Applying Ethnomodelling to explore glocal mathematical knowledge systems.

Abstract

Background: Ethnomodelling methods examine how members of distinct cultural groups have come to develop local mathematical knowledge. However, what may indeed be less evident is how mathematical thinking can be part of the way in which researchers and educators attempt to make sense of the underlying cultural frameworks within which mathematical ideas, procedures, and practices are embedded. Objectives: The main objective of this theoretical article is to present arguments that link mathematics and culture in order to develop an effective understanding of the development of dialogical mathematical knowledge. Design: The theoretical and methodological concepts of this qualitative study are supported by the assumptions of ethnomodelling that adds an important cultural perspective to the modelling process through the development of an extensive literature review on this topic. Results: We present arguments to show that the linking of mathematics and culture is appropriate and necessary for an effective understanding of the development of dialogical mathematical knowledge, which aims at providing a holistic understanding of human knowledge. This means that cognition is a process that is not only embodied and situated, as well as distributed because the members of distinct cultural groups create, process, accumulate, and diffuse mathematical information conjointly. Conclusions: We discuss the role of ethnomodelling in order to develop an understanding the connection between ethnomathematics and modelling. In this context, we present concepts related to the use of both local (emic), global (etic) approaches by applying the glocal (dialogical) approach found in ethnomodelling research.