Mathematics Curriculum in Pacific Rim Countries - China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore


Book Description

This volume contains the proceedings of the First International Curriculum Conference sponsored by the Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum (CSMC). The CSMC is one of the National Science Foundation Centers for Learning and Teaching (Award No. ESI-0333879). The countries—China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore (in alphabetical order, which also happens to be the order of their populations)—have each been in the news because of their performance on international testsand/or their economic performance and potential. They also have centralized education ministries that create a single mathematics curriculum framework followed in the entire country. In all these countries, curricula are differentiated for students with different interests, usually around Grade 10 or 11. We think the reader will agree that the papers are of very high quality, befitting the standing of the individuals who were invited, but particularly notable for our international speakers because in three of these countries, English is not the speaker’s first language. Following each paper, we have included a short biography of the author(s), so that the reader can understand the perspective of the paper’s author.




Mathematics Curriculum in School Education


Book Description

Mathematics curriculum, which is often a focus in education reforms, has not received extensive research attention until recently. Ongoing mathematics curriculum changes in many education systems call for further research and sharing of effective curriculum policies and practices that can help lead to the improvement of school education. This book provides a unique international perspective on diverse curriculum issues and practices in different education systems, offering a comprehensive picture of various stages along curriculum transformation from the intended to the achieved, and showing how curriculum changes in various stages contribute to mathematics teaching and learning in different educational systems and cultural contexts. The book is organized to help readers learn not only from reading individual chapters, but also from reading across chapters and sections to explore broader themes, including: Identifying what is important in mathematics for teaching and learning in different education systems; Understanding mathematics curriculum and its changes that are valued over time in different education systems; Identifying and analyzing effective curriculum practices; Probing effective infrastructure for curriculum development and implementation. Mathematics Curriculum in School Education brings new insights into curriculum policies and practices to the international community of mathematics education, with 29 chapters and four section prefaces contributed by 56 scholars from 14 different education systems. This rich collection is indispensable reading for mathematics educators, researchers, curriculum developers, and graduate students interested in learning about recent curriculum development, research, and practices in different education systems. It will help readers to reflect on curriculum policies and practices in their own education systems, and also inspire them to identify and further explore new areas of curriculum research for improving mathematics teaching and learning.




50 Years Of Science In Singapore


Book Description

As part of the commemorative book series on Singapore's 50 years of nation-building, this important compendium traces the history and development of the various sectors of Singapore science in the last 50 years or so. The book covers the government agencies responsible for science funding and research policy, the academic institutions and departments who have been in the forefront of the development of the nation's scientific manpower and research, the research centres and institutes which have been breaking new ground in both basic and applied science research, science museums and education, and the academic and professional institutions which the scientific community has set up to enable Singapore scientists to serve the nation more effectively.Each article is chronicled by eminent authors who have played important roles and made significant contributions in shaping today's achievement of science in Singapore.Professionals, academics, students and the general public will find this volume a useful reference material and an inspirational easy read.




The First Sourcebook on Asian Research in Mathematics Education - 2 Volumes


Book Description

Mathematics and Science education have both grown in fertile directions in different geographic regions. Yet, the mainstream discourse in international handbooks does not lend voice to developments in cognition, curriculum, teacher development, assessment, policy and implementation of mathematics and science in many countries. Paradoxically, in spite of advances in information technology and the “flat earth” syndrome, old distinctions and biases between different groups of researcher’s persist. In addition limited accessibility to conferences and journals also contribute to this problem. The International Sourcebooks in Mathematics and Science Education focus on under-represented regions of the world and provides a platform for researchers to showcase their research and development in areas within mathematics and science education. The First Sourcebook on Asian Research in Mathematics Education: China, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and India provides the first synthesized treatment of mathematics education that has both developed and is now prominently emerging in the Asian and South Asian world. The book is organized in sections coordinated by leaders in mathematics education in these countries and editorial teams for each country affiliated with them. The purpose of unique sourcebook is to both consolidate and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas and informed practices in Europe, North America (and other countries) in addition to serving as a platform to showcase existing research that has shaped teacher education, curricula and policy in these Asian countries. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners and students both in and outside Asia, and complement the Nordic and NCTM perspectives.




