Mathematics Education Curriculum

Mathematics curricula are popular, perceived as the most stable and the most universal of the disciplines that are represented in formal educational institutions. In terms of stability, many topics in contemporary texts were not just represented in medieval schools (with some tracing back to ancient Greece); the manner of presentation is often surprisingly similar across recent centuries. As for perceptions of universality, mathematics is by far the most common focus of international comparison testing. Although examination makers often must make minor adjustments for grade levels from one nation to the next, topics and expected levels of mastery are strikingly consistent in the developed world.

Yet a very different picture of mathematics curriculum is presented when one focuses on particular eras and locations. Not only does the ...