVA was used to test for significance of the null hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The result showed that the ethnomathematics method of instruction was more effective than the problem solving method in facilitating students understanding of mathematics, gender had no effect statistically. The study recommended, among others that mathematics teachers should employ the ethnomathematics method of instruction during mathematics instructions. Woji Michael | Charles-Ogan Gladys "Ethnomathematics and Academic Performance of Senior Secondary Students in Mathematics in Rivers State, Nigeria" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-2 , February 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49383.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/mathemetics/applied-mathamatics/49383/ethnomathematics-and-academic-performance-of-senior-secondary-students-in-mathematics-in-rivers-state-nigeria/woji-michael
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International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)
1. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and
Applied Research (IJSBAR)
ISSN 2307-4531
http://gssrr.org/index.php?journal=JournalOfBasicAndApplied
Incorporating Religious Mathematics In The Teaching And
Learning Of Formal Geometry: A Case Of The Apostolic
Church Sector In Zimbabwe.
Sunzuma Gladysa*
, Zezekwa Nicholasb
, Zinyeka Graciousc
, Chinyoka Miriraid
a,b,c,d
Department of Science Education, Bindura University of Science Education, P Bag 1020, Bindura, +263, Zimbabwe
Abstract
This paper argues for the inclusion of cultural geometry in formal school mathematics curriculum. In Zimbabwe members of the
apostolic church apply geometrical concepts with meticulousness without the practitioners receiving school education. A
descriptive ethno mathematics research that revealed how religious-cultural geometry could enhance understanding of school
mathematics was employed in this study. Data were collected through observation and interviews. Twenty households’ which
were conveniently sampled and three purposively sampled mathematics educators constituted the sample. This paper highlights
how geometry is used in the apostolic church sector and how it could be used in to enhance students’ geometry conceptual
understanding in school mathematics as the concept is widely believed to be difficult. The inclusion of religious mathematics
could bridge the gap between school and the cultural mathematics since improving mathematics education was the original
motivation for ethno mathematics. One of the recommendations of this paper is to include a course on ethno mathematics in
teacher education programmes that will enhance educators’ content and pedagogical content knowledge.
Keywords: School mathematics; cultural mathematics; cultural-religious mathematics; ethnomathematics; cultural geometry; geometry; apostolic
church sector
1. Introduction
African apostolic church was founded in 1932 by John Marange, who converted, baptized and organised thousands
into his congregation. These African believers do not have church buildings, were not involved in nonspiritual
education and do not make use medicine. All the same with the education for all policy in Zimbabwe that requires
all the children to be literate, they revisited their beliefs and now send children to schools. Since most of the church
members were not into secular education, most of them depend on self-employment or self-help project. His
followers were to survive by making and selling baskets, furniture and tin ware [8]. Masowe proclaimed a message
of withdrawal from European things- no bibles for his followers, no schools; no one was to be employed in
companies [8]. Church members were taught trades such as tinsmith, basketry, carpentry, motor mechanics and shoe
making so that they can be self-reliant. These religious-cultural trades have several applications and practices of
mathematical concepts together with geometry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Corresponding author. +263773401557, gsunzuma@gmail.com
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2. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)(2013) Volume 9, No 1, pp 18-23
This value of mathematics in the existing world cannot be over stressed. Mathematics is a very important tool for the
understanding and application of science and technology in all societies as well as in the apostolic church sector. In
understanding the principal role of mathematics to Zimbabweans, the ministry of education made the subject
compulsory at both primary and secondary levels. This was to ensure the inculcation of mathematics literacy and
conceptual thinking needed for living, problem solving and continuation of education both in formal and informal
sectors. In spite of the value attached to mathematics, Zimbabwe appearances to have the problem of low levels of
achievement in mathematics summative examinations.[10] lamented the poor state of mathematics instruction in
Zimbabwe and averred that the problems of quality of mathematics instruction and learning are from varied sources,
where the mathematics educator has been blamed. These educators also seem to have snags with their own subject
content knowledge [10]. In this scenario, both students and mathematics educators experience the subject as strange
and worthless subject. They view it as something imported from outside Zimbabwe and that is found in books,
which do not present the content in an elaborate way which could provide sufficient room for students to develop
conceptual understanding knowledge and schools only. [1] asserted that school mathematics by contrast is often
carried out for its own sake, unrelated to any real or particular context, and almost always involves recording using
written symbols. [3] noted that students around the world are experiencing a dissonance between the cultural
tradition mathematics represented outside the school and that is represented inside school. Mathematics is obscure
in people’s everyday life and they do not feel the relevance of studying mathematics. For instance, people find
themselves to be competent in their jobs without an awareness of how mathematics plays a role in their activity [16].
Quite a number of the students fail to develop an adequate understanding of geometry concepts, geometry
reasoning, and geometry problem solving skills [9]. This lack of understanding in learning geometry often
causes discouragement among the students, which invariably will lead to poor performance in geometry. Some
factors like geometry language, visualization abilities, and ineffective instruction have been put forward to
understand why geometry learning is viewed to be difficult [9]. As a result low achievement in school mathematics
has been increasing and exhibits no sign of reversal [6].
Although, Zimbabwe has a single mathematics curriculum for the diverse secondary schools with different cultures,
[12] noted that teachers’ curriculum knowledge at any given class level was similar, but they differed in
pedagogical approach, characterized mainly by teacher demonstrations , lecture methods and pupils’ imitations,
followed by drill and practice through written work. Zimbabwe’s educators are guided by the summative
examination system that relies deeply on recall and procedural application of mathematical results [15]. The
examination system emphasizes correct computations that encourage students to memorize the procedures at
expense of logical reasoning and thinking. This type of procedural learning of school mathematics does not allow
students the elasticity to link the concepts in their cultural-religious environments. Thus learning becomes forced
and seldom brings satisfaction to the students.
The poor state of mathematics instruction, geometry encompassed in Zimbabwe, gave birth to mathematics
curriculum reform, that encourages educators to adopt constructivist approaches they enabled learners to transfer
school mathematics to contextualised situations through modelling and problem solving [15]. The reform is also
rooted with the idea of ethno mathematics which is grounded in the constructivist methodology that is based on the
premise that pupils construct knowledge through experience. From a social- constructivist perspective, mathematical
knowledge is not build individually, but in a wider social context which is linked to the learners’ environment and
cultural activities and institutions [4]. The learning of mathematics should consider the culture and the environment
in which mathematics arises.
2. Cases of incorporating ethno mathematics into school mathematics:
In South Africa, a colourful style of geometric wall decoration has been developed by the Ndebele women [7]. The
Ndebele/Tonga women are also known for building and decorating round huts, using different informal geometrical
19
3. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)(2013) Volume 9, No 1, pp 18-23
concepts in Zimbabwe. [17] used the shapes of the Ndebele/Tonga houses in her curriculum unit, to challenge
students to find the largest area that could be enclosed by a given perimeter. This approach to solving mathematical
problem gave the researcher’s students the chance to appreciate how the builders of such structures in Africa arrived
at solutions to the many problems they encountered in authentic life circumstances.
In a different study, [13] taught geometrical concepts using the Navago learning tradition at reservation schools near
Arizona. On a similar research, [7] used a variety of customary material from Mozambique to expose the “inner
moment of geometrical thinking.” He showed that studying the geometry behind certain types of Mozambican
elements and Navago ethno geometry had made students to reconsider the value of their cultural heritage, as a result
of which they concluded that students do not have to rely on rote- learning of cognitive materials that appears alien.
Mogari in South Africa made a study of boys making toy cars out of steel wire. In the process [11] documented the
closeness between shapes the boys formed and techniques they had developed, that are also taught in schools. The
informal geometrical knowledge used in the construction of wire cars is neither influenced by the school geometrical
knowledge nor learned at school, but instead comes about through observation and interaction with materials during
the activity. Students can learn about how their culture and environment interacts with their views of mathematics
and their ways of thinking mathematically, so that they are convinced that they already think mathematically and
that they can learn school mathematics. There is need to connect students’ cultural and environmental mathematical
understanding with school mathematics they are learning.
Therefore the objective of this paper is to answer the question; what is the geometrical knowledge posed in the
apostolic church sector that can be incorporated in school mathematics instruction?
3. Data collection
A descriptive ethno mathematics research that focuses on how geometry is used in everyday life and its potential for
inclusion in the school maths curriculum was employed. The apostolic church was purposively sampled as it was
one of the churches that has the highest number of unskilled people who are involved in different activities that
includes farming, mining and black smiting. The church is believed to be the one that dominant in the area under
study. Twenty households were conveniently selected from two apostolic church village, Mafararikwa and Marange
in Marange District in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Three mathematics educators who were purposively
sampled participated in the research and were involved in observing different household artefacts produced by the
members of the apostolic church sector. Purposive sampling was employed to make the study more practical and
participants more accessible. Observations were useful in capturing everyday practices of church members.
Interviews were conducted with the three educators after the observation process. The informal interviews focused
on what the teachers think on what they had observed in line with the teaching of geometry.
4. Geometrical concepts used in the apostolic church sector
Cultural activities that measure rainfall, temperature, wind direction, speed, clouds and hours of sunshine are not
considered and yet they are practised in Zimbabwe[11]. Similarly mathematical aspects of the apostolic church are
not being incorporated in geometrical classroom yet they are notable in Zimbabwe. Ethno mathematics had been
active and continuing independent of school mathematics in Zimbabwean
An analysis of the apostolic members’ work showed many geometrical concepts that are used with or without
knowledge of their theoretical meaning. Men are well known for making different household artefacts such as pots,
pans, conical lamp holders, cylindrical water buckets and dishes. These containers are usually made by joining
aluminium metal. There are many scientific ideas explaining why aluminium as a metal is favoured by apostolic
members. For instance, scientists believe that aluminium is durable and does not corrode easily. Although these
apostles are not scientists they are able to use scientific knowledge informally. Men are also involved in carving
wooden cooking sticks, straw mats, candle sticks and flow mats from bark of the baobab trees. In each household
20
4. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)(2013) Volume 9, No 1, pp 18-23
you could find curved polished wooden (crooks) sticks for men.On the other side, women are good at clay pottery
that comprises the production of pots and flower vessels with different designs and shapes. Nearly all clay products
are decorated with triangles and circles of countless colours.
Most of these households’ artefacts are cylindrical in shape and a variety of geometrical concepts are used in making
these containers, especially circle geometry. The apostolic church members make use of geometrical concepts
without a formal understanding of them. They use the concepts of circumference, radius, diameter and volume of
cylindrical household containers. They even use informal mathematics to find the volumes of the containers, without
the school mathematical concept of volume.
Pots showed a great application of geometry in the art of making household artefacts. A single pot carries several
meaning with geometry, measurement, logic and reasoning. It is a combination of art and geometry in real sense that
can be living context in classroom teaching of locus, curves, circumferences, radius and volume. The concept of
menstruation is also applied in producing the containers.
One more area which depicts geometry characterizing the artwork of this religion is the weaving of baskets, mats,
hats and hand bags. These are professionally crafted from reeds. Various types of mats are produced for a variety of
purposes, such as bedding, room dividers, floor coverings, gifts, ceremonial exchanges and clothing. Different
patterns are used which vary from very small to large. Some mats were circular disc and some were rectangles.
These mats carried a living geometry with menstruation and other areas of mathematics.
Baskets, made of reeds, appeared to be the most fascinating application of menstruation and design applying some
geometrical sense and some arithmetical calculation as well. Some lines are straight and some are curved. There are
several geometrical shapes of triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons and hexagons. These different artefacts carry a lot
of mathematical meaning that could be real evidence of context for classroom teaching and learning of mathematics.
These can be helpful to teach geometrical transformations such as rotation and reflection.
One mathematics educator had this to say, “Participation in this research helped me to appreciate that mathematics
can be taught by means of different techniques, which include the religious cultural activities and this has provided
me with so many answers to the questions that are widely asked by my students”.