Singapore Math and Science Education Innovation


Book Description

This edited volume explores key areas of interests in Singapore math and science education including issues on teacher education, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, teaching practices, applied learning, ecology of learning, talent grooming, culture of science and math, vocational education and STEM. It presents to policymakers and educators a clear picture of the education scene in Singapore and insights into the role of math and science education in helping the country excel beyond international studies such as PISA, the pedagogical and curricula advancements in math and science learning, and the research and practices that give Singaporean students the competitive edge in facing the uncertain and challenging landscape of the future.




Mathematics Curriculum Reforms Around the World


Book Description

This Open Access volume by the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) is an outcome of the ICMI Study 24 and gives a status-quo of school mathematics reform around the world and what we can learn from this movement. Each theme and section of the book offers descriptions and analyses of multiple case studies in different countries and contexts, along with opportunities to compare, contrast and learn from these diverse experiences. The volume provides a synthesis and meta-analysis of the different historical, geographical and global aspects of school mathematics reforms and explores in which way curricula are elaborated, proposed, changed, and reorganized. It offers a more informed and comprehensive analysis of the roles of different actors and of the many aspects influencing and shaping mathematics curriculum reforms that are taking or have taken place. It also explores the possibilities and means to tackle a curricular reform in the current scenario we live in and how to unfold future developments. This book will be of interest to practitioners and scholars with an interest in school mathematics curriculum reforms. It will also be a useful resource to those involved in school mathematics curriculum reform initiatives by providing current information about the curriculum changes that are taking place in respect of content, teacher education, educational materials, and a range of implementation challenges across diverse contexts.




Mathematics Education in Singapore


Book Description

This book provides a one-stop resource for mathematics educators, policy makers and all who are interested in learning more about the why, what and how of mathematics education in Singapore. The content is organized according to three significant and closely interrelated components: the Singapore mathematics curriculum, mathematics teacher education and professional development, and learners in Singapore mathematics classrooms. Written by leading researchers with an intimate understanding of Singapore mathematics education, this up-to-date book reports the latest trends in Singapore mathematics classrooms, including mathematical modelling and problem solving in the real-world context.




Mathematics Education in Korea


Book Description

This book will introduce the history and practices of mathematics education in Korea. How it has been influenced from Japan, America, and other countries, and has developed into the unique Korean style of mathematics education. The editors have planned to include most of the topics researchers outside Korea want to know mathematics education in Korea.




Education in Singapore


Book Description

This edited book is a comprehensive resource for understanding the history as well as the current status of educational practices in Singapore. It is a one-stop reference guide to education and educational issues/concerns here. There are three sections: Part 1 provides a sectorial overview of how education has been organized in this country such as preschool, special needs, primary and secondary, and adult education divisions. In Part 2, contributors critically delve into issues and policies that are pertinent to understanding education here such as underachievement, leadership, language education, assessment, and meritocracy to question what Part 1 might have taken for granted. Part 3 contains the largest number of contributors because it offers a scholarly examination into specific subject histories. This section stands out because of the comparative rarity of its subject matter (history of Physical Education, Art, Music, Geography Education, etc.) in Singapore.




Effective Mathematics Lessons Through An Eclectic Singapore Approach: Yearbook 2015, Association Of Mathematics Educators


Book Description

With this seventh volume, as part of the series of yearbooks by the Association of Mathematics Educators in Singapore, we aim to provide a range of learning experiences and teaching strategies that mathematics teachers can judiciously select and adapt in order to deliver effective lessons to their students at the primary to secondary level. Our ultimate goal is to develop successful problem solvers who are able to understand concepts, master fundamental skills, reason logically, apply mathematics, enjoy learning, and strategise their thinking. These qualities will prepare students for life-long learning and careers in the 21st century.The materials covered are derived from psychological theories, education praxis, research findings, and mathematics discourse, mediated by the author's professional experiences in mathematics education in four countries over the past four decades. They are organised into ten chapters aligned with the Singapore mathematics curriculum framework to help teachers and educators from Singapore and other countries deepen their understanding about the so-called 'Singapore Maths'.The book strikes a balance between mathematical rigour and pedagogical diversity, without rigid adherence to either. This is relevant to the current discussion about the relative roles of mathematics content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge in effective teaching. It also encourages teachers to develop their own philosophy and teaching styles so that their lessons are effective, efficient, and enjoyable to teach.