A Critical review on the concept of set as a school mathematics topic

교육 내용으로서의 집합 개념에 대한 비판적 고찰

The concept of "set" in school mathematics has undergone many changes according to the revision of curriculum and the transition of the paradigm in mathematics education. In the discipline-centered curriculum, a set was a representative concept which reflected the spirit of New Math. After the Back to Basics period, the significance of a set concept in school mathematics has been diminished. First, this paper elaborated several controversial aspects of the terms related to set, such as a collection and a set, a subset, and an empty set. In addition, the changes of the significance imposed to a set concept in school mathematics were investigated. Finally, this paper provided two alternative approaches to introduce and explain a set concept which emphasized both mathematical rigor and learner's psychology.