Developing Ethnomathematics Based Learning Materials to Strengthen Students Mathematical Connections and Cultural Understanding

Abstract

Mathematics learning requires students to recognize relationships among mathematical concepts, real-life situations, and their cultural environment. This study aimed to develop ethnomathematics-based learning materials that strengthen students’ mathematical connections and cultural understanding. The study employed a Research and Development design using the ADDIE framework, consisting of Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The development process involved learning-needs analysis, exploration of local cultural practices, curriculum mapping, material development, expert validation, small-group testing, and field implementation. Participants included 32 eighth-grade students, one mathematics teacher, and three experts in mathematics education, ethnomathematics, and instructional design. Data were collected through validation sheets, teacher and student response questionnaires, classroom observations, mathematical connections tests, and a cultural understanding instrument. The developed materials consisted of six learning units integrating local batik motifs with geometric forms, patterns, symmetry, transformation, measurement, ratio, and proportional relationships. Expert validation produced an overall score of 90.83%, indicating very high validity, while teacher and student practicality responses reached 91.25% and 88.44%, respectively. Classroom implementation reached 92.17%. Students’ mathematical connection scores increased from a mean of 51.15 in the pretest to 82.81 in the posttest, with an N-gain of 0.65 and a large effect size of 2.18. Cultural understanding increased from 58.59 to 84.77. The findings indicate that ethnomathematics-based learning materials can provide a meaningful bridge between formal mathematics, real-life contexts, and local cultural knowledge.