Analysis Of Mathematics Culture Instruction In The New Mathematics Curriculum Of Senior High School And Research On Teachers' Receptivity Of Mathematics Culture Instruction

The new curriculum standard of mathematics in senior high schools proposes the curriculum should embody the cultural value of mathematics, and demands the mathematics culture instruction (MCI). As the major practitioners of curriculum implementation, teachers' receptivity is very important to MCI, so it is significant to research high school teachers' receptivity to MCI.Because the teachers know MCI mainly from the curriculum standard and mathematics textbooks offer the material to MCI, so a study of MCI in the curriculum standard and textbooks has been done before the research of the receptivity. First, after analyzing the instructional objective, content and mode of MCI from the curriculum standard, it is clear that the purpose of MCI is to bring an idea to the student that the mathematics affects the development of society and human-being. Then the paper analyses the mathematics experimental textbooks of senior high school which are published by People's Education Press, including the contents and modes of mathematics culture. This study shows that the idea of MCI has been indicated in these textbooks. However, there are some problems have been found such as the knowledge of mathematics history is too difficult for students to understand academically, and the mode is too single.After studying MCI in the curriculum standard and textbooks, the teachers' receptivity to MCI has been investigated. First, one questionnaire survey, based on the mode of teachers' receptivity which is proposed by Lee and the characteristic of MCI in new curriculum, was distributed to 105 mathematics teachers of senior high schools in ZheJiang province to know teachers' attitudes to MCI and their behavior intentions, and to find the problem in teaching mathematics culture by analyzing the non-monetary cost-benefit, practicality of MCI, issues of concern, perceived supports from inside and outside of the school. In addition, 4 teachers are interviewed after the survey to know their real feelings about MCI. Finally, the thesis discusses the main factors which affect teachers' receptivity to MCI. The analyses reveal that the mathematical teachers of senior high schools have high receptivity to MCI, and their behavior intentions towards promoting MCI are distinct. It also finds that there are some problems in promoting MCI as follows: it is difficult to use the methods which advised by curriculum standard; teachers have not acquired knowledge of mathematics culture; the teachers are not confident of MCI. Further analysis finds that the receptivity is influenced by teachers' knowledge and their capability of studying MCI, the methods of MCI should be more workable, and MCI needs institutional assurance, strategy support and teaching atmosphere.Suggestions to promote senior high school mathematics teachers' receptivity to MCI are as follows, firstly to attach importance to MCI in the new curriculum training; secondly to enhance mathematics culture knowledge of the mathematics teachers, and thirdly to exploit the teaching resource of mathematics culture.