A Comparison of Algebra Content in Instructional Materials in Elementary School Mathematic Textbooks of Taiwan, Finland and Singapore

dc.creator	Yu-Jiue Tseng
dc.creator	Wei-Min Hsu
dc.date	2013-08-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:48:54Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:48:54Z
dc.identifier	1999-8856
dc.identifier	1999-8864
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/a525bcb12c414950a1f221953b54f3b5
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/23695
dc.description	This study compared the algebra content of instructional materials in the most popular elementary school mathematics textbook series used in Taiwan, Finland and Singapore. The mathematics instructional materials reviewed were KangHsuan Mathematics, the WSOY LASKUTAITO in English, the MCE My Pals are Here! Maths used in Taiwan, Finland, and Singapore, respectively. The research method employed was content analysis. Mathematical problems were the unit of analysis and they were classified based on their cognitive types, contexts and representational forms. Findings showed that the percentage of algebra problems presented in the textbooks in these three countries was not high, only about 7% to 13%. In sample problems, Taiwan and Singapore presented a detailed problem-solving process, but Finland only offered brief descriptions or definitions. We found the ratio of different types of problems in textbooks to be similar in the three countries with most of the problems classified as ‘procedure without connection’ in each country. As to problem contexts, most algebra problems in Taiwan were contextual problems in nature, but in Finland and Singapore, were classified as non-contextual problems. When the representational forms of problems was examined, we found that most problems were presented in word form in Taiwan, but most frequently in a purely mathematical form in Finland and Singapore.
dc.language	Chinese
dc.publisher	National Academy for Educational Research
dc.relation	http://ej.naer.edu.tw/JTR/ccount/click.php?id=122
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1999-8856
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1999-8864
dc.rights	CC BY-NC-ND
dc.source	Journal of Textbook Research, Vol 6, Iss 2, Pp 69-103 (2013)
dc.subject	content analysis
dc.subject	algebra
dc.subject	elementary mathematics textbook
dc.subject	mathematics problem
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	A Comparison of Algebra Content in Instructional Materials in Elementary School Mathematic Textbooks of Taiwan, Finland and Singapore
dc.type	article