Innovative Approaches to Indigenizing Mathematics Education: Methods and Practices from Southern Province, Zambia

Abstract

This research investigates the application of new methods of indigenizing mathematics education in Southern Province of Zambia, specifically the integration of indigenous knowledge systems in mathematics teaching. The research design is a sequential exploratory mixed methods design, where quantitative data was collected from 55 mathematics and teachers using structured questionnaires while qualitative data was collected from 15 teachers through semi structured interviews and focus group discussions. The results show that the use of examples and contexts from the local environment, traditional games, stories, local languages and problem-solving contexts increase the learning of mathematics. The quantitative analysis shows that the use of examples and contexts was rated as the most effective (Mean=4.10), followed by traditional games (Mean=3.90) and contextual problem-solving activities (Mean=3.80). ANOVA and post hoc Tukey HSD tests were conducted to determine the statistical significance of the differences in effectiveness among these approaches and the results supported the effectiveness of culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches. The qualitative data also supported these findings and showed that cultural relevance can improve students' interest and understanding of the content. The study has significant practical, theoretical and policy implications and the recommendations made will be useful to educators and policymakers in designing an effective and context specific mathematics education system in Zambia. This paper therefore emphasizes the need to consider the needs of professional development, curriculum, and resources to support the integration of indigenous knowledge in education sustainably.