An Enquiry into the Teaching of Mathematics

Extract

The International Commission on the Teaching of Mathematics, which is one of the Commissions set up by the International Mathematical Union, has been conducting an enquiry into the teaching of mathematics between the ages of 16 and 21. A full report has already been published on this aspect of teaching so far as Germany is concerned and a questionnaire was sent to all countries participating in the work of the commission. The British National Committee for Mathematics appointed Dr. E. A. Maxwell to represent Britain on the International Commission and a sub-committee consisting of Dr. Maxwell, Miss M. L. Cartwright, A. P. Rollett and G. L. Parsons to prepare the answers to the questionnaire. This sub-committee also received a good deal of help from the Department of Education of Cambridge University in connection with questions relating to the general system of education. The sub-committee confined their replies for the most part to work done in schools. With the replies were sent various relevant pamphlets published by the Ministry of Education, specimen timetables from various types of schools, a large number of examination papers and syllabuses and reports of the Mathematical Association. The questionnaire was framed for dealing with state systems of education similar to that in Germany and covered the whole educational system. We give only those parts of it relating to the technical aspects of the enquiry.