African fractals as a tool for transformative education in Africa

Abstract

Nature is replete with repetitive patterns in diminishing scales. Similarly, cultures produce recursive patterns that characterize their specific social, cultural, economic and political organisation. These self-similar, variously scaled and mostly infinitive patterns are called fractals. The uniqueness of African fractals emanates from the culture of the African peoples. Particular elements of these fractals have contributed immensely in mathematical learning especially in modern computing. This paper contends that the inclusion of African fractal education in curricula at all levels in Africa have the potential to contribute to better understanding of African identity, and promote African centred education that forestalls the alienation of the African from their environment. The paper argues that the teaching of African fractals in Africa is a needed project to facilitate understanding of the intricacies between nature and humans. It should deepen understanding about the concept of embedded humanity expressed in ideas of Ubuntu; and help awaken African consciousness about possibilities beyond empiricism. Recommendations are made on ways to include African fractals in the syllabus in Africa using the Ghana’s pre-tertiary level (Senior High School) as an example.