Mathematics core competencies of Chinese students – What are they?

Abstract

China has been implementing mathematics curriculum reform driven by “subject competencies,” and the Chinese term used for competencies is he-xin-su-yang, often translated as “core competency.” In this commentary chapter, concepts related to he-xin-su-yang are discussed. The concept of “core” (he-xin) competencies addresses not only the issue of “what mathematics competencies are,” but also the question of “among the mathematics competencies, which are core competencies and which are just peripheral competencies,” a question which has not really been addressed in China. For the concept of competencies or su-yang, the term implies something of high quality being developed deep inside human being, different from how competencies are used in the literature which often convey a sense of being adequate or sufficient for a certain purpose. The strengths of the book and how well Chinese students performed in cognitive and non-cognitive mathematics competencies are then discussed. Students’ attitudes toward mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning, one important non-cognitive competency which is not covered in this book, are then discussed with reference to the TIMSS data. A cultural explanation of the negative attitudes of students of Chinese origin is then presented, and the impact of the Chinese language on mathematics learning is also mentioned.