INTEGRASI NILAI BUDAYA LOKAL DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA MELALUI CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING (CRT) PADA MATERI PELUANG

Abstract

Mathematics learning is often perceived as abstract, causing students to struggle when asked to connect concepts with real-life situations. A similar issue was found in the probability topic at a public junior high school in Samarinda, where students were able to memorize formulas but were unable to explain their meaning in everyday contexts. This study aims to describe the implementation of the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) approach, a learning strategy that integrates students’ local cultural backgrounds to strengthen their conceptual understanding of probability. The research employed a descriptive case study method involving 30 ninth-grade students from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The learning activities were designed through tasks that required students to collect data about their classmates’ ethnic origins and then calculate the probability of representatives from each group being selected in a simulated traditional council meeting. The findings show that the CRT approach successfully enhanced students’ conceptual understanding of probability, encouraged active participation in discussions, and fostered awareness of fairness and cultural representation. The study concludes that integrating local cultural elements into mathematics instruction can bridge abstract concepts with students’ real-life experiences while promoting inclusivity and tolerance. It is recommended that teachers more frequently apply culturally based approaches when teaching abstract concepts so that learning becomes more meaningful and grounded in students’ lives.