School Mathematics Curriculum Research Articles

Policy-based evidence: the schools inspectorate in England, research and school mathematics policy

ABSTRACT Increasingly, debates about school mathematics curriculum and pedagogy refer to evidence. The Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), the inspection service in England, published a series of research reviews, including one on mathematics. Using features of education review quality, we analyse Ofsted’s departure from scholarly norms, identifying a lack of transparency, weakness of research design and search strategy, and lack of rigour in the selection of evidence. Further, cited research is frequently misinterpreted and unwarranted causal claims made due to overgeneralisation and oversimplification. A specific example of this is the misappropriation of research on problem solving leading to recommendations conflicting with both the National Curriculum in England and the findings of other, more rigorous, research reviews. From this analysis, we argue that the mathematics review is an example of “policy-based evidence” and point to alternative ways that inspection evidence can complement mathematics education research to support evidence-informed policy and practice.

Analysis of Mathematics Performance Trends in Certificate of Secondary Education Examination, Tanzania, from 2015–2022: A projection for eight years

Mathematics is essential to life as everyone uses mathematical concepts daily. Many countries have advanced in science and technology by investing in mathematics. This study aimed to determine the trend of students who sat for the Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE) in mathematics from 2015 to 2022; analyse performance trends in mathematics during this period, examine mathematics failure rate trends, and project pass rates in mathematics for the next eight years, from 2023 to 2030. This study employed a quantitative research approach and an ex-post facto research design. Participants were 4,459,009 students who sat for CSEE from 2015–2022. Analysis from the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26.0 revealed a consistent rise in student enrollment, with 136,481 more students by 2022. The pass rate was low, as the maximum was 20.12%, while failure rates consistently exceeded 78%. The findings indicated further that the pass rates would remain low from 2023 to 2030. The study recommends reviewing secondary school mathematics curriculum, increasing teaching and learning materials, providing regular in-service training in innovative pedagogical practices and assessment, and hiring more mathematics teachers in secondary schools.

Indigenous Knowledge Content & Mathematics Curriculum

Cultural practices present opportunities for Mathematics Education to be more relevant, and effective, especially in post-colonial contexts. Despite national policies emphasising integration of Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into school curricula, there has been limited success in incorporating ethnomathematics into Mathematics teaching. We exploredgeometrical concepts inherent in traditional baskets produced by Aawambo women, an ethnic group in northern Namibia. We identified specific geometrical concepts that can be linked to the junior secondary school Mathematics syllabus. We employed ethnographic observations, interviews with local basket makers and focus group discussions with Mathematics junior secondary school teachers for triangulation. Furthermore, we adopted an interpretive paradigmusing a multi-modal method to source empirical data that demonstrated relevance to the curriculum. We explored socio-cultural perspectives of women and artefacts (baskets) to compare the subject matter from literature. The findings revealed common concepts as well as the ethnomathematical content not yet incorporated in the junior secondary school Mathematics curriculum comprising of symmetry (axial symmetry) and geometrical transformation (shear and translation). The study has implications for decolonizing western Mathematical practices through adoption ethnomathematics approaches across Africa.

국내외 과학영재학교 수학과 교육과정 편성 현황 분석

This study attempted to analyze the characteristics of the mathematics curriculum of eight domestic science gifted schools to derive implications to consider when organizing the mathematics curriculum of domestic gifted schools in the future. To achieve this, the study compared the content elements of mathematics subjects offered in science high schools for gifted students with those structured according to the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum. Additionally, an analysis was conducted on the content elements of Advanced Placement (AP) subjects and other subjects that, while not included in the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum, are additionally studied at these science high schools. The analysis revealed that the mathematics curriculum in science high schools for gifted students showed a relatively low reflection rate of content elements included in the 2022 revised mathematics curriculum, such as <Discrete Mathematics>, <Practical Statistics>, and <Advanced Geometry>. Moreover, there was a noticeable lack of the <Probability and Statistics> subject in the AP curriculum. The study also highlighted the need for a comprehensive review of the content covered in <Linear Algebra> and <Differential Equations> when organizing future curricula. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the curricula in three international science high schools for gifted students indicated that these institutions generally offer more credit hours and a wider variety of elective subjects, thus ensuring greater flexibility and broader learning opportunities for students. This suggests that the organization and operation of the mathematics curriculum in domestic science high schools for gifted students should embrace more flexibility and openness to effectively nurture mathematical talents.

