• Journal of Educational Research in Mathematics
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.207-231
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to examine the state of problem solving in Korean elementary mathematics. To do this, we considered the meaning of problem and problem solving in mathematics education, and analyzed the mathematics curricula in the longitudinal-latitudinal dimensions respectively. The longitudinal one consists in examining and comparing the all-time Korean elementary mathematics curricula. Meanwhile the latitudinal one consists in examining and comparing the elementary mathematics curricula of Singapore, the United Kingdom, Japan, and France. As a result of analysis, we selected ten sieves for analysing Korean elementary mathematics textbooks according to the 7th mathematics curriculum. By the analysis, we conclude that we teach problem solving quite positively in school mathematics relative to another countries, in particular we have to reconsider some issues including dealing problem solving as a independent content not a process integrated in other contents.

• Communications of Mathematical Education
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.505-525
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated how multiplication by 2-digit numbers had been taught in elementary mathematics textbooks of Korea, Japan, Singapore, and USA. As a result of analysis, we found as follows. Korean textbooks do not teach the multiplication by 10 and the multiplication by power of 10, but Japanese, Singapore, and US textbooks explicitly teach related content. In the '×tens' teaching, Japanese and American textbooks teach formally the law of association of multiplication applied in the process of calculating the partial product of multiplication. The standard multiplication algorithm generally followed a standard method of recording partial product result according to the law of distribution, but the differences were confirmed in the multiplication model, the teaching method of the law of distribution, and the notation of the last digit '0'. Based upon these results, we suggested some proposals for improving the multiplication teaching.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.328-341
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to analyze the achievements in science results of the TIMSS-R test, which was performed in 1999 with 38 nations participating. In this study, general trends in international science achievement considering the differences beween nation, content areas, and gender were analyzed through descriptive statics. The average scale score of Korean 8th grades students was 549, which was significantly higher than international average of 488. However it showed a relative decline from 4th grade in TIMSS to 8th grade in TIMSS-R. Chinese Taipei and Singapore students had the highest average performance, followed by Hungary, Japan, and Korea. The average gender differences of Korean students showed a decrease from TIMSS in 1995 to TlMSS-R in 1999, but it was still significantly higher than the international average. The average differences of overall science and each content area were not statistically significant both internationally and domestically.

• 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.