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In Search of an East Asian Identity in Mathematics Education

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TLDR
In this paper, the authors discuss the features of the East Asian mathematics education and their underlying values in contrast to features and values in the West and present six dichotomies in terms of product versus process, rote learning versus meaningful learning, studying hard versus pleasurable learning, extrinsic versus intrinsic motivations, whole class teaching versus individualized learning, and competence of teachers.
Abstract
East Asian students have consistently outperformed their counterparts in Western countries in recent international studies of mathematics achievement. However, these countries do not seem to have an established theory of mathematics education, and their teaching has been criticized as traditional and old fashioned. In search of an East Asian identity in mathematics education, this paper discusses the features of the East Asian mathematics education and their underlying values in contrast to features and values in the West. These are presented in terms of six dichotomies,namely, product versus process; rote learning versus meaningful learning;studying hard versus pleasurable learning;extrinsic versus intrinsic motivations;whole class teaching versus individualized learning; and competence of teachers:subject matter versus pedagogy. It is argued that these features are based on deep-rooted cultural values and paradigms. A characterization of these features and an analysis of the underlying values are essential in this search for an East Asian identity in mathematics education.

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Citations
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References
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Book

The Psychology of the Chinese people

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Knowing and teaching elementary mathematics

Anthony Ralston, +1 more
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the importance of pre-college mathematics education in the U.S. and recommend a book called KTEM, which provides important clues to the nature of the problem.
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Mathematics achievement of Chinese, Japanese, and American children: Ten years later.

TL;DR: A decade of heightened emphasis in the United States on mathematics and science education has had little influence on academic achievement or parental attitudes, and Innate ability continues to be emphasized by Americans as a basis for achievement.
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Social Orientation and Individual Modernity among Chinese Students in Taiwan

TL;DR: The authors found that more modernized students were found to have a larger total number of responses and a smaller number of popular responses and they were also found to use a shorter time to produce the first and subsequent responses.
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Cultural Support for Schooling: Contrasts Between Japan and the United States:

TL;DR: For instance, this paper found that Japanese tend to stress developing adaptive dispositions, while Americans try to make the learning context more attractive, which may explain the differences in student dispositions.
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