Linda Furuto, a professor of mathematics education at the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa, started teaching ethnomathematics at UH West Oʻahu in 2007.

She helped to develop the world’s first academic program in ethnomathematics at the UH Mānoa College of Education in 2018.

Recently, the sixth cohort of educators in that ethnomathematics graduate certificate program participated in service learning and math-related activities at the Hoʻokuaʻāina taro loʻi in Kailua, Oʻahu.

What is ethnomathematics?

Ethnomathematics is real-world problem solving that’s grounded in a sense of purpose and a sense of place. It empowers students by drawing on their strengths and the strengths of their communities through meaningful, relevant and contextualized applications of mathematics.

I think our responsibilities as educators and stewards and caretakers of Island Earth are to find ways to connect our classrooms to voyaging now with our students and voyaging into the future. I think we can do that by connecting our classrooms to the ecological, cultural, historical, political context in which schooling takes place.

What mathematical concepts were demonstrated at Hoʻokuaʻāina?

We used protractors to measure angles of elevation where we could figure out at what degree would certain types of liquids or substances repel or find connections to the taro leaf. …Our students found different connections to their land or their homes or their schools or communities. And then we had conversations when we met the next time about how kalo hydrophobicity and angles of elevation and declination and geometry and algebra were connected to our natural environment.

Do you think ethnomathematics will help students be more engaged?

We’ve seen through evidence based research and impact studies that ethnomathematics does make a difference. …We’ve seen how ethnomathematics can transform a university. For example, when I was a math professor at the University of �鶹��ý West–Oʻahu campus, we saw a 1400% increase in math enrollment. From the time I started in 2007, enrollment at UH West Oʻahu was about 940 students, to the time I left in 2013, when enrollment at UH West Oʻahu was about 2,300 students.

How many educators are part of the UH ethnomathematics alumni network and how many countries does the network encompass?

More than 100 undergraduate STEM and pre-service educators and more than 200 P–20 public, public charter, and private school educators. The also includes partners and supporters, many of whom are based outside the U.S. Our students come from the U.S. and Canada.

Changemakers around the world are selected annually by to inspire and accelerate positive change in their communities. For 2023, University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (COE) Professor of Mathematics Education, Linda Furuto, has been chosen to be one of 105 global leaders.

Furuto will be among just 34 leaders participating in the Asia-Pacific program, representing a cohort of 22 countries/territories across the region. The 2023 cohort of Asia-Pacific Leaders are focusing on a broad range of issues, including the climate crisis, Indigenous rights, education and more.

“I can’t think of anyone more qualified than Linda to represent the COE as an Obama Leader,” said Department of Curriculum Studies Chair Patricia Espiritu Halagao. “Her cutting-edge work with ethnomathematics and involvement as the UH ambassador to the Pacific Voyaging Society (PVS) Moananuiākea Voyage will greatly contribute to better understanding how education can serve our global communities. And, above all, she exudes the values of a humble, caring and committed servant leader.”

During the six-month, non-residential Obama Leaders program, Furuto will participate in weekly virtual skill-building workshops, network building opportunities and a variety of moderated conversations with members of the Obama Foundation global network. Upon completion of the program, leaders join the Obama Foundation’s alumni community as the next generation of civically active, positive role models who are prepared to create tangible solutions to the challenges of our time.

Furuto’s fondness of COE

Furuto is the director of the and programs at COE. She led the highly acclaimed Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute for 10 years, garnering a and for exploring sustainability, stewardship and ancestral knowledge through mathematical sciences. This institute would become the first ethnomathematics academic program in the world.

Prior to joining the COE in 2013, Furuto was an associate professor of mathematics and head of mathematics and science at . A UH Board of Regents Medal for Excellence in Teaching recipient, she is also an apprentice navigator and education specialist with PVS, and is part of the .

“I am truly grateful to be part of the UH Mānoa College of Education surrounded by inspiring students, staff, faculty and communities grounded in a sense of purpose and a sense of place,” said Furuto. “By collectively expanding our perspectives on how we intentionally wayfind 360 ̊, I believe we can create a world where every child knows know who they are, where they come from, and where they are going through values-based STEM education. I look forward to continuing to work together to strengthen the P-20 pipeline by creating alternative STEM pathways to traditional learning goals in ethnomathematics and STEM.”

