Some media outlets recently reported that most of the typical mathematics textbooks in Korea were developed with a teacher-centered approach whereas alternative mathematics textbooks were developed with a student-centered one. The researcher conducted research to confirm that alternative mathematics textbooks were student-centered and provide implications for mathematics education, as reported by the press. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively analyze whether alternative mathematics textbooks newly developed in Korea are helping learners to discover and compare the differences with typical mathematics textbooks. In order to achieve the purpose of the research, the researcher analyzed the contents of six mathematics textbooks comparatively, and qualitatively analyzed the student-centered examples of alternative textbooks. The results of the analysis were that the alternative textbooks tended to induce students’ voluntary inquiry activities first and then to define mathematical terms and explain concepts, while the authorized textbooks tended to define mathematical terms or concepts first and to suggest the problem solving activities after. In the alternative textbook, the process of ‘mathematizing’ was faithfully reflected in all five areas of middle school mathematics, whereas the typical textbooks, the process of ‘mathematizing’ was revealed in some areas or not at all.
Volume 12 | Issue 6
Pages: 418-426
DOI: 10.5373/JARDCS/V12I6/S20201045