Integrating ethnomathematics with ai‑driven and ar‑enhanced mathematics learning to foster critical thinking skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58524/jasme.v6i2.1124Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, Critical Thinking, Deep Learning, EthnomathematicsAbstract
Background: Empirical evidence indicates that junior high school students’ critical thinking skills in mathematics remain suboptimal, with national assessments highlighting gaps in analysis and evaluation competencies. Traditional teaching methods fail to address these higher-order thinking demands effectively.
Aims: This study investigates the effectiveness of an integrated learning model combining Ethnomathematics, Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Deep Learning (DL) in enhancing students’ critical thinking skills in mathematics.
Method: A mixed-method sequential explanatory design was employed. The quantitative phase used a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design with 64 junior high school students in Purworejo, Indonesia. The qualitative phase included semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. Critical thinking was measured using a validated 10-item test (Cronbach’s α = 0.82). The intervention lasted four weeks (12 sessions of 80 minutes).
Results: The quantitative phase showed significant improvement in critical thinking scores (t = 4.126, p < 0.001, 95% CI [18.2, 27.8]) with a high N-Gain of 73% (Cohen’s d = 0.58). Interpretation and evaluation indicators exhibited the highest gains (N-Gain 0.76–0.77). Qualitative findings revealed positive student engagement (mean 4.6/5) and cultural relevance (mean 4.5/5), while teachers found the model innovative but noted infrastructure and training challenges.
Conclusion: The integrated Ethno-AR-AI-DL model effectively improves critical thinking and is positively perceived by users. These findings suggest the potential of culturally relevant, technology-enhanced mathematics instruction, provided teacher training and infrastructure are addressed.
References
Acosta-Gonzaga, E. (2023). The effects of self-esteem and academic engagement on university students’ performance. Behavioral Sciences, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13040348
Betts, A., Thai, K.-P., & Gunderia, S. (2021). Personalized mastery learning ecosystems: Using Bloom’s four objects of change to drive learning in adaptive instructional systems. In Adaptive Instructional Systems. Design and Evaluation (pp. 29–52). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-77857-6_3
Cananau, I., Edling, S., & Haglund, B. (2025). Critical thinking in preparation for student teachers’ professional practice: A case study of critical thinking conceptions in policy documents framing teaching placement at a Swedish university. Teaching and Teacher Education, 153, 104816. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104816
D’Ambrosio, U. (2006). Ethnomathematics: Link between traditions and modernity. Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789460911415
Dhiki, Y. Y., & Bantas, M. G. D. (2021). Eksplorasi etnomatematika sebagai sumber belajar matematika di Kabupaten Ende. AKSIOMA: Jurnal Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika, 10(4), 2698–2709. https://doi.org/10.24127/ajpm.v10i4.4254
Efgivia, M. G., Rinanda, R. Y. A., Suriyani, Hidayat, A., Maulana, I., & Budiarjo, A. (2021). Analysis of constructivism learning theory. Proceedings, 208–212. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211020.032
Faqih, A., Nurdiawan, O., & Setiawan, A. (2021). Pengembangan media pembelajaran multimedia interaktif alat masak tradisional berbasis etnomatematika. Mosharafa: Jurnal Pendidikan Matematika, 10(2), 301–310. https://doi.org/10.31980/mosharafa.v10i2.663
Fauzi, I., Chano, J., & Wu, C. C. (2025). Mathematical literacy of Indonesian elementary school students: A case study of Bandung school. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 14(2), 58. https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v14n2p58
Fraz, J. N., Moura, E. M. B. de, Santos, K. V. G. dos, & Moreira, G. E. (2023). The Brazilian mathematics educator Ubiratan D’Ambrosio in vídeos: Ethnomathematics and the unveiling of mathematics. TANGRAM – Revista de Educação Matemática, 6(1), 100–118. https://doi.org/10.30612/tangram.v6i1.16878
Insorio, A. O., & Librada, A. R. P. (2025). Enhancing students’ academic performance by making the mathematics learning experience meaningful through differentiated instruction. Contemporary Mathematics and Science Education, 6(2), ep25008. https://doi.org/10.30935/conmaths/16332
Ivankova, N. V., Creswell, J. W., & Stick, S. L. (2006). Using mixed-methods sequential explanatory design: From theory to practice. Field Methods, 18(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/1525822X05282260
Kurniawan, H., Purwoko, R. Y., & Setiana, D. S. (2023). Integrating cultural artifacts and tradition from remote regions in developing mathematics lesson plans to enhance mathematical literacy. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 8(1), 61–74. https://doi.org/10.33902/JPR.202423016
Lai, J. W., & Cheong, K. H. (2022). Adoption of virtual and augmented reality for mathematics education: A scoping review. IEEE Access, 10, 13693–13703. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3145991
Leibovitch, Y. M., Beencke, A., Ellerton, P. J., McBrien, C., Robinson-Taylor, C.-L., & Brown, D. J. (2025). Teachers’ (evolving) beliefs about critical thinking education during professional learning: A multi-case study. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 56, 101725. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101725
