Portal: Mathematics Education

From APEC HRDWG Wiki

International comparison studies have found significantly different levels of achievement and practice in mathematics education in the East and West.

Asian educational systems generally produce students with a strong grasp of the content knowledge, with higher scores on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).
Western systems have strengths in applying knowledge to real life situations. Many Western economies are among the most scientifically innovative in terms of such indicators as new scientific patents.

The pressing issue is how to combine the best of both systems.

APEC Project Activities

Primary and secondary mathematics education is a priority area in APEC's Education Network, as described in the 5th APEC Education Ministers Meeting. APEC Project activities respond directly to fulfilling the Ministers' vision as stated in their joint statement. Past and current project activities include:

The 21st Century Mathematics Education for All in the APEC Region project has developed tools to assist mathematics teachers bring new ideas into their classrooms:
- Best Practices in Mathematics Education Statistics Modules
- Best Practices in Mathematics Education Toolkits
International Comparative Research to Identify Unique and Promising Practices in Mathematics and Science Teacher Preparation for APEC Economies
Conference on Replicating Exemplary Practices in Mathematics Education
International Seminar on Best Practices in Science and Mathematics Teaching and Learning
Seminar on the Best Practices and Innovations in the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics at the Primary School Level
Gender Equity in Mathematics Education - a report that summarizes gender equity in education in terms of its challenge and the approaches recommended to promote women's access to education in math and science.
Best Practices in Mathematics Education Statistics Modules - from the APEC Technical Assistance and Training Facility (TATF)

Related Activities

Key Topics and Resources

Standards: sample standards (in English) from 9 APEC

Japanese Mathematics Class
economies with comparative analyses.
Assessment: analyses of sample assessments, a searchable database of assessment items, and full assessments from APEC economies.
Instruction: strategies to help teachers emphasizing Singapore Math the Japanese professional development process called Lesson Study.

The APEC project, Classroom Innovations through Lesson Study, provides videos of research lessons highlighting this process with segment by segment analysis.

Videos of Lesson Study Research Lessons: