Abstract
Big Ideas approach is gaining attention as a design and implementation perspective for curriculum that intends connected and coherent mathematics learning. This study conducted quantitative and qualitative analysis on horizontal connections between mathematical content in middle school mathematics textbooks of Singapore where Big Ideas approach was applied. The quantitative analysis revealed the strength of horizontal connections within strands and within topics by Big Ideas. Among the eight Big Ideas in Singapore mathematics curriculum, “diagrams” and “notations” aided generally high level of horizontal connections, while “functions,” “invariance,” and “models” promoted generally lower level. The qualitative analysis distinguished between process-oriented and concept-oriented Big Ideas. Horizontal connections by process-oriented Big Ideas were further classified into “connections by conventional mathematical practices” and “connections through non-routine mathematical reasoning”, while horizontal connections by concept-oriented Big Ideas were classified as “deductive connections based on definitions” and “inductive connections based on awareness of structure”. Results are discussed and implications for the implementation of Big Ideas approach in the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum are suggested.
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