Sailing on the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa, doing service learning at Waikalua Loko Fishpond in Kāneʻohe and studying at Kaloko Tidepools in East Honolulu may sound like a fun, activity-packed summer, but it was actually much more than that for 11 educators in 2022.

They were part of the next cohort of teachers learning ethnomathematics, or real-world experiential problem solving imbued with a sense of culture and place. Lessons included trigonometric functions and angles of inclination aboard Hōkūleʻa, and studying mathematical modeling of Earth systems through service learning at the fishpond.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa began offering the first academic program in the world for ethnomathematics in 2018. Since then, 41 educators have obtained , and 21 graduates have earned . Educators who already hold a �鶹��ý teaching license may add a field of licensure in ethnomathematics through the .

“The ethnomathematics program is built upon the work of many others. While establishment of the world’s first academic program in ethnomathematics is new, the concepts and central tenets have been around since the beginning of time to honor all people and places and to be a catalyst for positive change in the communities we’re endeavoring to serve in �鶹��ý and around the world,” said Professor Linda Furuto. “Our vision is that every child will know who they are, where they come from and where they are going.”

Upcoming information sessions

The College of Education is inviting more educators and the community to share in the ethnomathematics experiences and earn credentials through five virtual information sessions.

Join an ethnomathematics virtual information session:

• Wednesday, November 2, 5–6 p.m. HST
• Wednesday, November 16, 5–6 p.m. HST
• Wednesday, November 30, 5–6 p.m. HST
• Wednesday, January 11, 4–5 p.m. HST
• Wednesday, January 25, 4–5 p.m. HST

(the host will let you in).

For more information, see the College of Education or email coemath@hawaii.edu.

More than 60 educators have earned certificates or master’s degrees since the first ethnomathematics academic program launched in 2018.

Ethnomathematics is real-world experiential problem solving that empowers students to be locally minded, global citizens with a sense of purpose and a sense of place through education, networking and research. In 2018, the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa (COE) began offering the first academic program in the world for ethnomathematics.

Since then, 34 educators have obtained , and 17 graduates have earned a .

Besides those two credentials, educators who already hold a �鶹��ý teaching license may add a field of licensure in ethnomathematics through the .

COE is inviting more students and the community to innovate, explore and re-imagine education through the . The college will host two virtual information sessions in November to provide additional information on certificates and degrees.

“Our vision is ‘Every child will know who they are, where they come from, and where they are going,’” said Linda Furuto, professor of mathematics education. “The ethnomathematics program is intended to inform, inspire and rejuvenate participants to operationalize the knowledge and experience gained to design curriculum and implement action plans that impact equity and excellence in student learning and achievement.”

She added that program graduates have gone on to become teacher leaders through interconnected work with educational institutions, research organizations and community partners.

Join an ethnomathematics virtual information session:

• Tuesday, November 2, 3:30–4:30 p.m. HST
• Friday, November 5, 4–5 p.m. HST

(the host will let you in).

For more information, see the COE or email coemath@hawaii.edu.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa invites students and the community to innovate, explore and re-imagine education through the at the College of Education. The program will host on November 10 at 3:30 p.m. HST and November 13 at 4 p.m. HST to provide additional information on certificates and degrees.

Ethnomathematics is real-world experiential problem-solving that empowers students to be locally-minded, global citizens with a sense of purpose and a sense of place. The program is intended to inform, inspire and rejuvenate participants to operationalize the knowledge and experience gained to design curriculum and implement action plans that impact equity and excellence in student learning and achievement.

The ethnomathematics program offers an 11-month graduate certificate and may extend the certificate to a MEd curriculum studies, mathematics education master’s degree with the completion of additional coursework and requirements, over the course of 17 months. In addition, participants already holding a license in the State of �鶹��ý may add-a-field of licensure in ethnomathematics through the �鶹��ý Teacher Standards Board.

