Curricular approaches to algebra in Estonia, Finland and Sweden – a comparative study

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study is to investigate and compare approaches to algebra in the Estonian, Finnish, and Swedish national core curricula (Grades 1–9). Despite the similarities in the school systems of these neighboring countries, the analysis reveals three quite different curricular approaches. The Estonian approach shows influences of the Russian Davydov School. The Finnish approach to some extent resembles the traditional one whereby algebra is addressed first at the lower secondary level and then in a formal manner. However, there are also characteristics typical of the functional view, which dominates the Swedish curriculum. Here, as opposed to the documents from the other two countries, a transition to more formal sophisticated methods at the secondary level is not visible at all. We discuss the results in relation to earlier research and students’ different learning outcomes in light of international evaluations.

KEYWORDS:

• Algebraic thinking
• comprehensive school
• intended curriculum
• cross-cultural studies
• mathematics education

Notes

1. The Davydov curriculum (sometimes referred as Elkonin and Davydov Curriculum) was developed in the 1960s by a research group led by Davydov in the Soviet Union. The Investigations curriculum was developed with support from the National Research Council [NRC] (Cai et al., 2005) at a time when there was a growing awareness in the US of making the essential concepts within school algebra accessible to students before secondary-level education (Nathan & Koellner, 2007). The effects of these special curricula on the two countries’ school mathematics is outside the scope of our study.

2. https://eperusteet.opintopolku.fi/#/fi/perusopetus/419550/sisallot/466344 https://www.riigiteataja.ee/aktilisa/1140/1201/1001/VV1_lisa3.pdf https://tinyurl.com/yawp2bay.

3. We use the term ’big idea’ as we draw on Blanton et al. (2015) work. Yet, these big ideas could be considered as constructs or concepts.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council [Grant number 2015–02043].