Mathematics and its Teaching in the Asia-Pacific Region

John Mack, Bruce Vogeli

• Publisher: WSPC
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9789813272149
• Topic: Matematica
• Subtopic: Matematica nella didattica

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This book provides the global mathematics education community with information on the recent and current status of the teaching of mathematics in a group of island nations in the Asia-Pacific region. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and twelve nations in the South Pacific Ocean.

It is the third volume in a series conceived by Dr Bruce Vogeli of Columbia University Teachers College and published by WSP, aimed at producing contemporary accounts of mathematics teaching in a world-wide group of nations. Previous volumes have covered Central and South American nations and a selection of Muslim nations respectively.

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--> Contents:

• Dedication
• Preface (John Mack)
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction (Judith Mousley)
• SOUTH PACIFIC: Mathematics Education in the South Pacific (Andy Begg, Salanieta Bakalevu, and Robin Havea)
• AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND: Mathematics Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand (Andy Begg, Jane McChesney, and Jyoti Jhagroo)
• PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Change and Continuity in Mathematics Education in Papua New Guinea (Kay Owens, Philip Clarkson, Chris Owens, and Charly Muke)
• AUSTRALIA: Mathematics and its Teaching in Australia (Judith A Mousley and Chris Matthews)
• PHILIPPINES: Mathematics and its Teaching in the Philippines (Ester B Ogena, Marilyn Ubiña-Balagtas, and Rosemarievic V Diaz)
• INDONESIA: History and Perspective on Mathematics Education (Sitti Maesuri Patahuddin, Stephanus Suwarsono, and Rahmah Johar)
• JAPAN: The History and Outlook of Mathematics Education in Japan (Naomichi Makinae)
• SRI LANKA: School Mathematics Program of Sri Lanka, its History, Contemporary Status, and Future Plans and Aspirations (Lucian Makalanda)

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--> Readership: Researchers, policy makers, politicians and general public interested in mathematics education in Asia-Pacific region. -->
Asia-Pacific Region;Mathematics;Education;Teaching;Teacher Education0 Key Features:

• No other competing titles addressing the matters covered in this book. It enables a comparative and historical perspective to be gained
• The lead chapter authors are well-known and respected professionals within their own nations and among the wider professional community
• Attention has been paid to the situation with regard to indigenous members of a nation where recent colonization has determined the prevailing culture

Chapter VII

JAPAN: The History and Outlook of Mathematics Education in Japan

Naomichi Makinae

University of Tsukuba

Introduction

The school system and education laws

In this chapter, Japanese mathematics education is described using the following 3 points. The first is the current situation such as the present school system, national curriculum, textbooks and teaching. The second is a historical consideration that summarizes the development of a national curriculum policy for mathematics, and the third point provides perspectives for ongoing revision of a new national curriculum of mathematics education.

The Current School Mathematics Program

School system

The laws that prescribe the Japanese education system are Kyouiku-Kihon-Hou [Fundamental Law of Education] and Gakko-Kyouikuh-Hou [School Education Law]. The Fundamental Law of Education is the decree by which an educational idea in Japan is set. The School Education Law is the decree that defines the school as an educational institution.

The educational purpose for Japan is set as the Fundamental Law of Education as follows:

Education should aim for the full development of personality and strive to nurture the citizens to be sound in mind and body and imbued with the qualities necessary for those who form a peaceful and democratic state and society.

For this purpose, the following six principles are stated, which are respecting academic freedom, securing equal opportunity of education, guaranteeing lifelong education, guaranteeing compulsory education, and ensuring political and religious neutrality. Under these principles, the regulation and objectives in school are set by the School Education Law.

Compulsory education consists of 6 years of elementary school and 3 years of junior high school. After junior high, there are 3 years of high school and 4 years of university education that are not compulsory. Japanese school starts on April 1 and ends on March 31. Children from 6 to 11-year-old in April attend elementary school, and 12 to 14-year-old junior high school. Since the percentage of school attendance is 99.9%, this means all children of school age go to school, except in unavoidable circumstances.

National curriculum and textbooks

In the School Education Law, the aims of the school education are shown. One of the aims is related to mathematics. It says, “To understand a quantitative relation correctly that we use in daily life, and to cultivate the basic ability to develop it.” These are the legal grounds which mathematics education is bound by in compulsory schools.

All subjects’ detailed descriptions are mentioned in Gakko-Kyouikuh-Hou-Seko-Kisoku [The Enforcement regulations of School Education Law]. In elementary school, school subjects consist of Japanese Language, Social Studies, Arithmetic, Science, Physical Education, Craft, Music, Home economics and Life. In junior high school, they are Japanese Language, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, Arts, Music, Technical arts, Home economics and Foreign language. Arithmetic in the elementary school and Mathematics in the junior high school are compulsory school subjects. These subjects’ educational standards are described in Gakusyu-Shidou-Yoryo [The Course of Study] set by MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology). In the Japanese school system, the Course of Study plays the role of a national curriculum.

