Math in a Cultural Context

Math in a Cultural Context (MCC) is a long-term set of interrelated sponsored research, funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Education and by support from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Math in a Cultural Context is a rather extraordinary three decades-long collaboration of educators, Yup’ik elders and teachers, mathematicians and math educators, Alaskan school districts, and more recently includes Greenlandic Inuit, Sami, and Pacific Islander partners. We have had the privilege to learn together and understand how the underlying principles that support everyday practical knowledge can inform teaching and learning in a school context. Central to MCC is its long-term collaboration with Yup’ik elders, teachers, and academics that developed into a vibrant learning community. We are deeply inspired by the steadfast support of so many elders who shared their knowledge. Alaskan school districts and teachers opened their classrooms to MCC as we developed, tested, and revised our materials and pedagogical approach. 

The outcome of this work is now freely downloadable under Creative Commons licenses.