A Comparative Research on Development of Mathematical Thinking of Primary Pupils in Japan and the USA

本研究取得的主要成果如下：（1）与美国小学教师合作编制了小学生数学学习策略问卷。根据这些问卷，我们对日本小学五年级和六年级的学生进行了测试<th><th>。这一结果与2000年在日本和中国进行的比较研究结果一致。(2)我们还在纽约市的三所小学进行了同样的测试，并将其翻译成英语。测试的结果表明，这些学校之间的学术成就存在明显的差距，日本和美国之间的学生数学成绩也存在差异。除了这些测试，我们还比较了美国和日本的一些数学教科书。(3)根据测试结果和对教材的分析，我们与美国的教师就日本和美国的学业成绩差异进行了坦率的讨论。我们认识到日本和美国在数学教育问题上存在着很大的差异。(4)至于上述成就，已作为报告发表。本报告包括以下内容：1.学术成果跨国研究的可能性与问题; 2。日本小学生数学学业成绩的实际情况; 3.日本的“基本学术能力”问题; 4.纽约市学校的特点; 5.日本和美国小学生数学思维的特点;分析日本和美国的数学教科书;和数学问卷。

The achievements of this research were as follows:(1) We made the math questionnaires in cooperation with the teachers of elementary schools in the USA. Based on these questionnaires we conducted the tests for 5^<th> graders and 6^<th>th graders in Japanese elementary schools. The results were the same as those of the previous comparative research in Japan and China, which we carried out in 2000.(2) We also conducted the same tests, which were translated into English, in 3 elementary schools in New York City. As a result of the tests, it became clear that the gap of academia achievements among these schools was noticeable, and there were the differences of pupils' achievements in mathematics between Japan and the USA. In addition to these tests, we compared some textbooks on math in the USA with those in Japan.(3) Based on the results of the tests and the analyses of the textbooks, we discussed frankly with the teachers in the USA about the differences of academic achievements between Japan and the USA. We realized that there was the big difference of issues on mathematics education between Japan and the USA.(4) As to the achievements described above were published as a report. The report contains the followings: 1. Possibilities and problems of Cross-national study on academic achievements; 2. Actual conditions of academic achievements in mathematics of Japanese pupils; 3. Issues of "basic academic competencies" in Japan; 4. Characteristics of the schools in New York City; 5. Characteristics of pupils' mathematical thinking in Japan and the USA; 6. An analysis of the textbooks on math in Japan and the USA; and the math questionnaires.