Mathematics, Culture, and Sustainability: A Conscious ʻĀina-Based Framework for Teaching and Learning in Hawaiʻi

Abstract

As Hawaiʻi’s population continues to diversify, it is increasingly necessary to move away from traditional mathematics teaching methods. This dissertation outlines the development and impact of a framework that weaves together place-conscious, culturally responsive, and critical ethnomathematics education. Specifically, the study examined: (1) the impacts of a post-secondary culture and place-based mathematics curriculum on student motivation and achievement; (2) the components of a post-secondary mathematics culture and place-based curriculum that other mathematics educators can utilize; and (3) whether a culture and place-based mathematics model along with its theoretical underpinnings can be utilized in other areas of mathematics. The study applied a mixed methods approach to include the perspectives of both students and teachers, grounded in three guiding principles: pilina, kuleana, and pono. Participants included students from an undergraduate statistics class, pre-service teachers, and in-service teachers. Framed by sociocultural theory and critical theory, this study utilized a constructivist grounded theory design while illuminating the action research tradition to develop a framework for teaching and learning in Hawaiʻi. Relevance through place-based education allows all students to build connections in mathematics and is the motivational factor that supports engagement and persistence that lead to academic success. Although theory in education provides a foundation for the framework, evidence from students’ academic outcomes and personal experiences and identities of teachers and students demonstrate the links between mathematics, culture, and sustainability within the classroom. A teacher’s role now must shift from being a complacent deliverer of curricula to an active curricula developer.