Teaching with Ethnomathematics: Power Curves to the People
Summary: From Applachian quilting to Zulu beadwork, cultures everywhere have sophisticated mathematical ideas we can translate into classroom lessons. But much can be lost in translation! The Culturally Situated Design Tools team has been working with Indigenous communities, urban artists, community activists and others to develop lessons in geometric and computational thinking that treat cultural materials with the respect and dignity they deserve. As classroom lessons move from “find the one right answer” to “use math for creative expression” we find students more engaged, and open new opportunities for school and community collaborations.
Registration: Closed
Duration: 60 minutes
Format: Online seminar via Zoom web meeting software with questions and discussion. Detailed instructions for joining the seminar will be emailed to registered participants.
Presenter:
Dr. Eglash obtained his B.S. in cybernetics and his M.S. in systems engineering at UCLA. He received his doctorate at UCSC in History of Consciousness under Donna Haraway. Ron was a faculty member in the STS department at RPI for two decades; he is now a Professor in the School of Information at the University of Michigan, with a secondary appointment in the Stamps School of Art and Design. He is known for his monograph African Fractals: modern computing and indigenous design; his anthology Appropriating Technology; and his software suite, Culturally Situated Design Tools. You can find more about his work at https://generativejustice.org/.