The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education

Kristín Bjarnadóttir

The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education

Kristín Bjarnadóttir

School of Education

University of Iceland

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

The history of mathematics education in Iceland is traced, mainly by examining mathematics textbooks from different periods and considering official decisions that have exerted influence on the choice of textbooks.
While Danish regulations and universities exerted their influence on the grammar schools, they themselves influenced
the syllabus of lower school levels, whose choice was further limited by small means of a state textbook publishing
house. The introduction of “New Math” became a spark releasing all school levels from stagnation in mathematics
education, but it caused also a temporary turbulence. Recent research reveals that Icelandic adolescent pupils have reached average or above in their mathematics performance. However, excellent performance is missing, and more mathematics teachers with the required education are needed.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education
Subtitle of host publication	Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland
Editors	Bharath Sriraman, Christer Bergsten, Simon Goodchild, Guðbjörg Pálsdóttir, Bettina Dahl, Lenni Haapasalo
Publisher	Information Age Publishing Inc.
Chapter	12
Pages	447–465
Number of pages	19
ISBN (Print)	978-1-61735-098-6
Publication status	Published - 2010

Publication series

Name	The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education
Number	10

Cite this

Bjarnadóttir, K. (2010). The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education. In B. Sriraman, C. Bergsten, S. Goodchild, G. Pálsdóttir, B. Dahl, & L. Haapasalo (Eds.), The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland (pp. 447–465). (The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education; No. 10). Information Age Publishing Inc..

Bjarnadóttir, Kristín. / The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education. The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland. editor / Bharath Sriraman ; Christer Bergsten ; Simon Goodchild ; Guðbjörg Pálsdóttir ; Bettina Dahl ; Lenni Haapasalo. Information Age Publishing Inc., 2010. pp. 447–465 (The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education; 10).

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title = "The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education",

abstract = "The history of mathematics education in Iceland is traced, mainly by examining mathematics textbooks from different periods and considering official decisions that have exerted influence on the choice of textbooks. While Danish regulations and universities exerted their influence on the grammar schools, they themselves influenced the syllabus of lower school levels, whose choice was further limited by small means of a state textbook publishing house. The introduction of “New Math” became a spark releasing all school levels from stagnation in mathematics education, but it caused also a temporary turbulence. Recent research reveals that Icelandic adolescent pupils have reached average or above in their mathematics performance. However, excellent performance is missing, and more mathematics teachers with the required education are needed.",

author = "Krist{\'i}n Bjarnad{\'o}ttir",

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pages = "447–465",

editor = "Bharath Sriraman and Christer Bergsten and Simon Goodchild and Gu{\dh}bj{\"o}rg P{\'a}lsd{\'o}ttir and Bettina Dahl and Lenni Haapasalo",

booktitle = "The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education",

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Bjarnadóttir, K 2010, The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education. in B Sriraman, C Bergsten, S Goodchild, G Pálsdóttir, B Dahl & L Haapasalo (eds), The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland. The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education, no. 10, Information Age Publishing Inc., pp. 447–465.

The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education. / Bjarnadóttir, Kristín.
The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland. ed. / Bharath Sriraman; Christer Bergsten; Simon Goodchild; Guðbjörg Pálsdóttir; Bettina Dahl; Lenni Haapasalo. Information Age Publishing Inc., 2010. p. 447–465 (The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education; No. 10).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

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AB - The history of mathematics education in Iceland is traced, mainly by examining mathematics textbooks from different periods and considering official decisions that have exerted influence on the choice of textbooks. While Danish regulations and universities exerted their influence on the grammar schools, they themselves influenced the syllabus of lower school levels, whose choice was further limited by small means of a state textbook publishing house. The introduction of “New Math” became a spark releasing all school levels from stagnation in mathematics education, but it caused also a temporary turbulence. Recent research reveals that Icelandic adolescent pupils have reached average or above in their mathematics performance. However, excellent performance is missing, and more mathematics teachers with the required education are needed.

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Bjarnadóttir K. The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and Its Relations to Secondary Education. In Sriraman B, Bergsten C, Goodchild S, Pálsdóttir G, Dahl B, Haapasalo L, editors, The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Icland, Denmark, and contributions from Finland. Information Age Publishing Inc. 2010. p. 447–465. (The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education; 10).