Li Zhuo , Yu Bo

DOI: Vol.18(No.2) 89-101, 2014

This paper presents a survey study aiming to systematically review research on mathematics education in China and identify important variables that should be considered in future research. The literature surveyed is selected from doctoral theses. The study reveals that important progress has been made over the last two decades. Following the review and discussion, the study proposes five needed directions for advancing research on mathematics education in China.

mathematics education, research on mathematics education, review of doctoral theses

Patkin Dorit

DOI: Vol.18(No.2) 103-128, 2014

This paper presents the Global van Hiele (GVH) questionnaire as a tool for mapping knowledge and understanding of plane and solid geometry. The questionnaire facili-tates identification of the respondents’ mastery of the first three levels of thinking according to van Hiele theory with regard to key geometrical topics. Teacher-educators can apply this questionnaire for checking preliminary knowledge of ma-thematics teaching candidates or pre-service teachers. Moreover, it can be used when planning a course or granting exemption from studying in basic geometry courses. The questionnaire can also serve high school mathematics teachers who are interested in exposing their students to multiple-choice questions in geometry.

van Hiele theory, Global van Hiele Questionnaire, levels of thinking in geometry, triangles and quadrilaterals, circle, solids, pre-service mathematics teachers, in-service mathematics teachers

Huang Rong Jin , Li Ye Ping , Kulm Gerald , Willson Victor

DOI: Vol.18(No.2) 129-148, 2014

In this study, we examined the relationships among years of teaching experience, professional rank, number of courses taken, and knowledge of algebra for teaching (KAT). 338in-service and 376 pre-service secondary mathematics teachers in China completed a KAT questionnaire. Various statistical techniques were employed to examine these relationships. The pre-service participantsteachers performed statistically significantly higher in advanced mathematics knowledge than in-service counterparts. For the in-service teachers, senior teachers had more strong knowledge in school mathematics and teaching mathematics, compared with junior teachers. Yetparticipants’ advanced mathematics knowledge decreased as their professional rank advanced or their teaching experience increased. The number of courses taken is significantly correlated with school mathematics knowledge and advanced mathematics knowledge, but not with teaching mathematics knowledge. The implications of these findings for mathematics teacher education are discussed.

knowledge of algebra for teaching, professional rank, China

Nguyen Hien Thi Thu , Gregoire Jacques

DOI: Vol.18(No.2) 149-169, 2014

The Vietnamese language has a specific property related to the zero in the name-number system. This study was conducted to examine the impact of linguistic differences and of the zero’s position in a number on a transcoding task (verbal number into Arabic number). Vietnamese children and French-speaking Belgian children, from grades 3 to 6, participated in the study. The success rate and the type of errors they made varied, depending on their grade and language. At Grade 4, Vietnamese childrenshowed performances equivalent to Grade 6 Belgian children. Our results confirmed the support provided by language to the understanding and performances in a transcoding task. Results also showed that a syntactic zero is easier to manipulate than a lexical zero for Vietnamese children. The relative influence of language and the source of errors are discussed.

number transcoding, syntactic zero, lexical zero, cross-cultural, Vietnamese