An Intersection of Mathematics Educational Values and Cultural Values: Pasifika Students' Understanding and Explanation of Their Mathematics Educational Values

Purpose:This article investigates the mathematics educational values of Pasifika students in New Zealand.It draws on student voice to examine Pasifika students'understanding of mathematics educati onal values and their reaso ns for rati ng values at differe nt levels of importance.Design/Approach/Methods:The study involved Years 7 and 8 Pasifika students from two low-socioeconomic middle schools.Students selected their most and least important mathematics educatio nal value stateme nts on a survey.Semi-structured in dividual in terviews were used to investigate their reasons for selecting the values.Findings:The mathematics educational values ranked highly by the greatest percentage of students were practice,family,respect,and persistence.In contrast,the values of accuracy and utility were rated as least importa nt.Stude nt in terview data revealed comm on alities in accou nting for the importance of different values.The findings indicate an intersection between the mathematics educational values and cultural values of Pasifika people.Originality/Value:There have been few studies that have explored the mathematics educational values of Pasifika stude nts.The curre nt study provides in sight into why specific values are importa nt to Pasifika students and how these may in flue nee classroom in teractions.The use of stude nt interview data wide ns the existi ng literature focused on values in mathematics education.