Another educator lamented that, they became aware of their religious environment, seeing the apostles not only as
christians but as people religiously-culturally developers of meaningful geometrical patterns that possess interesting
geometric transformations and symmetries, that can be used as examples in teaching and learning of geometry. I
learnt how the church members utilize geometry in their religious culture; the question is how the teachers best can
implement these ideas.
The above sentiments revealed that connections between cultural and school mathematics are possible but there is
no guidance on how to structure learning experiences so that religious-cultural mathematics can be integrated into
the formal mathematics curriculum. A culture-sensitive mathematics curriculum contributes significantly to
fostering students’ cultural self-esteem and cultural identities [13].
5. Pedagogical and social implications of this study
A close examination of the apostolic cultural-religious practices revealed informal geometric concepts linked
directly to the practices and day-to-day life activities that could be incorporated in the teaching and learning of
secondary school mathematics. If these practices were integrated into the curriculum, this will augment students’
learning of school mathematics.
One of the pedagogical implications of this study is the practicability of cultivating meaningful teaching and
learning approaches in relation to the apostolic cultural contexts. The study has established the opportunity of
incorporating religious cultural practices into the existing curriculum; this approach can be disseminated among in-
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5. International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)(2013) Volume 9, No 1, pp 18-23
service and pre-service teachers so that they can incorporate the notion of religious cultural contextualisation in their
teaching. Instructional methods based on students’ cultural perspective may include using applicable illustrations
from the students’ own religious culture and revealing students to a mixture of cultural situation in which
mathematical concepts are implanted. The amalgamation of cultural-religious and school mathematics enhances the
removal of the abstractness in which mathematics is taught in school and enables students’ conceptual
understanding.
Giving a picture of the apostolic church cultural experience and practices, as an element of ethno mathematics
allows for an easier flow of mathematical ideas, thereby reducing the cultural- religious obstructs. Scrutinizing
educationally mathematical ideas entrenched in and imitated from technologies in various cultural-religious
practices may contribute more to bridge the gap between cultural-religious and school mathematics.
One key social implication of this research is that the use of ethno mathematics particularly in secondary school
mathematics could do much to improve the quality of mathematical learning and teaching at very little extra
financial cost. The use of ethno mathematics in the teaching of school mathematics also implies that there is no need
to over depend on textbooks which are hardly ever available in most rural public schools and which also promote
rote learning like in most Zimbabwean schools. This is so because the teacher will make use of the mathematics
experience of the student at the apostolic church level to build the academic mathematical concepts not only in
geometry but in all mathematical concepts.
The research indicated how parents and elders can help their children to learn mathematics at home by engaging
them consciously in local activities linked directly to mathematics such as geometry, estimations and menstruation.
Given that the children cannot escape from religious practices, a possibility observed in the study was that children
can enrich their mathematical understanding by linking their classroom learning with daily activities. It was also
noted that ethno mathematics might provide numerous educational outcomes, empowering students with expressive
mathematical knowledge and self-sustaining skills for an array of feasible social roles, including home-making,
employment in local communities and academic success leading to higher education.
6. Conclusion and recommendations
The notion that the members of the Apostolic sector lack prescribed academic knowledge of mathematics yet they
can apply some process skills from mathematics to solve problems that arise in their environments can be used to
deduce that significant mathematical competencies are developed outside the school. In this situation, it is essential
to connect the cultural-religious mathematical abilities that students develop from religious practices in their
environment with school mathematics through the use of culturally geometric concepts in teaching and learning.
Perspective teachers should be aware of the possibilities connected to the use of ethno mathematics into
mathematics education. Students having mathematical knowledge built both in and out of school and with the ability
of recognizing the links between religious - cultural and school mathematics their understanding and performance in
both situations would expand.
It is the view of this research that mathematics educators in both their pre-service and in-service training at
secondary school level should be exposed to the ethno mathematical practices of Zimbabwe’s different cultures
including the apostolic church practises, so that they make use them in formal mathematics teaching. Although,
ethno mathematics is not a solution to all problems of poor achievement in mathematics, to a certain extent this
study advocates for mathematics educators to reflect the contributions of cultures in mathematics classrooms. This
study also strongly recommends that the curriculum planners should make an effort to bring ethno mathematics
officially in the study of school mathematics.
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