Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Perspectives on Sámi Mathematics Education

  • Published:
Interchange Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Sámi are an indigenous people of the Arctic, and through a resolution of the United Nations, Norway is bound to take care of the Sámi culture and language. Since 1987 the Sámi have had their own curriculum, but they have no mathematics syllabus. In this paper we summarize the legal acts that take care of the Sámi culture within the Norwegian educational system, and then discuss three examples of Sámi mathematics, which can be part of a possible Sámi mathematics syllabus. First, a unit of measurement is presented, second, a unique way of treating the ratios 2:1 and 1:2 is described, and finally the use of some Sámi versus Norwegian geometry terms are exposed. The three examples are situated in relation to the Yup’ik Eskimo Mathematics in a Cultural Context (MCC), as described by Lipka, Webster, and Yanez (2005) and their contribution in this special issue of Interchange.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alseth B. (1998) Kartlegging av matematikkforståelse. Matematikk påsmåskoletrinnet. Nasjonalt læremiddelsenter (NLS), Oslo, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop A.J. (1988) Mathematics education in its cultural context. Educational Studies in Mathematics 19: 179-191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Det juridiske fagbibliotek. (2008). Act relating to primary and secondary education (Education Act). Oslo, Norway: University of Oslo. Retrieved October 8, 2010 from http://www.ub.uio.no/ujur/ulovdata/lov-19980717-061-eng.pdf

  • Ernest P. (1998) Social constructivism as a philosophy of mathematics. Falmer Press, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Faktaforlaget (2009) Lovsamling for skoleledere. Faktaforlaget AS, Oslo, Norway

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, H.W. & Fowler, F.G. (Eds.). (1964). The concise Oxford dictionary of current English (5th ed.). London, UK: Oxford University Press. Original work published in 1911.

  • Freudenthal H. (1991) Revisiting mathematics education. China Lectures. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, NL

    Google Scholar 

  • Fyhn, A.B. (2007). Angles as tools for grasping space: Teaching of angles based on students’ experiences with physical activities and body movement. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Tromsø.

  • Gaup, E. & Nystad, A. (2005). Overføring av tradisjonell kunnskap, i Samisk språkopplæng og modulbasert opplæng. Rapport fra seminaret iTromsø 22. - 23.2.05. Sámi Allaskuvla og Fylkesmannen i Troms (pp. 18-20).

  • Henderson, D.W. & Taimina, D. (2005). Experiencing geometry. Euclidean and non-Euclidean with history. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.

  • Hirvonen, V. & Keskitalo, J.H. (2004). Samisk skole - En ufullendt symfoni? In T.O. Engen & K.J. Solstad (Reds.), En likeverdig skole for alle? Om enhet og mangfold i grunnskolen (pp. 200-219). Oslo, Norway: Universitetsforlaget.

  • Kautokeino kommune. (2006). Til Kunnskapminister Øystein Djupedal. Letter to the Minister of Education from the School Adviser in Kautokeino Council 26.09.2006.

  • KD, Ministry of Education and Research (2006a). Læremidler på samiske språk, e-mail from Kunnskapsdepartementet, Opplæringsavdelingen, Seksjon for styring, 23.11.2006 at 10:36.

  • KD, Ministry of Education and Research (2006b). Læreplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet (LK06). Retrieved June 23, 2010 from http://www.udir.no/Artikler/_Lareplaner/Meldingar-og-styringsdokument/

  • KD, Ministry of Education and Research (2006c). Samisk længsplakat. Retrieved September 29, 2010 from http://www.udir.no/Artikler/_Lareplaner/Samisk-laringsplakat/

  • KD, Ministry of Education and Research (2006d). Mathematics subject curriculum. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://www.udir.no/upload/larerplaner/Fastsatte_lareplaner_for_Kunnskapsloeftet/english/Mathematics_subject_curriculum.rtf

  • KUD, Ministry of Church and Education (1989). Mønsterplan for grunnskolen, 2.del: Samiske fagplaner, (The national curriculum for compulsory school, Part two: The Sámi syllabuses). Oslo: Ministry of Church and Education and Aschehoug & Co.