The Effects of Augmented Reality Geometry Learning Applications on Spatial Visualization Ability for Primary School Pupils

Geometry is considered a fundamental component to be mastered in the elementary school mathematics curriculum. Lower primary school pupils frequently experience obstacles because of the abstract nature of geometric concepts and the requirement for spatial visualization skills, which are necessary for strengthening their conceptual understanding. Augmented reality (AR) technology offers a promising solution by providing visual representations of geometric shapes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of AR technology in primary school education on pupils’ spatial visualization abilities in geometry. Employing a quasiexperimental pre- and post-test research design, this study involved 61 second-grade pupils from two Northern Malaysian primary schools. The selection of schools followed cluster sampling techniques, while intact groups were utilized to select samples. Data were collected from two groups: an experimental group that utilized the LearnGeoAR applications and a control group that employed conventional teaching methods to learn geometric shapes. This study used the spatial visualization ability test (SVAT) instrument, grounded in Van Hiele’s theory of geometric thinking. The findings revealed that the experimental group, which utilized AR applications, exhibited a higher mean score in pupils’ spatial visualization ability in geometry compared to the control group. Additionally, the experiment demonstrated a moderate effect on both groups. This finding highlights the potential of AR technology in enhancing pupils’ spatial visualization skills in geometry instruction, providing valuable insights for instructional methodologies.

A Study on the Application of Task-Driven Teaching Method in High School Mathematics Teaching: Taking “The Determination of Vertical Line and Plane” as an Example

The “Ordinary High School Mathematics Curriculum Standards (2017 Edition, 2020 Revision)” clearly stated in “Teaching Suggestions” that “teaching activities based on the core literacy of mathematics should grasp the essence of mathematics, create appropriate teaching situations, put forward appropriate mathematical questions, stimulate students to think and communicate, and form and develop the core literacy of mathematics.” The task-driven teaching model is a new type of teaching method that takes tasks as the main line, teachers as the guide, and students as the main body, which can enable students to engage deeply in classroom discussions and think actively. Based on the characteristics and principles of the task-driven teaching method, this paper designs a high school mathematics classroom teaching based on the task-driven teaching method, hoping to provide a reference for the majority of front-line teachers.

Implementing the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Model to Improve Learning Outcomes in Probability in Junior High Schools

This study examines the effectiveness of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in enhancing learning outcomes on probability materials among junior high school students. Employing a classroom action research design implemented over two cycles, this study involved eighth-grade students at a public junior high school in Pekanbaru. The PBL method was applied to increase student engagement in learning, facilitate a deep understanding of probability materials, and develop their problem-solving skills. The findings indicate that implementing PBL successfully increased the percentage of students achieving the minimum mastery criterion (KKM) from 30% at the baseline to 65% at the end of the second cycle. This research confirms that PBL is an effective learning strategy for probability materials at the junior high school level, with positive implications for conceptual understanding, social skills, and student learning motivation. These findings suggest that the PBL approach should be more broadly applied in the school mathematics curriculum to enhance mathematics learning outcomes.

Book Review: Catherine P. Vistro-Yu & Tin Lam Toh (eds.) (2019) School mathematics curricula – Asian perspectives and glimpses of reform

Book Review: Catherine P. Vistro-Yu & Tin Lam Toh (eds.) (2019) School mathematics curricula – Asian perspectives and glimpses of reform

Exploring the direction of evaluation questions through comparative analysis of the 2015·2022 revised middle school mathematics curriculum achievement standards

Exploring the direction of evaluation questions through comparative analysis of the 2015·2022 revised middle school mathematics curriculum achievement standards

The quality of prospective mathematics teachers' dynamic geometry tasks in terms of the coordination between mathematical depth levels and technological actions