Mandala, A. S., Anwar, L., Sa’dijah, C., & Zulnaidi, H. (2025). Development of mobile augmented reality-based geometry learning games to facilitate spatial reasoning. Infinity Journal, 14(2), 323–348. https://doi.org/10.22460/infinity.v14i2.p323-348
Maulida, A. S., Wahyudin, W., Turmudi, T., & Nurlaelah, E. (2024). The effect of experiential learning and directed instructions assisted by augmented reality on students’ self-regulated learning. Infinity Journal, 13(2), 553–568. https://doi.org/10.22460/infinity.v13i2.p553-568
Mishra, N. R. (2023). Constructivist approach to learning: An analysis of pedagogical models of social constructivist learning theory. Journal of Research and Development, 6(1), 22–29. https://doi.org/10.3126/jrdn.v6i01.55227
Mohamad, H. M., Bolong, N., Saad, I., Gungat, L., Tioon, J., Pileh, R., & Delton, M. (2022). Manufacture of concrete paver block using waste materials and by-products: A review. GEOMATE Journal, 22(93), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.21660/2022.93.j2363
Nafi’ah, J., & Faruq, D. J. (2025). Conceptualizing deep learning approach in primary education: Integrating mindful, meaningful, and joyful. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 3(2), 225–237. https://doi.org/10.70376/jerp.v3i2.384
Nagpal, D., Kornerup, I., & Gibson, M. P. (2021). Mixed-method research: A basic understanding. CODS Journal of Dentistry, 12(1), 11–16. https://doi.org/10.5005/jp-journals-10063-0065
Ndiung, S., Street, M. A., & Jediut, M. (2024). Higher order thinking skills in mathematics with project based learning. JPI (Jurnal Pendidikan Indonesia), 13(4), 810–817. https://doi.org/10.23887/jpiundiksha.v13i4.79435
OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 results (Volume I): The state of learning and equity in education. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/53f23881-en
Putri, A. D., Juandi, D., Jupri, A., Turmudi, & Muchsin, S. B. (2024). Mastering the TPACK framework: Innovative approaches by mathematics teachers. Jurnal Elemen, 10(3), 582–594. https://doi.org/10.29408/jel.v10i3.26311
Putri, A., Nusantara, T., Purwanto, & As’ari, A. R. (2025). The contribution of critical thinking skills in rich mathematical problem completion: Insights from pre-service mathematics teachers. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 21(2), em2581. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15931
Rahayu, R., Fahma, M. A., Bintoro, H. S., & Murti, A. C. (2025). Enhancing mathematical thinking skills through realistic mathematics education assisted by an ethnomathematics mobile module. Jurnal Pendidikan MIPA, 26(1), 556–569. https://doi.org/10.23960/jpmipa.v26i1.pp556-569
Rizwan, S., Nee, C. K., & Garfan, S. (2025). Identifying the factors affecting student academic performance and engagement prediction in MOOC using deep learning: A systematic literature review. IEEE Access, 13, 18952–18982. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3533915
Rosa, M., & Orey, D. (2021). Ubiratan D’Ambrosio: Celebrating his life and legacy. Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, 11(2), 430–450. https://doi.org/10.5642/jhummath.202102.26
Salas-Rueda, R.-A., Castañeda-Martínez, R., Ramírez-Ortega, J., & Martínez-Ramírez, S.-M. (2025). Use of the deep learning and decision tree techniques to analyze the incorporation of technology in the educational field. Digital Education Review, 46, 26–39. https://doi.org/10.1344/der.2025.46.26-39
Shamim, M. R. H., Jeng, A. M., & Raihan, M. A. (2024). University teachers’ perceptions of ICT-based teaching to construct knowledge for effective classroom interaction in the context of TPACK model. Heliyon, 10(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28577
Susanto, E., Susanta, A., & Irsal, N. A. (2022). Development of mathematical reasoning tests based on minimum competency assessments with Bengkulu contexts. Jurnal Pendidikan MIPA, 23(4), 1515–1526. https://doi.org/10.23960/jpmipa/v23i4.pp1515-1526
Sutarto, S., Sari, D. P., & Fathurrochman, I. (2020). Teacher strategies in online learning to increase students’ interest in learning during COVID-19 pandemic. Jurnal Konseling dan Pendidikan, 8(3), 129–137. https://doi.org/10.29210/147800
Taqiyya, W., Utami, R. D., Samsuri, M., & Siswanto, H. (2025). Strategies of deep learning to foster meaningful and sustainable education in the 21st century. Journal of Deep Learning, 1(2), 127–138. https://doi.org/10.23917/jdl.v1i2.11609
Velázquez, F. del C., & Méndez, G. M. (2021). Application in augmented reality for learning mathematical functions: A study for the development of spatial intelligence in secondary education students. Mathematics, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/math9040369
Wahyudi, W., & Putra, A. (2022). Systematics literature review: Eksplorasi etnomatematika pada aktivitas masyarakat. Jurnal Lebesgue: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Matematika, Matematika dan Statistika, 3(1), 173–185. https://doi.org/10.46306/lb.v3i1.110
Yohannes, Y., Juandi, D., & Tamur, M. (2021). The effect of problem-based learning model on mathematical critical thinking skills of junior high school students: A meta-analysis study. JP3I (Jurnal Pengukuran Psikologi dan Pendidikan Indonesia), 10(2), 142–157. https://doi.org/10.15408/jp3i.v10i2.17893
Zeng, X., & Ravindran, L. (2025). Design, implementation, and evaluation of peer feedback to develop students’ critical thinking: A systematic review from 2010 to 2023. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 55, 101691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2024.101691
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Heru Kurniawan, Nila Kurniasih
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