  • KUF, Ministry of Church, Education and Research (1997a). Core Curriculum for primary, secondary and adult education in Norway. http://www.udir.no/upload/larerplaner/generell_del/Core_Curriculum_English.pdf

  • KUF, Ministry of Church, Education and Research (1997b). Det samiske læreplanverket for den 10-årige grunnskolen.

  • Kuhmunen, J.M. (2006).Sámediggi - The Sámi Parliament. Retrieved October 09, 2010, from http://www.samediggi.no/artikkel.aspx?AId=884&back=1&MId1=270

  • Kåven, B., Jernsletten, J., Nordal, I, Eira, J. H. & Solbakk, Å (1995).Sámi-dáru SÀTNEGIRJI Samisk-norsk ordbok, Kárášjohka/Karasjok: Davvi Girji o.s.

  • Lipka, J., Webster, J.P., & Yanez, E. (2005). Factors that Affect Alaska Native Students’ Mathematical Performance, in. Journal of American Indian Education, 44(3), pp, 1-8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovdata (2010). Kapittel 3. Samisk språk, i Lov om Sametinget og andre samiske rettsforhold (sameloven). Retrieved May 09, 2010 from http://www.lovdata.no/all/tl-19870612-056-003.html

  • Mukhopadhyay S., Greer B. (2001) Modeling with purpose: Mathematics as a critical tool. In: Atweh B., Forgasz H., Nebres B. (eds) Sociocultural research on mathematics education: An international perspective. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp 295-312

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen, K. (1979). Lappisk (samisk) ordbok. Grunnet på dialektene i Polmak, Karasjok og Kautokeino. N: Oslo: Universitetsforlaget

  • Sámediggi/Sametinget/Sámi Parliament of Norway (2010a). Kunngjøring av konkurranse. Læreverk i matematikk for grunnskolen oversatt til samisk. Kunngjort 9. februar. Retrieved June 17, 2010 from http://www.doffin.no/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=FEB141280

  • Sámediggi/Sametinget/Sámi Parliament of Norway (2010b). Anbud - oversetting og trykking av matematikkverk for grunnskolen - tildeling av oppdrag. Letter of April 26, 2010. Karasjok: Sametingets opplængsavdeling.

  • Sriraman B., Adrian H. (2004) The pedagogical value and the interdisciplinary nature of inductive processes in forming generalizations. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 35(4): 407-422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stortinget (2008). The Constitution. Retrieved October 8, 2010 from http://www.stortinget.no/en/In-English/About-the-Storting/The-Constitution/The-Constitution/ Original work first published in 1814.

  • UN (2007). Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Retrieved October 9, 2010 from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf

  • Utsi Gaup, E. Nergård, A., Nystad, A. & Valkeapää, N. H. (1991). Matematihkkasánit. Dárogielas sámegilli - sámegielas dárogilli, Sámi oahpahusrá??i 1990

  • Watt D.L., Lipka J., Webster J.P., Yanez E., Andrew-Ihrke D., Adam A.S. (2006) Designing Patterns: Exploring Shapes and Area. Detselig Enterprises Ltd, Calgary, Alberta

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education, University of Tromsø, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway

    Anne Birgitte Fyhn

  2. Guovdageainnu Nuoraidskuvla, Kautokeino ungdomsskole, Bredbuktnesveien 6, 9520, Kautokeino, Norway

    Ellen J. Sara Eira

  3. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, U.S.A.

    Bharath Sriraman

Authors
  1. Anne Birgitte Fyhn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ellen J. Sara Eira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bharath Sriraman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne Birgitte Fyhn.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fyhn, A.B., Sara Eira, E.J. & Sriraman, B. Perspectives on Sámi Mathematics Education. Interchange 42, 185–203 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-011-9154-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10780-011-9154-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation