• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.425-444
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• 2019

Comparing to the U.S. mathematics textbooks, this study examines the opportunity to learn statistical processes represented in mathematics textbooks reflecting 2015 revised curriculum. Analyzing four different kinds of Korean middle school mathematics textbooks and two kinds of corresponding U.S. textbooks for seventh graders, we found that the tasks dealing with all the phases of statistical processes were found only in the U.S. textbooks while not even one task in such a case was not observed in the Korean textbooks. To make matters worse, the proportion of the tasks dealing with only one phase of statistical processes was 93.3% of all the tasks in Korean textbooks. In terms of types of tasks, the types of tasks were very homogeneous in Korean textbooks, usually Types FPR or PR while more various types of tasks were found in the U.S. textbooks such as Types FRI, PRI, FR, or RI. In views of features of each phase in statistical processes, Korean textbooks heavily focused only on some particular statistical behaviors such as 'formulating a problem', 'collecting data', 'transforming data', and 'analyzing a part of data.' The findings of this study provide meaningful implications for improving statistics education and developing mathematics textbooks to enhance students' statistical thinking and problem-solving ability.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.393-419
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• 2020

Trigonometry allows us to recognize the usefulness of mathematics through connection with real life and other disciplines, and lays the foundation for the concept of higher mathematics through connection with trigonometric functions. Since international comparisons on the trigonometry area of textbooks can give implications to trigonometry teaching and learning in Korea, this study attempted to compare trigonometry in textbooks in Korea, Australia and Finland. In this study, through the horizontal and vertical analysis presented by Charalambous et al.(2010), the objectives of the curriculum, content system, achievement standards, learning timing of trigonometry content, learning paths, and context of problems were analyzed. The order of learning in which the three countries expanded size of angle was similar, and there was a difference in the introduction of trigonometric functions and the continuity of grades dealing with trigonometry. In the learning path of textbooks on the definition method of trigonometric ratios, the unit circle method was developed from the triangle method to the trigonometric function. However, in Korea, after the explanation using the quadrant in middle school, the general angle and trigonometric functions were studied without expanding the angle. As a result of analyzing the context of the problem, the proportion of problems without context was the highest in all three countries, and the rate of camouflage context problem was twice as high in Korea as in Australia or Finland. Through this, the author suggest to include the unit circle method in the learning path in Korea, to present a problem that can emphasize the real-life context, to utilize technological tools, and to reconsider the ways and areas of the curriculum that deal with trigonometry.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.231-241
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• 2014

This study is subject to compare the STEAM and the STEM education of Korea, the U.K., and the U.S. to find their differences and similarities, as well as the implications in implementing the STEAM education in Korea. In order to accomplish this, the educational objectives, contents and topics, teaching and learning methods, subjects and timing for education, and convergence curriculum were compared; also, after choosing the representative program of each country, a cross-comparative analysis was done for the teaching and learning method distribution ratio, content element distribution ratio, program distribution ratio, STEAM domain ratio, curriculum structure and domain ratio, frequency of inquiry process, basic inquiry, integrated inquiry frequency, hourly basic inquiry, and integrated inquiry process. As a result, it was possible to obtain 77 programs, a total of 656 class hours of Korea, 65 programs and 846 class hours of the U.S., and 75 programs and 774 class hours of the U.K. The results are as follows: Korea's STEAM and the U.K. and the U.S.' STEM all include science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, but in terms of frequency, Korea's STEAM has higher figure in arts. However, the U.K. and the U.S. have higher frequency of debate and discussion, and there were many cases of a student, after receiving feedback from other students, modifying the work.

• School Mathematics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.229-248
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• 2017

This study investigated the factors that should be considered when teaching proportional expression and proportional distribution through literature review. Based on these results, we analyzed and compared Korean and foreign mathematics textbooks on proportional expression and proportional distribution longitudinally and horizontally to search for desirable methods of organizing the unit of proportional expression and proportional distribution in mathematics textbooks. For longitudinal analysis, we took the mathematics textbooks according to the national curriculum since the 5th one. For horizontal analysis, we selected the mathematics textbooks of Japan, Singapore, and China. In each textbook, the contents and the order in relation to proportional expression and proportional distribution, the definitions of terminology, and the contexts and the visual representations for introducing related concepts are selected as the analysis framework. The results of analysis revealed many characteristics and the differences in ways of dealing contents about proportional expression and proportional distribution. Based on these results, we suggested some implications for writing the unit of proportional expression and proportional distribution in elementary mathematics textbooks.

• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to understand Korea students' characteristics as well as to give important information of improving our education using comparative analysis of framework, test booklets, test results between PISA 2009 and NAEA 2009. PISA 2009 was administered on May of 2009 and NAEA was administered on October of same year. The summary of the results of comparing two assessment is as follows First, cut score of NAEA Advance level is bigger than the cut score of level 5, which is considered as high achievement level. The cut score of Basic level of NAEA is also higher than the level 2 of PISA, which is considered as basic achievement level. This phenomenon can show that NAEA achievement level is set little bit higher than the achievement level of PISA in mathematics domain. Second, the percentage of female students on higher level was higher than that of male students. In suburban area, the percentage of high level was small and the percentage of low level was big. Third, students of Advanced level are distributed concentrating in PISA levels 4~6, Proficient achievement level concentrating in PISA levels 3~5, Basic achievement level concentrating in PISA levels 2~4, and below basic achievement levels concentrating in below level 1 and level 3 of PISA. Fourth, the correlation between NAEA 2009 and PISA 2009 achievement scores are significantly positive. However, the correlation of subscales were low. Fifth, analysis of non-equivalent group, 11 items located in 'change and relationship', 'uncertainty', 'connection cluster' domains found to be significantly different. The percent correct showed very big difference. The analysis results presents the implication of mathematics curriculum, teaching and learning methods as well as National Assessment of Educational Achievement.