Glen Lean Ethnomathematic Center (GLEC) |
The Glen Lean Ethnomathematics Centre (GLEC) was established at the University of Goroka in April 2000, primarily as an ethnomathematics research centre by the Department of Mathematics and Computing to identify and collect data through research on mathematical practices found in the cultural context in PNG. There was also a need to store and preserve the existing collected data in a more coordinated manner to enable individuals and groups to have access to it for teaching and research purposes. Furthermore, the Department also saw the need for such a centre to coordinate all data on indigenous knowledge and to explore the notion of ethnomathematics for its educational value and insight which may have implications for teaching of mathematics in PNG and mathematics education in general.
The Centre is named after the late Dr Glen Tolele Angove Lean, an ethnomathematical anthropologist who spent about 22 years teaching and lecturing at the PNG University of Technology in Lae.
The following are broadly based aims and functions of GLEC, but are not limited to, and include:
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Providing a storage facility for collecting, preserving and cataloguing all research data on ethnomathematics (both hardcopy & electronic) and enabling accessibility in the use of these data by those who need them for teaching and research purposes; |
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Promoting and disseminating data on indigenous mathematical knowledge through collaborative research projects between researchers from PNG and abroad; |
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Providing an avenue for the development of advance research skills of PNG national academics and educators through collaborative research with overseas researchers; |
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Providing an additional avenue for UOG students to have access to information on ethnomathematics which otherwise are currently not easily available, at the same time, assisting them wherever possible in designing and executing further research on ethnomathematics hence enable them to develop the necessary research skills; |
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Facilitating and sanctioning all research project proposals on ethnomathematics submitted by overseas researchers for the purposes of approving and recommending in consultation with the National Research Institute (NRI) in Port Moresby for the granting of research visa to conduct research in PNG; |
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Promoting critical academic discussions on the cultural, educational and academic insights of ethnomathematics amongst ethnomathematicians, anthropologists, linguists, mathematics educators and mathematicians; |
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Designing and conducting relevant research in identifying mathematical practices in the cultural contexts (ethnomathematics) in PNG with the aim to design an Instructional Model that is most appropriate to the PNG situation and educationally beneficial in teaching mathematics; |
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To provide an advisory role to different levels of education or other line departments or organisations concerned with education in PNG whenever required concerning teaching of mathematics, mathematics curriculum, and mathematics education in general. |
There are basically three reasons that provided the rationale for the establishment of GLEC namely, cultural, educational and academic.
In the near future with all necessary resources permitting, GLEC intends to make available all data stored in its database accessible to those who need them in all three forms namely, hardcopy, electronic and online.