• Related UH News story: First-in-the-world UH ethnomathematics program approved by �鶹��ý Teacher Standards Board, January 11, 2019

Session information

The virtual information session will be held via Zoom and does not require registration. Participants can join the sessions a few minutes before the scheduled start times at . They will be let into the session by a meeting host.

Session times

• November 10, 3:30–4:30 p.m. (HST)
• November 13, 4–5 p.m. (HST)

Application information and deadlines

Applicants for the ethnomathematics program will need the following:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (any field)
• 3.0 GPA or higher (please inquire if below)
• Teaching experience in P-20 (early childhood education through university) or equivalent experience
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose

The early admission deadline is December 1, 2020. The general admission deadline is February 1, 2021.

For more information, visit the or email at coemath@hawaii.edu.

In 2018, the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa began offering the first ethnomathematics graduate certificate and became the first academic program in in the world. Later that year, the approved ethnomathematics as a field of licensure.

“I think it’s fantastic that the �鶹��ý Teachers Standards Board has added ethnomathematics as a field, because it just validates everything that we’re doing,” said Jaqueline Vallejo-San Agustin, a �鶹��ý Technology Academy teacher. “It emphasizes the importance of integrating culture in our school curricula, especially in math, which is a subject that culture isn’t really seen in.”

For more than a decade, UH had been developing dynamic mathematics educators through ethnomathematics training, which provides hands-on experiences such as sailing aboard the the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s double-hulled canoes Hikianalia and Hōkūleʻa and traveling to the �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology on Moku o Loʻe, also known as Coconut Island, in Kāneʻohe Bay to study snapping shrimp and other creatures in the algae participants collect.

• Read more about UH’s ethnomathematics program.

Ethnomathematics is a way to prepare high-quality primary and secondary teachers as leaders through real-world application of teaching and learning mathematics that bridges indigenous wisdom and 21st century skills to classrooms and communities.

Vallejo-San Agustin says, “Ethnomathematics is just the way we should be teaching mathematics. By using culture, by going into our physical environments and just by doing instead of just listening and lecturing.”

Being first in the world means UH Mānoa is leading the way for math education. Ferdinando Arzarello, former president of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction says, “[UH’s] program is very important because it’s opening new ways for research in math education, for research in science, for research that is looked at from a fresher standpoint.”

biology Instructor Michelle Phillips says she’s seen ethnomathematics change students. “It’s made a huge difference. I’ve been involved in this program since 2015, so I’ve seen students go from listening to lectures to actually getting involved to wanting to make a difference in their community,” she said.

The ethnomathematics program at UH Mānoa’s College of Education is the culmination of more than 10 years of building the UH Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute, under the direction of Professor of Mathematics Education , with support from state and federal funding.

Furuto said, “The future vision of the ethnomathematics program is to strive to be a model for how we learn and teach mathematics that honors all people and places, and to be a catalyst for positive change in the communities we’re endeavoring to serve in �鶹��ý and around the world.”

For more information on the UH Mānoa College of Education’s Ethnomathematics Program or to apply go to the .

—By Kelli Trifonovitch

The first academic program in the world for ethnomathematics, an increasingly visible, highly interdisciplinary and hands-on subject, will be offered by the University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa beginning in summer 2018.

Ethnomathematics is real-world problem-solving that is relevant, contextualized and sustainable through the integration of indigenous wisdom and 21st century learning. Aligned with federal and state standards, the UH Mānoa ethnomathematics program will develop teachers as leaders to discover multiple approaches to teaching and learning mathematics through project-based and place-based experiences that connect classrooms and communities.

“As far as I know, no other academic program in ethnomathematics exists in the world. Thus, the ethnomathematics graduate certificate at the University of �鶹��ý is an excellent opportunity for giving an appropriate academic role to this subject,” said former President of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction Ferdinando Arzarello.

“Its creation opens new paths for research, where mathematics can be looked at from fresh and exciting standpoints. It will certainly promote international cooperation within different communities of researchers, from mathematics to anthropology through a long list of intertwined disciplines” Arzarello said.

The new ethnomathematics graduate certificate is the culmination of 10 years of building the , under the direction of Professor of Mathematics Education , with support from state and federal funding.

“We are grateful for the support of local and global partners in this endeavor,” Furuto said. “On this journey, we strive to remember where we’ve come from in order to understand where we are and allow us to see beyond the horizon, thus enabling us to collectively work toward our commitment to equitable and quality mathematics education for all students. We invite you to voyage with us!”

Experiencing math beyond classroom walls

As part of the , educators have traveled to the on Moku o Loʻe, also known as Coconut Island, in ����Ա�ʻ�dz�� Bay.

There they study snapping shrimp and other creatures in the algae they collect. They listen for the snapping sound of the shrimp in a laboratory and test to see if the snapping gets louder and more frequent when a predator, such as a crab, is introduced. This leads to discussion on the mathematical aspects of sound waves that includes amplitude, period, wavelength and frequency.

“After 17 years of teaching secondary mathematics, Ethnomathematics opened the door for me helping me become a better teacher incorporating cultural relevancy in my lessons which inspired my students to see that math isn’t just in textbooks but in their everyday world,” said mathematics teacher Janel Marr.

Students of the new one-year certificate program will explore culturally sustaining, place-based and project-based mathematics pedagogy and practices that improve student success rates, especially for underrepresented populations in mathematics. The online program is designed for local and global working education professionals and will be delivered in a cohort model. With additional coursework and requirements, the graduate certificate may be extended to a master’s degree.

The deadline to apply is March 15, 2018 (applications received after this date will be considered based on available space). For more information, including a program overview, funding opportunities and how to apply, please visit the .

The Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute has been the subject of numerous online, print, television and radio features in the Mathematical Association of America, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Smithsonian Institution, Pacific Business News and National Public Radio.

Most recently, the institute was presented with the UH President’s Green Initiative Award for its leadership in exploring sustainability and stewardship of our planet through mathematical sciences.

The University of �鶹��ý at Mānoa is offering a new year-long . With the addition of advanced-level mathematics and STEM-related studies, the institute is an expansion of the Ethnomathematics Summer Institute led by Associate Professor Linda Furuto for the past five years. Applications are being accepted now.

Furuto recently joined the after serving as associate professor of mathematics at . There, she gained recognition for her Ethnomathematics Summer Institute, which has been featured in numerous print, radio and television media. This month, she was awarded an Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA Title II) grant through the .

“Dr. Furuto brings a fresh perspective to our college in teaching mathematics and preparing mathematics educators,” said College of Education Dean Donald Young. “She exudes excitement and a passion for mathematics that helps us discover mathematics all around us and provides insight into how we can prepare educators with a true sense of place.”

Defined by Brazilian mathematician Ubiratan D’Ambrosio as the intersection of culture, historical traditions, sociocultural roots and mathematics, ethnomathematics encourages the investigation and adaptation of these concepts within and outside of the classroom. Furuto explained that the goal is to acknowledge cultural systems and frameworks that have existed since the beginning of time and to help teachers discover new pathways that foster student engagement through developing and supporting a high-quality teaching force. A strong proponent of finding relevance in real world applications, Furuto builds experiential and service learning into each field study.

Through an orientation, a series of professional development workshops and a summer institute, participants engage in place-based learning at the Coconut Island, the Mokauea Island Fishing Village and Kalaupapa National Historical Park. Participants will also sail around the Hawaiian Islands with the .

Read the .

More on the Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute

Applicants for the Ethnomathematics and STEM Institute must attend one mandatory pre-institute workshop in person (online for neighbor island applicants) on October 21, 22 or 23, 2013 at the UH Mānoa College of Education.

The program is free by competitive application. Airfare and lodging are included for neighbor island participants, and priority is given to K–12 public, public charter and private school STEM educators and those in the UH system.

Upon completion of the institute, all participants become institute scholars and educators receive professional development credit or a stipend.

