Mathematics Education in the Context of Xavante Indigenous Ethnomatematics: A Game of Conditional Probability

Abstract

Since 2008, Federal Law 11.645/08 established that indigenous cultures should be inserted in the Brazilian Basic Education curriculum. However, inclusion proposals of indigenous traits based on ethnomathematics are scarce. This paper suggests the use of a technological teaching resource in the context of Xavante etnomathematics: a game exploring conditional probability called “Guess the Xavante number”. The game developed on the Scratch platform, and created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), promotes computer programing learning among children over eight years old. The game can be used by middle and high school teachers to promote learning of Brazilian indigenous cultures and Xavante mathematics in a playful fashion, while stimulating logical‑quantitative reasoning and introducing concepts about conditional probability.

Ethnomatematics; Indigenous culture; Xavante; Game; Conditional probability