Christine Suurtamm - Böcker

Curriculum can be defined in a variety of ways. It might be viewed as a body of knowledge, a product, or a process. Curricula can differ as they are conceptualized from various theoretical perspectives to address the needs of teachers, students, and the context of schooling. One reason to study curriculum is 'to reveal the expectations, processes and outcomes of students’ school learning experiences that are situated in different cultural and system contexts. … further studies of curriculum practices and changes are much needed to help ensure the success of educational reforms in the different cultural and system contexts' (Kulm & Li, 2009, p. 709).This volume highlights international perspectives on curriculum and aims to broaden the wider mathematics education community’s understandings of mathematics curriculum through viewing a variety of ways that curricula are developed, understood, and implemented in different jurisdictions/countries. Within this volume, we define curriculum broadly as the set of mathematics standards or outcomes, the messages inherent in mathematics curriculum documents and resources, how these standards are understood by a variety of stakeholders, and how they are enacted in classrooms. The focus is on the written, implied, and enacted curriculum in various educational settings throughout the world.

Curriculum can be defined in a variety of ways. It might be viewed as a body of knowledge, a product, or a process. Curricula can differ as they are conceptualized from various theoretical perspectives to address the needs of teachers, students, and the context of schooling. One reason to study curriculum is 'to reveal the expectations, processes and outcomes of students’ school learning experiences that are situated in different cultural and system contexts. … further studies of curriculum practices and changes are much needed to help ensure the success of educational reforms in the different cultural and system contexts' (Kulm & Li, 2009, p. 709).This volume highlights international perspectives on curriculum and aims to broaden the wider mathematics education community’s understandings of mathematics curriculum through viewing a variety of ways that curricula are developed, understood, and implemented in different jurisdictions/countries. Within this volume, we define curriculum broadly as the set of mathematics standards or outcomes, the messages inherent in mathematics curriculum documents and resources, how these standards are understood by a variety of stakeholders, and how they are enacted in classrooms. The focus is on the written, implied, and enacted curriculum in various educational settings throughout the world.

Mathematics teacher education includes the mathematics content teachers need to understand, ways that pedagogical approaches are developed, messages about the nature of mathematics teaching and learning, and interfaces between tertiary preparation and school contexts. Scholars from Sweden, France, Malawi, Singapore, New Zealand, Brazil, the USA, and Canada provide insights for the mathematics education community’s understanding of how teacher educators structure, develop, and implement their respective mathematics teacher education programs. Several themes emerged across the chapters, including: varied approaches to developing culturally responsive pedagogies and/or Indigenous perspectives; issues and challenges in fostering partnerships and collaborations; strategies for developing mathematics knowledge for teaching; and preparing flexible and resourceful teachers.

Mathematics teacher education includes the mathematics content teachers need to understand, ways that pedagogical approaches are developed, messages about the nature of mathematics teaching and learning, and interfaces between tertiary preparation and school contexts. Scholars from Sweden, France, Malawi, Singapore, New Zealand, Brazil, the USA, and Canada provide insights for the mathematics education community’s understanding of how teacher educators structure, develop, and implement their respective mathematics teacher education programs. Several themes emerged across the chapters, including: varied approaches to developing culturally responsive pedagogies and/or Indigenous perspectives; issues and challenges in fostering partnerships and collaborations; strategies for developing mathematics knowledge for teaching; and preparing flexible and resourceful teachers.

Mathematics Outreach: Examples and Impact From Across the Globe focuses on mathematics outreach, which involves people sharing their passion for and knowledge of mathematics with the goal of broadening access to and engagement in mathematics learning experiences.  Chapters contain rich descriptions and examples of mathematics outreach, together with reports of impact and effectiveness. Examples come from Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States. Authors describe outreach that engages people in a variety of mathematical experiences such as math circles, museum activities, mathematics festivals, problem-based puzzle environments, and math walks in the community.All chapter authors report on parameters of their mathematics outreach, including duration of activities, funding, facilitating the activities, and sustaining the outreach over time. Authors of two chapters describe surveys of the literature about mathematics outreach. We expect Mathematics Outreach may be of value to readers interested in developing and considering the impact of mathematics outreach in their own contexts.

Mathematics Outreach: Examples and Impact From Across the Globe focuses on mathematics outreach, which involves people sharing their passion for and knowledge of mathematics with the goal of broadening access to and engagement in mathematics learning experiences.  Chapters contain rich descriptions and examples of mathematics outreach, together with reports of impact and effectiveness. Examples come from Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States. Authors describe outreach that engages people in a variety of mathematical experiences such as math circles, museum activities, mathematics festivals, problem-based puzzle environments, and math walks in the community.All chapter authors report on parameters of their mathematics outreach, including duration of activities, funding, facilitating the activities, and sustaining the outreach over time. Authors of two chapters describe surveys of the literature about mathematics outreach. We expect Mathematics Outreach may be of value to readers interested in developing and considering the impact of mathematics outreach in their own contexts.

This book provides an overview ofcurrent research on a variety of topics related to both large-scale andclassroom assessment. First, the purposes, traditions and principles ofassessment are considered, with particular attention to those common to all levelsof assessment and those more connected with either classroom or large-scaleassessment. Assessment design based on sound assessment principles is discussed,differentiating between large-scale and classroom assessment, but alsoexamining how the design principles overlap. The focus then shifts to classroomassessment and provides specific examples of assessment strategies, beforeexamining the impact of large-scale assessment on curriculum, policy, instruction,and classroom assessment. The book concludes by discussing the challenges thatteachers currently face, as well as ways to support them. The book offers a common languagefor researchers in assessment, as well as a primer for those interested inunderstanding current work in the area of assessment. In summary, itprovides the opportunity to discuss large-scale and classroom assessment byaddressing the following main themes:·Purposes, Traditions and Principles of Assessment·Design of Assessment Tasks·Classroom Assessment in Action·Interactions of Large-Scale and Classroom Assessment·Enhancing Sound Assessment Knowledge and PracticesIt also suggests areas for futureresearch in assessment in mathematics education.

This volume focuses on research related to mathematics curriculum. But rather than focusing on results of research, it focuses on lessons learned about conducting research on curriculum, whether about design and development, analysis of curriculum in the form of official standards or textbook instantiations, teacher intentions related to curriculum implementation, or actual classroom enactment. For scholars interested in curriculum research, the volume offers lessons about conducting curriculum research that have been learned by others engaged in such work, including frameworks, tools, and techniques, as well as challenges and issues faced, with solutions to address them. Sharing lessons from authors of different countries strengthens the broader mathematics research community and provides insights that can help researchers make important strides forward in research on mathematics curriculum.