AbstractBackgroundTeachers must have the skills to find, select, design and use technology‐based mathematical activities that focus on high‐level cognitive demands—supporting student reasoning. However, they experience various difficulties in creating, planning and making decisions about how and when to utilize technological affordances.ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the quality of prospective school mathematics teachers' (PMTs) tasks containing the use of dynamic geometry software through the analysis of the coordination between mathematical depth levels (MDLs) and technological actions (TAs), according to Trocki and Hollebrands', Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education, 2018, 4, 110–138, Dynamic Geometry Task Analysis Framework.MethodsWithin groups, PMTs designed lesson plans that included dynamic geometry tasks (DGTs) based on the learning outcomes of the middle school mathematics curriculum. They then created micro‐teachings of these tasks. The participants' DGTs and transcripts of their microteaching videos were the main data sources.ResultsWe found that many prompts included no TA or a single TA, regardless of the prompts' MDLs. Moreover, the results showed that the high‐depth prompts aimed to contribute to students' reasoning processes on geometric concepts through the TAs, which required specific tools such as dragging and sliding to get generalizations. Although the groups differed in the quality and number of DGTs, the groups' lesson plans mostly contained low‐ or medium‐quality DGTs regarding the coordination between MDLs and TAs.ConclusionsInforming PMTs about high‐quality technology tasks and increasing their awareness on this matter is a priority to encourage them to incorporate innovative technological activities in their mathematics instruction.

Research on the Strategy of Applying Mixed Teaching Mode to Primary School Mathematics Teaching

With the rapid development of science and technology in today's society, great changes have taken place in all aspects of human life. The education industry has also been continuously innovated under the impetus of information technology. The rise of network information technology has significantly improved the transmission amount and efficiency of knowledge, breaking the time-space boundary of education and teaching. It provides abundant educational resources and more convenient educational methods for education and teaching, which has a certain impact on the traditional educational methods. Driven by science and technology, the application of blended teaching mode is born, which is a new teaching method produced with the development of network information technology. The combination of online teaching and offline teaching is a revolution to the traditional teaching method. Under this background, primary school mathematics teaching must change the traditional teaching methods, take moral education as the fundamental task, and give full play to the important role of primary school mathematics curriculum in cultivating students' innovative ability and creative spirit. Combined with the attributes of mathematics subject and the practice of primary school mathematics teaching, the mixed teaching mode provides a new idea for primary school mathematics teaching, which is of great significance to the implementation and development of primary school mathematics teaching.

Wayfinding in an indigenous initial teacher education mathematics programme

In this paper we discuss ongoing challenges for Māori-medium initial teacher education in addressing conceptual, linguistic and pedagogical tensions that impact on developing mathematics education programmes. These include the small pool of applicants with the necessary linguistic and cultural knowledge required to teach in Māori-medium settings. Māori-medium schooling has the dual goals of providing a learning environment where Māori ways of knowing and being are taken for granted and students have access to international notions of academic success. However, many Māori-medium initial teaching education applicants have learnt mathematics in English and have had varying levels of access to Māori practices that could be taught alongside mathematics. To address these challenges, we utilise the cultural symmetry model to guide the design and delivery of Māori-medium initial teacher education tasks using wayfinding. Thereby illuminating Māori practices and school mathematics curriculum simultaneously.

An Investigation of The Connection of Bloom’s Taxonomy to the Core Mathematics Curriculum for Senior High Schools in Ghana

This paper attempts to preview the connection of Bloom's taxonomy to Ghana's Senior High School mathematics curriculum. Mathematics is a vital tool for economic growth and national development as a STEM subject. Bloom's taxonomy, which presents a hierarchical model, helps educators teach school mathematics to enable students to acquire basic Knowledge known as order thinking (LOT) skills and develop higher-order thinking (HOT) skills. The analysis of the mathematics syllabus concerning Bloom's taxonomy revealed that the syllabus concentrates more on the three fundamental skills in Bloom's hierarchy of teaching and assessment. Remember 18.1%, Understand 33.3%, and Apply 29.8%, totalling 81.2%, leaving only 18.8% for the top three HOT skills. The study recommends that Ghana adopt a curriculum model that focuses on teaching transversal skills that can churn out informed citizens rather than putting students under the shackles of tests.

