| Hua Loo-keng, who never finished high-school and never received a university degree except honorary ones, was a self-taught mathematician who became one of the most brilliant mathematicians of the 20th century. In the People's Republic of China, in 1950, Hua Loo-keng was at the center of the reorganization of mathematics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one of the most prestigious institutions and was also involved in mathematics teaching and learning in secondary schools. Later in 1958, during the time of the Great Leap Forward, Hua Loo-keng started the movement of popularizing mathematics among farmers and in 1965 among industrial workers.;This research focuses on exploring the mathematical concepts that Hua Loo-keng taught the workers and farmers, and how they applied them in their workplace. An important element in the movement of popularizing mathematics in the People' Republic of China is the non-traditional methods that Hua Loo-keng used to teach the workers and farmers. The methods and the results obtained inform us that mathematics teaching and learning outside of the classroom context can be potentially rewarding for learners. We conclude that Una Loo-keng's methods of mathematics teaching and learning in the movement of popularizing mathematics may be relevant in developing countries.;This research examines primarily Hua Loo-keng's mathematical practices in the movement of popularizing mathematics in the People's Republic of China. The research also examines Hua Loo-keng's contributions to mathematics teaching and learning in China. In the movement of popularizing mathematics, Hua Loo-keng taught industrial workers and peasants with a low level of education how to use fairly advanced mathematical methods in their workplace (agriculture, transportation, or industries). |
