No one disputes how important it is, in today's world, to prepare students to un derstand mathematics as weII as to use and communicate mathematics in their future lives. That task is very difficult, however. Refocusing curricula on funda mental concepts, producing new teaching materials, and designing teaching units based on 'mathematicians' common sense' (or on logic) have not resulted in a better understanding of mathematics by more students. The failure of such efforts has raised questions suggesting that what was missing at the outset of these proposals, designs, and productions was a...

This book confronts the issue of how young people can find a way into the world of algebra. It represents multiple perspectives which include an analysis of situations in which algebra is an efficient problem-solving tool, the use of computer-based technologies, and a consideration of the historical evolution of algebra. The book emphasizes the situated nature of algebraic activity as opposed to being concerned with identifying students' conceptions in isolation from problem-solving activity.

This book is the final report of the ICMI study on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at University Level. As such it is one of a number of such studies that ICMI has commissioned. The other Study Volumes cover assessment in mathematics education, gender equity, research in mathematics education, the teaching of geometry, and history in mathematics education. All ofthese Study Volumes represent a statement of the state of the art in their respective areas. We hope that this is also the case for the current Study Volume. The current study on university level mathematics was commissioned...

1 . The political context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. 2 What part does history of mathematics currently occupy in national curricula? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....