A Comparative Study On Mathematical Culture Of Chinese And American Textbooks

In2003the ministry of education promulgated the “Mathematics CurriculumStandard of Senior High School”, first proposed to put the mathematics culture intothe high school mathematics curriculum, and points out that mathematical culture isan important content of high school mathematics curriculum, further clear the statusof mathematical culture in the high school mathematics curriculum. Therefore themulti-dimensional research of mathematical culture will be to carry out thecurriculum requirements and grasp the spirit of an important class of measures.This paper reference Professor Wang Xiaoqin and shen chunhui master whodefined the classification of the content of mathematics culture and the classificationof the use of mathematical culture content way. Mathematics culture in mathematicstextbooks contents can be divided into four classes, include history of mathematics,mathematics and real life, mathematics and science, mathematics and the arts. Takethe version of People’s Education Press (PEP) and the Glencoe Education in Americaas the objects of this study.Using content analysis and comparative study, form thedistribution of Columns and the main content and the use level three aspects intextbooks. The quantitative evaluation and the qualitative analys are carried onmathematical culture in textbooks.To find the similarities and differences of thewritten of two versions of mathematical culture content, and then to provide thewriting of the high school mathematics teaching material contents of mathematicalculture in our country.To compare the version of People’s Education Press (PEP) and the GlencoeEducation in America, find that the two versions teaching materials in presentmathematical culture content have something in common. Reflected in the followingaspects: the content of the mathematics culture mainly distributed in the exercise;Among the history of mathematics, mathematics and real life, mathematics andscience, mathematics and the arts four types of mathematical culture content,mathematics and real life are two sets of teaching materials to present the mostcontent of mathematical culture. Two sets of textbooks have penetrating the content of the history of mathematics, mathematics and the arts and humanities, but fewercontent, needs to be increased gradually. The use of two sets of teaching materials ofmathematical culture content level belongs to the separable type more, leaving theconcrete content of mathematical culture, still can solve mathematical problems. Notonly can solve mathematical knowledge, But there are two versions of teachingmaterials and various characteristics.The version of People’s Education Press focused on the content of the history ofmathematics penetration, specially set up reading and thinking column to presentsome of the greatest mathematicians in history, evolution of the concept ofmathematics, mathematics method. Pay attention to permeate real life contents in thetextbooks. In penetration of mathematics and science content, mainly embodies theconnection of mathematics and physics, chemistry. The content of mathematics andthe arts is less, and the content is relatively single.The mathematics culture content of the version of the Glencoe Education isrich,content distribution is more balanced. The textbook not only focus on the reallife,but also strengthen math and physics, biology, geography and high and newtechnology. Mathematical radiation to other disciplines, reflected the universality ofmathematics application. Textbook also pay attention to the penetration ofmathematics and the arts content, penetrate some events in history, law, art, famousbuildings. All in all, American Glencoe version’s cultural information includes morethan the PEP.Based on the above conclusions analysis, proposed the following suggestions toour country mathematics textbook: Mathematics textbook should strengthen thepenetration of mathematical culture content and balance all kinds of mathematicalculture content and pay attention to the multicultural content of penetration and theapplication scope of mathematical culture content should be diversified andstrengthen the infiltration of arts and humanities content.