An Ethnomathematical Exploration of Lotek-Making Practices for Elementary Mathematics Learning

Authors

  • Anisa Agustina Universitas Negeri Surabaya
  • Neni Mariana Universitas Negeri Surabaya
  • Farida Istianah Universitas Negeri Surabaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22460/pej.v10i2.7444

Keywords:

Ethnomathematics, Culture-based curriculum, Lotek, Elementary Education, Algebraic Reasoning

Abstract

Traditional culinary practices can provide culturally meaningful contexts for mathematics learning, yet their embedded mathematical knowledge is not always explicitly connected to elementary education. This study aims to identify mathematical practices embedded in the preparation, production, and sales of Lotek, a traditional West Javanese dish, and examine their potential integration into elementary mathematics learning. Using a qualitative ethnomathematical approach, data were collected through reflective autoethnography, literature review, and in-depth interviews with five experienced Lotek vendors in Bandung City and three elementary school teachers in the Regol area. Data were analyzed through data reduction, display, and interpretive conclusion drawing, supported by source triangulation and reflexive journal writing. The findings reveal mathematical practices involving counting, measurement, estimation, sequencing, fractions, proportional reasoning, and social arithmetic across different stages of Lotek-making. The analysis also distinguishes practitioners’ culturally situated knowledge from its interpretation within school mathematics. These findings demonstrate that Lotek-making is not merely a contextual example of mathematics but a culturally grounded source of mathematical knowledge that can support meaningful and culturally responsive elementary mathematics learning.

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Published

2025-09-25

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2026): Volume 10, Number 2, September 2026

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Articles

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