New challenges in the 2011 revised middle school curriculum of South Korea: mathematical process and mathematical attitude

Abstract

The ‘future-oriented middle school mathematics curriculum focused on creativity and personality’ was revised in August of 2011 with the aim of nurturing students’ mathematical creativity and sound personalities. The curriculum emphasizes: contextual learning from which students can grasp mathematical concepts and make connections with their everyday lives; manipulation activities through which students may attain an intuitive idea of what they are learning and enhance their creativity; and reasoning to justify mathematical results based on their knowledge and experience. Since students will not be able to engage in the intended mathematical process with the study-load imposed by the current curriculum, the newly revised curriculum modifies or deletes some parts of the contents that have been traditionally taught mechanically. This paper provides a detailed overview of the main points of the revised curriculum.

Appendix

1.1 Key feature of primary school curriculum

One of the most significant changes in the 2011 revised curriculum is the establishment of grade bands, which were put in place in order to reduce rigidity and enhance flexibility in organizing and managing school curricula by fostering inter-grade connectedness and integration. Accordingly, primary school mathematics is divided into three grade bands consisting of 1–2, 3–4, and 5–6. Problem-solving, which was a key content in ‘regularity and problem-solving’ which was one of the five areas presented in the 2007 curriculum, is classified as process knowledge rather than content knowledge apart from the remaining four areas: ‘number and operations’, ‘geometry’, ‘measurement’ and ‘probability and statistics’. It is covered through activities utilizing content knowledge of the four areas. A new domain, namely ‘relations’, which deals with ratio, equations and finding regularities, is added.

1.2 Key feature of high school curriculum

The ‘math’ subject that is required for 9th grade students in the current mathematics curriculum is included in the National Common Basic Curriculum and has been designated as an 8-unit (4 h/week for two semesters) required course. At the 11th and 12th grade level students are to select and take the courses that suit their needs depending on their future career goals, interests and aptitudes from among six 6-unit elective courses of ‘Calculus and basic statistics’ (6 units), ‘Math I’ (6 units), ‘Math II’ (6 units), ‘Integrals and statistics’ (6 units), ‘Geometry and vectors’ (6 units), and ‘Practical use of mathematics’ (6 units). However, in the 2011 reformed curriculum, the math subject will consist of six 5-unit elective courses (‘math I’, ‘math II’, ‘calculus I’, ‘calculus II’, ‘geometry and vectors’, ‘probability and statistics’), and the volume of the content will also be reduced by 20 %. In addition, the curriculum will consider various levels of students by providing basic courses and intensive courses.

Integrating separate chapters will be conducive to largely reducing the amount of unnecessarily complicated calculation and will provide students with more opportunities to pose fundamental questions and ponder upon why each theme is introduced. Through such process students are expected to personally experience the value of mathematics and recognize why mathematics is required and useful in understanding and describing natural and social phenomena.

‘Basic math’ is a basic course designed for students who are not equipped with a sound foundation of middle school math. Students can select this course in order to reach a systematic understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts, principles and rules needed for taking the general math courses. ‘math I’ and ‘math II’ include basic contents needed for covering calculus. ‘calculus I’ and ‘calculus II’ consist of basic calculus, calculus of polynomial functions and calculus of transcendental functions. Additionally, as the knowledge of probability and statistics is greatly required in modern society, ‘probability and statistics’ is provided as one independent subject, and ‘geometry and vectors’ is also placed as an independent subject.

Lastly, ‘Intensive math I’ is designed for students to systematically understand higher levels of mathematical concepts, principles and rules based on the mathematical knowledge and skills that they acquired in general math. ‘intensive math II’ helps students attain higher levels of mathematical knowledge and thinking skills, and logical reasoning abilities, giving students opportunities to develop the skills and attitudes to rationally solve problems, eventually providing them with the foundation for future learning in the natural sciences, engineering and social sciences.