The influence of using Learning Videos for High School Mathematics Curriculum Subjects with Flipped Classroom Models on Learning Achievement in the UIN Walisongo Semarang

During the current pandemic, students are having difficulty understanding mathematical material; normally, they are taught by lecturers face-to-face, but now online. The obstacle that students face is that they believe that learning is not optimal because the signal is often poor and inconsistent, and they are unable to meet with the lecturer. To alleviate this issue, it is required to create a video of learning material that will be supplied by a mathematics lecturer by the lecturer who teaches, the video is published on YouTube, and the youtube link is given to students to study beforehand for the forthcoming meeting. This is consistent with the flipped classroom concept, in which students are expected to first understand the lecturer's video before being discussed directly by the lecturer.It is expected that students are able to think creatively about video content created by their professors, and students are able to examine material flaws that they have not understood and then clarified by their lecturers at the next meeting. In research on the development of instructional video media for high school mathematics curricular with the ADDIE stage model. This model, as the name suggests, consists of five main phases or stages, namely (A) analysis, (D) design, (D) development, (I) implementation, and (E) evaluation. The Implementation and Evaluation stage was carried out in the second year, with expanded tests carried out at UIN Walisongo Semarang in a fun and enjoyable manner, with posttests and user response questionnaires given with the following results: Based on research at UIN Walisongo, posttest results were processed using tests t results obtained are 0% <5%, then H0 is rejected. This means that we accept H1, which means that the results of learning mathematics using video learning media for high school mathematics curriculars are better than conventional learning models. Looking at the average learning achievement in the mean column, Group Statistics table, the experimental class average is 86.00, while the average -the average control class is 64.74. These results show that the learning outcomes of the experimental class are better than the control class. R Square value of 0.804 = 80.4%. This value means that the influence of virtual lab media on learning achievement is 80.4%, while 19.6% of learning achievement is influenced by other variables outside of the independent variables in this research.

Connectivity and Application of the Principle of Multiple Intelligences in the Three Domains of Learning Mathematics

The study aimed to examine how Gardner's Multiple Intelligences applied to Ghana's Senior High School's core mathematics curriculum and instruction. The Core Mathematics curriculum was the primary document reviewed for the study. The action verbs used in the objective, section teacher-learner activities section, and the evaluation section of the core mathematics syllabus were identified and grouped with respect to the multiple intelligences. The analysis revealed that the mathematics curriculum was linked to several intelligences, although some intelligence was underserved. The Senior High School Mathematics Curriculum fails to consider diverse learning styles and preferences. It should provide a diverse range of topics using various instructional techniques. However, children with different intelligences should not experience mathematics as a hindrance. A re-evaluation is necessary to address these issues.

The Influence of Augmented Reality-Based Learning Media on the Understanding of Mathematical Concepts in Elementary School Children

This research investigates the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) based learning media on the understanding of mathematical concepts among primary school children. Employing a literature review method, the study outlines recent findings in literature concerning the application of AR in mathematics education. The results indicate that the use of AR can enhance motivation, active participation, and the understanding of mathematical concepts among primary school children. AR's ability to present material in a more concrete and applicable form has a positive impact on the understanding of concepts that are often challenging for students at their cognitive development level. Despite challenges in implementation and infrastructure development, this research provides a foundation for the integration of AR in mathematics education in primary schools. It is recommended that the implementation of AR be carefully considered in the primary school mathematics curriculum with adequate teacher training and appropriate infrastructure investment.

Reasoning Skills in Mathematics Teaching: A Meta-Synthesis on Studies Conducted in Turkey

This research aims to analyze the results of studies conducted in Turkey on reasoning skills in mathematics teaching and to reveal what kind of trend there is in this field. Within the scope of this study, databases were searched with the keywords "reasoning"(muhakeme, akıl yürütme) and "reasoning skill" (Muhakeme becerisi, akıl yürütme becerisi), and the results were examined in accordance with the inclusion criteria regarding mathematics teaching. One hundred sixty-three studies were included. Each of the studies included in the meta-synthesis study was analyzed descriptively according to type, year, method, sample type and size, data collection tools, statistical analysis, learning field, keywords, reasoning type and purpose. In addition, the studies’ results were content analyzed and tabulated by coding the differences and similarities between them with a holistic approach. It has been determined that studies on the learning fields in the mathematics curriculum are mostly carried out in the field of learning numbers and operations in the secondary school mathematics curriculum. When evaluated in terms of reasoning types, almost half of the studies were conducted on mathematical reasoning. It has been observed that after mathematical reasoning, the most focus is on proportional reasoning. When the aims of the studies included in the research were examined, it was determined that the most focused ones were "examining the factors affecting reasoning skills", "measurement of reasoning skills" and "the effect of teaching practices on reasoning skills". In the studies examined, it was seen that there were 33 teaching practices whose effects on reasoning skills were examined.

The Evaluation of using Learning Videos for High School Mathematics Curriculum Subjects with Flipped Classroom Models on Learning Achievement in the IVET University Semarang

This research deals with the development of learning video media for high school mathematics curricula using the ADDIE stage model. This model, as the name implies, consists of five main phases or stages, namely (A) analysis, (D) design, (D) development, (I) implementation, and (E) evaluation. The implementation and evaluation phase was carried out in this second year, with an expanded test carried out in the mathematics education study program at IVET University Semarang in a fun and enjoyable way, with a posttest and a user response questionnaire with the following results: Based on research at IVET University Semarang, the results of the posttest were processed using The t-test obtained a result of 0% < 5%, then H0 was rejected. This means that we accept H1, which means that the results of learning mathematics with learning video media for high school mathematics curricula are better than conventional learning models, looking at the average learning achievement in the mean column, the group statistics table, it is obtained that the average of the experimental class was 85.50 while the average of the control class was 70.42. These results show that the learning outcomes of the experimental class were better than those of the control class. R Square value is 0.825 = 82.5%. This value means that the effect of virtual lab media on learning achievement is 82.5%. In comparison, 17.5% of learning achievement was influenced by other variables outside of the independent variables in this study.
 Keywords: the evaluation, learning videos, high school mathematics curriculum; flipped classroom models

Web-Based Window Shopping: A Learning Model in High School's Mathematics Curriculum

The post-pandemic adaptation demands technological innovations in sustainable learning to support mathematics curriculums. This research aims to develop the Web-based Window Shopping (WBWS) in high school mathematics curriculum with ADDIE procedure. The data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, and tests. The stages of research comprised analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The experts' validation test results showed that the aspects of materials and medium achieved an average score of 82,75%. Meanwhile, the trial test results showed that the developed WBWS is worth implementing, with the average percentage of effectiveness reaching 83,33%. The results suggest that the creation of WBWS as a web-based learning model for mathematics curriculum is not only feasible but also meets the educational needs of high school students. Teachers and students can use this web-based learning model as an alternative for implementing the independent curriculum on mathematics learning.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ФОРМУВАННЯ ІНФОРМАЦІЙНО-КОМУНІКАЦІЙНОЇКОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ УЧНІВ НА УРОКАХ МАТЕМАТИКИ

To delineate and substantiate the nuances of developing information and communication competence in students during mathematics lessons, we conducted an extensive analysis of state educational regulations, including the Law of Ukraine "On Education," the New Ukrainian School Concept, the Concept of Digital Competence Development, the State Standard of Basic Secondary Education, and mathematics curriculum materials. We also scrutinized sources available on the Internet related to international educational monitoring studies and synthesized both international and domestic pedagogical experience. The study asserts that the formation of information and communication competence in students during mathematics education arises from the demands of the school mathematics curriculum. Mandatory learning outcomes in the mathematical education sector encompass requirements characterizing students' information and communication competence. The process of learning mathematics should facilitate not only the overall development of students' personalities but also the acquisition of a system of mathematical knowledge, improvement of problem-solving skills, and an understanding of the importance of mathematics as the language of science, technology, and innovation. Additionally, students should recognize the significance of information and communication technologies in effectively addressing mathematical challenges. The integrated use of information technologies in the educational process, especially in the context of distance and blended learning, contributes to the development of students' information and communication competence. This is contingent upon the methodically sound selection of educational content, didactic materials, and teaching strategies by educators. It is elucidated that the primary means of cultivating students' information and communication competence lies in the specialized system of educational tasks and examples present in school mathematics textbooks. These materials are designed to foster students' personal qualities, creativity, critical thinking, and their ability to generate and articulate their thoughts.