The current Course of Study for elementary and junior high school was revised and announced in 2008, and for high school in 2009. In elementary school, it has been in place since 2011; in junior high school since 2012; and in high school starting in the first year since 2013. So, it is from 2015 that the teaching of all grades in all schools has conformed to current standards.

The textbooks that are used in schools must be officially approved by MEXT. Private textbook companies edit textbooks according to standards indicated in the Course of Study. Textbooks are revised mainly according to the revision of the Course of Study and they also have minor revision every 3 or 4 years. These revisions of textbooks are written by specialists of mathematics education such as professors in universities and expert teachers. Companies must submit edited textbooks to the MEXT for approval. After approval, school districts select textbooks from those approved. The adopted textbooks are offered to all students free of charge every year, using the national budget.

Teacher training

Universities are responsible for teacher training in Japan. Teacher licenses are necessary in order to become a teacher. Regulations concerning a teacher’s license are stipulated in Kyouiku-Shokuin-Menkyo-Hou [Educational Personnel Certification Law]. A teacher’s license can be obtained by any person who has acquired a predetermined credit unit at a university, or who passed an education professional examination. Almost all teacher graduates acquire credits for a license, while a small number acquire a teacher’s license by passing the national qualification examination.

Elementary school teachers are general classroom teachers, so their licenses include all subjects. On the other hand, junior high school and high school teachers have a license for each subject, because theirs is a subject teacher system. To acquire each license, 59 credits including educational training in schools are required.

Students take a teacher recruitment examination in their year of graduating from university. Teacher recruitment examinations for public schools are conducted for each board of education of prefectures and cabinet designated cities. Many boards of education conduct a two-stage selection, using written exams and interviews. The first year of recruitment for successful candidates is a provisional one. After one year, if there is no problem, provisional recruitment will be converted to regular employment. During the first year, all new teachers are trained as beginners. The content of the training course is given through lectures by teachers in leadership positions, while Lesson Study and discussion sessions among new teachers under training are conducted by the local Board of Education.

All teachers have to renew their licenses every 10 years. To renew a teacher’s license, teachers need to take a course certified by MEXT. Lectures are held at a university, with a university faculty member who is in charge of teacher training serving as a lecturer. The license renewal course aims at acquiring knowledge about new educational administration, educational methods, subject content and maintaining teacher quality. Teachers pay for the course themselves and join the course during weekends, holidays or vacations.

Besides such official training for in-service teachers, teacher training is conducted for each school, district, and prefecture. Selecting the study theme each year, they conduct Lesson Study and listen to lectures by invited lecturers. Some enthusiastic teachers also participate in academic societies and research meetings.

Elementary program

According to the Course of Study for Arithmetic, there are 4 school hours per week for 1st graders, and 5 school hours per week for 2nd grade to 6th grade. 1 school hour is equivalent to 45 minutes. In the Course of Study, there are the statements about subject standards, consisting of subject objectives, and specific objectives and teaching content for each grade, including a brief syllabus design and suggested ways of teaching the content.

Objective

The objective of Arithmetic is stated as follows:

Through mathematical activities, to help pupils acquire basic and fundamental knowledge and skills regarding numbers, quantities and geometrical figures, to foster their ability to think and express ideas with adequate insight and logic on matters of everyday life, to help pupils find pleasure in mathematical activities and appreciate the value of mathematical approaches, and to foster an attitude to willingly make use of mathematics in their daily lives as well as in their learning.

This objective may be divided into four teaching points. The first is to acquire basic and fundamental knowledge and skills. This point has been treated as a basis of math education from the past. And from an evaluation viewpoint, knowledge and skills are separated, knowledge is set with understanding and skill is set with operation and measurement. Second, to foster the ability to think and express with good perspectives and logically on matters of everyday life. This is a matter about children’s thought. It’s indicated as the mathematical thinking, judgment and the mathematical representation from an evaluation viewpoint. The third teaching point is for students to find pleasure in mathematical activities and appreciate the value of mathematical approaches, and to foster an attitude. While the previous points are based on a cognitive perspective, the third is about the affective side. Together, they should support understanding, rather than showing that child’s affectivity is the important side where learning of mathematics is supported and emphasized. The fourth teaching point is about ‘mathematical activities’ and ‘Through mathematical activities’ is placed at the beginning of the objective. ‘Mathematical activities’ are concerned with the arithmetic on which children work independently with their own purpose. It means that learning of mathematics isn’t passive learning by one-sided initiation from a teacher, but it should be an autonomous activity of children.

Teaching content

In order to indicate the teaching content systematically, four categories are set in the Course of Study and the content is divided into categories, that are: A. Numbers and Calculations, B. Quantities and Measurements, C. Geometrical Figures and D. Mathematical Relations. The teaching content for the elementary school is put into the order shown in Table 1 of the appendix to this chapter (p. 270).

This content should be taught at all schools, and it is expected that all students will be proficient in it in the same way as proficiency in Arithmetic is expected in elementary school. This means the contents of the Course of Study are minimum essentials for school mathematics. Teachers can teach matters outside what is written in the Course of Study according to the situation of children.

Two characteristics of the Arithmetic curriculum are continuity and spiral system. For exam...