Indigenizing Mathematics Knowledge: A Framework for Culturally Inclusive Test for Indigenous Pupils

Standardized testing has often overlooked the diverse background and cultural perspectives of, particularly the Indigenous pupils. Therefore, this mixed-method study aims to establish a framework for designing culturally inclusive mathematics test that indigenizes the mathematical knowledge and language experiences of the Orang Asli pupils in Malaysia.Initially, the qualitative approach engages a panel of mathematics experts consisting of two experts and three teachers to devise 40 mathematics test items. Subsequently, the quantitative approach involving 109 Orang Asli pupils Grade Four in four primary schools across three states in Malaysia employed item analysis to determine the item difficulty and discrimination index, and reliability coefficient to evaluate the validity and reliability of the mathematics test. The qualitative findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes to validate the mathematics test by the experts, substantiated by the quantitative item analysis that revealed acceptable overall item difficulty and discrimination indices for the test items and a reliable test as evidenced by Cronbach Alpha coefficient. Thus, a framework to develop a valid mathematics test for Indigenous pupils was established, which is as a valuable resource for mathematics teachers in devising culturally responsive and inclusive mathematics tests that indigenizes mathematics education.