In a search for a different way to teach and learn math, a group of University of �鶹��ý students and college and high school educators traveled to the on Moku o Loʻe, also known as Coconut Island, in Kāneʻohe Bay.

The field trip was part of a free, two-week long, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program out of , funded by federal, state and Native Hawaiian grants. The program started in 2009 and is called the .

“Ethnomathematics is basically, I like to see it as practical math,” said UH West Oʻahu student Scott Yago. “It’s math applied in our culture around us.”

“Like to relate math outside of the classroom,” said fellow UH West Oʻahu student Andreanna Banta. “Like your culture, whether it is your own Hawaiian backyard, or anything you love, music.”

Katie Carpenter, a 4th grade teacher at Kamiloiki Elementary agreed. “It’s basically finding mathematics in our natural environment, in our natural surroundings.”

Like Kāneʻohe Bay. The group found snapping shrimp and other creatures in the algae they collected after they arrived on Moku o Loʻe. They listened for the snapping sound of the shrimp in a �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology laboratory and tested to see if the snapping got louder and more frequent when a predator, like a crab, was introduced. This led to a discussion on the mathematical aspects of sound waves.

“Amplitude, period, wavelength, frequency, and why should we care about these?” said Linda Furuto, a UH West Oʻahu associate professor of mathematics and the Ethnomathematics Summer Institute director. “Why should we care about these mathematical concepts? Because it impacts our coral reefs and our backyards.”

These types of connections are stressed in each class and every field trip.

“Analytical geometry and the fishponds and Mokauea Island Fishing Village to hiking down from the highest sea cliffs in the world to Kalaupapa and seeing linear functions and symmetries and intercepts and axes,” explained Furuto.

When students, of any age, experience these connections firsthand, it can open up a world that many spend their lives avoiding, the world of math and science.

“Um, actually, I used to hate math,” said Yago.

“I didn’t even care for math,” said Banta. “I thought it was so boring.”

But after taking enthnomath courses at UH West Oʻahu and participating in the summer institute, the students say math is no longer just books and paper.

“It was actually a way of life and it is a way for you to conjure your thoughts up and explain human interaction and explain natural things happening in the world so it really opened up my eyes,” said Yago.

“As a student, it makes me want to come to class,” said Banta with laugh. “And as a career, I want to go into education so I hope that I can be able to inspire my students just as I have been inspired to take learning outside of the classroom.”

For teachers, the summer institute allows them to experience different STEM teaching strategies firsthand, and the importance of teaching through real-life scenarios.

“They find it more enjoyable,” said Carpenter. “They are more engaged. They want to do more math instead of just recess.”

There is no cost to participate due to support from the National Science Foundation, �鶹��ý Pacific Islands Campus Compact Ecosystem, U.S. Department of Education Title III Part A Native Hawaiian Serving Institution, and University of �鶹��ý SEED Diversity and Equity Initiative.

The summer institute also partners with Native Hawaiian and other community- and research-based organizations to develop projects that focus on strategies that support current and future STEM students.

The is currently taking applications for its Ethnomathematics Summer Institute, which will be held May 20–June 2. Now in its fifth year, this groundbreaking program allows University of �鶹��ý faculty, staff and students to design and implement mathematics grounded in the ethnic, historical and cultural diversities of �鶹��ý.

Institute scholars will participate in field studies to the �鶹��ý Institute of Marine Biology’s Coconut Island in Kāneʻohe Bay and Mokauea Island Fishing Village in Keʻehi Lagoon. Scholars will also sail with the Polynesian Voyaging Society around Oʻahu and hike to Kalaupapa on the island of �鶹��ý students who have passed MATH 100, faculty and staff are invited to apply. Neighbor island participants will be responsible for flights and accommodations while on Oʻahu.

Information workshops for applicants

Potential participants must attend a mandatory pre-institute workshop. Two workshops will be offered in February.

Thursday, February 14, 2013
5–6 p.m.
UH West Oʻahu, E109

Friday, February 15, 2013
11 a.m.–noon
UH West Oʻahu, E132

For more information, contact Linda Furuto at lfuruto@hawaii.edu.