What Matters? Research Trends In International Comparative Studies In Mathematics Education (research In Mathematics Education)

This book provides a unique international comparative perspective on diverse issues and practices in mathematics education between and among the US and five high-performing TIMSS education systems, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. The book offers multiple perspectives on the important factors that contribute to mathematics teaching and learning in different educational systems and cultural contexts. Using large scale data generated by numerous international comparative studies, the book analyzes and provides context for various methodological perspectives. The book raises compelling questions and issues for mathematics education researchers, leading to a critical examination of what can be learned from other education systems. Authors address four major research perspectives by critically examining cross-national similarities and differences, such as research on the influence of curriculum on student learning; research on institutional systems of mathematics teacher education; research on improving teacher knowledge and pedagogical approaches; and research using large-scale data. This collection of perspectives serves as a foundation for reviewing and analyzing the international comparative studies introduced in the book. Front Matter....Pages i-xxv Front Matter....Pages 1-1 What Can We Learn from Textbook Analysis?....Pages 3-32 Intended Treatment of Fractions and Fraction Operations in Mathematics Curricula from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan....Pages 33-61 Comparing the Difficulty Level of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Textbooks in Five Nations....Pages 63-81 Uncovering the Label “Asian” in International Comparative Studies of Mathematics Education....Pages 83-94 Achievement Gaps in Mathematics and Opportunities to Learn: Insights from PISA 2012....Pages 95-114 Toward Understanding the Influence of Curriculum Resources on Students’ Mathematics Learning: Cross-National Perspectives on What Matters Where, When, and for Whom....Pages 115-120 Front Matter....Pages 121-121 Knowledge Expectations Matter: Mathematics Teacher Preparation Programs in South Korea and the United States....Pages 123-144 Pre-service Teacher Training for Secondary School Mathematics in Japan and Korea....Pages 145-164 Predictors of the Teaching Readiness of Future Secondary Mathematics Teachers: A Comparison of Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States....Pages 165-185 Similarities and Differences in Programs for Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers....Pages 187-195 Front Matter....Pages 197-197 Cross-Cultural Lesson Planning Between the United States and South Korea....Pages 199-213 The Instructional Quality of Mathematics Student Teachers in the United States and Japan: The Possible Impact of the Structure of Student Teaching....Pages 215-236 Reflective Capabilities of Mathematics Education Systems in China, Japan, and the United States....Pages 237-257 Research on Improving Teacher Knowledge and Pedagogical Approaches: From a Comparative to a Collaborative Perspective....Pages 259-264 Front Matter....Pages 265-265 Self-Concept, Self-Efficacy, and Mathematics Achievement: Students in 65 Regions Including the US and Asia....Pages 267-288 What Do TIMSS Studies Show About Math Achievement Inequality? A Sociological Perspective....Pages 289-314 When Knowing Basic Skills and Procedures Is Not Enough....Pages 315-331 The WIFI Study: Students’ Valuing of Mathematics Learning in Hong Kong and Japan....Pages 333-354 Examining the Association Between Teacher Feedback and Mathematics Instruction in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and the United States....Pages 355-383 Large-Scale International Datasets—What We Can and Cannot Learn from Them, and How We Could Learn More....Pages 385-392 Front Matter....Pages 393-393 Reflections on Research Trends in International Comparative Studies in Mathematics Education....Pages 395-409 The Missing Link—Incorporating Opportunity to Learn in Educational Research Analyses....Pages 411-418 Back Matter....Pages 419-432