Journal of Education and Human Development

Ethnomathematics as an Epistemological Booster for investigating Culture and Pedagogical Experience with theYoung Offender orPrison School Communities
Eliane Leal Vasquez, Ph.D.

Abstract
This paper discusses how is interpreted the ethnomathematicsprogram in the area of mathematics education, seeking to reflection their role for studiescarriedat schools installed in prison or socio-educative system from 2005 to 2012 in Brazil. The result is a part of research developed in the Course of Specialization in Methodology for Mathematics Teaching at International Faculty of Curitiba (FACINTER) and it held in agreement with the Brazilian Institute of Postgraduate and Extension (IBPEX). Research in ethnomathematicsaddresses mathematical knowledge, but also languages, values, knowledges, behaviors, and practices spread by cultural groups in specific environments.There are several interpretationsfor the ethnomathematics program, e.g., that its studies are part of ethnoscience or a history of mathematics, or that it is a developing educational theory or a paradigm. Based on the few research studies available on culture and pedagogical experience atthe education in contexts of confinement, the ethnomathematics program takes a role of the epistemological booster to carry new research studies with the young offender or prison school communities.Besides, the studies analyzedpoint the necessity teachers to have access to the ContinuingFormation so that they can contribute tothe planning, execution, and evaluation of Pedagogical Political Project.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v6n2a13