Investigation of the effect of geometry teaching with ethnomodeling on students' academic achievement in area measurement

This study aims to investigate the effect of geometry instruction enriched with ethnomodeling activities on the academic achievement of 6th-grade students in the concept of area measurement. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and retention test control group. Participants consisted of 6th-grade students attending a public school. While the experimental group (EG) received instruction through ethnomodeling-based activities, the control group (CG) was taught using traditional teaching methods. The modeling activities for the EG were based on ethnomathematical problems that reflected the historical, natural, and cultural heritage of the Çukurova region. These problems were developed in alignment with key modeling principles, including contextual relevance, realism, self-evaluation, structural documentation, effective prototyping, and generalizability. The mathematical modeling process was actively integrated throughout the instructional phase. The data were analyzed using ANCOVA, which showed that students in the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores in area measurement compared to those in the CG. Furthermore, the results indicated that the learning gains in the EG were more permanent compared to those in the CG. This study aims to contribute to the advancement of instructional strategies by demonstrating the potential impact of innovative teaching approaches—such as the ethnomodeling learning model—on mathematics education, offering valuable insights for educators and policymakers