Mun Yee Lai – författare

This book, compiled in honor of Chair Professor Frederick K. S. Leung, contributes to revisiting, renewing and enriching the knowledge of cultural matters to mathematics education, widening the horizon in the use of cultural perspectives to explain the characteristics of classroom teaching and learning in East Asia, and to explain/re-interpret the differences in teacher knowledge and beliefs between East Asian and Western countries. Multiple research methods are used to explore how different cultures influence mathematics education. In particular, the book discusses the comparative studies of mathematics education, the influence of different cultures on mathematics teaching and learning, and the use of the Confucian Heritage Culture to explain the phenomenon of superior mathematics achievement of East Asian students. The research methods include qualitative approaches, quantitative approaches (such as structured equation modelling, exploratory factor analysis and confirmation factoranalysis), case studies and a meta-analysis of the literature review.

This book is dedicated to Chair Professor Frederick K. S. Leung’s (Hans Freudenthal Medallist 2013 and President of ICMI 2021-2024), one of the pioneers in investigating the cultural differences in mathematics education and establishing a framework for the relationship between cultures and mathematics educations. This book acknowledges his many contributions to the field and showcases promising research advancements that sparked directly or indirectly from his intellectual contributions to different mathematics educators globally.

This edited book promotes thinking, dialogue, research and theorisation on multiple ways of making connections in mathematics teaching and learning in early childhood education. 

The book addresses some key challenges in research, policy and practice in early childhood mathematics education. It examines diverse ways for learning experiences to connect young children to mathematics, and the importance of forging connections between mathematics and young children’s lives as key elements in their engagement with mathematics.

Each chapter provides research or theoretical provocations and pedagogical implications for connecting children’s lived experiences and ways of learning in mathematics teaching. The chapters are drawn from a range of international authors who raise important ideas within the overall context of current research and consider the theoretical and practical implications of their research.

As such, the book advances current thinking on mathematics teaching and learning for children in the early years from birth to eight years with an emphasis on children aged birth to 5 years. It considers the purpose and value in connecting mathematics teaching and learning to children’s lives, and provides provocations for both educators and researchers on the many under-researched and under-represented aspects of early years mathematics teaching and learning.