The Background of Developing Teaching Contents of Knot Theory

Abstract

In this chapter, we introduce a methodology for making knot theory into a curriculum and actual examples of researches and practices, conducted at elementary, junior and senior high schools and a university general education. In 3.1, we introduce that a recent course of study in Japan has changed a little on the flexibility of constructing a curriculum in each school. In 3.2, we explain a viewpoint to introduce a new mathematics into the education based on considerations of the “modernization of mathematics movement” in 1960-1970’s. In 3.3, an approach to create teaching contents of knot theory is introduced based on our project. We show how to organize and proceed the project. This chapter is a detailed version of the paper “The methodology for Creating New Teaching Contents in Mathematics Education” contributing to “Forum on Public Policy”, Journal of the Oxford Round Table.