See It as on Mathematical Thinking with Mathematical Representation: Mathematization in Mathematics Education for Human Character Formation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2026.897-
Downloads
How to Cite
Abstract
How can we configure the school mathematics curriculum to develop mathematical thinking? Theories in mathematics education explain it using different terminologies. Firstly, this article reviews theories and nature of curriculum for overcoming contradiction, secondly focuses on developing mathematical thinking in Southeast Asia Region for overcoming and focused on mathematical ways to see it as a part of human character formation, thirdly a theory of mathematical representations (Isoda, 1989 & 2015) is defined based on the ways to see it as, and fourthly mathematization process are explained by the representation theory for explaining how changes the way to see it as. These are illustrated by the cases of operational diagrams in figural representations, including Hanoi’s Tower.
Downloads
References
Arcavi, A. (1994). Symbol sense: Informal sense-making in formal mathematics. For the Learning of Mathematics, 14(3), 24-35.
Atkin, A. (2023). Peirce’s theory of signs. In E. N. Zalta & U. Nodelman (Eds.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2023 ed.). Stanford University. https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2023/entries/peirce-semiotics/
Bachelard, G. (1934). La formation de l’esprit scientifique. Librairie Philosophique J. Vrin. (Japanese edition: 及川, 小井戸訳. [1975]. 科学的精神の形成. 国文社)
Chevallard, Y. (2006). Steps towards a new epistemology in mathematics education. In M. Bosch (Ed.), Proceedings of the 4th Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (pp. 21-30). Universitat Ramon Llull.
Dienes, Z. P. (1978). Learning mathematics. In G. T. Wain (Ed.), Mathematical education (pp. 81-95). Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Freudenthal, H. (1973). Mathematics as an educational task. D. Reidel Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-2903-2
Freudenthal, H. (1983). Didactical phenomenology of mathematical structures. D. Reidel Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47235-X
Freudenthal, H. (1991). Revisiting mathematics education: China lectures. Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47202-3
Gan, T. H., Teh, K. H., & Isoda, M. (2024). Mathematics challenges for classroom practice at the lower secondary level (2nd ed.). SEAMEO RECSAM. https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/pdf/Maths_Challenges_Classroom_
Practices_Lower_Primary_Level_2nd-Edition.pdf
García-García, J., & Dolores-Flores, C. (2021). Pre-university students’ mathematical connections when sketching the graph of derivative and antiderivative functions. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 33, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-019-00286-x
Hanson, N. R. (1965). Patterns of discovery: An inquiry into the conceptual foundations of science. Cambridge University Press. (Japanese edition: 村上訳. [1986]. 科学的発見のパターン. 講談社)
Hanson, N. R. (1969). Perception and discovery: An introduction to scientific inquiry. Freeman, Cooper & Co. (Japanese edition: 渡辺, 野家訳. [2000]. 知覚と発見 上・下. 紀伊國屋書店)
Inprasitha, M., Isoda, M., & Araya, R. (2023). Mathematical literacy for digital era: Review of mathematical thinking and computational thinking for curriculum development. East and West Journal of Mathematics, 24(2), 137-155. https://doi.org/10.36853/ewjm0399
Isoda, M. (2015). Mathematization for mathematics education. Kyoritsu Shuppan. (Original work published in Japanese: 算数・数学教育における数学的活動による学習過程の構成. 共立出版)
Isoda, M. (2018). Mathematization: A theory for mathematics curriculum design. In M. Kawazoe (Ed.), International Workshop on Mathematics Education for Non-Mathematics Students: Developing Advanced Mathematical Literacy (pp. 27-34). Tokyo, Japan.
Isoda, M., & Katagiri, S. (2012). Mathematical thinking: How to develop it in the classroom. World Scientific. https://doi.org/10.1142/8163
Isoda, M., & Kusaka, S. (2024). Study with your friends: Mathematics for elementary school: Grades 1-6. Gakkotosho.
Isoda, M., & Olfos, R. (Eds.). (2021). Teaching multiplication with lesson study: Japanese and Ibero-American theories for international mathematics education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-28561-6
Isoda, M., & Tall, D. (2019). Junior high school mathematics: Grades 1-3. Gakkotosho.
Isoda, M., Araya, R., & Inprasitha, M. (2021). Developing computational thinking on AI and big data era for digital society: Recommendations from APEC InMside I Project. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Isoda, M., Teh, K. H., & Gan, T. H. (2024a). SEAMEO basic education standards (SEA-BES): Common core regional learning standards (CCRLS) in mathematics for primary and lower secondary levels (2nd ed.). SEAMEO RECSAM. https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/pdf/SEA-BES_CCRLS_in_Mathematics_Second_Edition.pdf
Isoda, M., Teh, K. H., & Gan, T. H. (2024b). Mathematics challenges for classroom practice at the upper primary level (2nd ed.). SEAMEO RECSAM. https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/pdf/Maths_Challenges_Classroom_Practices_Upper_Primary_Level_2nd-Edition.pdf
Montecillo, R. L., Teh, K. H., & Isoda, M. (2018). Challenges in the development of regional mathematics curriculum standards: The case of Southeast Asia Ministers of Education Organisation (SEAMEO). In Y. Shimizu & R. Vithal (Eds.), Proceedings of ICMI Study 24: School mathematics curriculum reforms: Challenges, changes and opportunities (pp. 539-546). University of Tsukuba.
Morozumi, T. (2004). Development of symbol sense. Proceedings of the Japan Society of Mathematics Education, 37, 289-294. (Original work published in Japanese: 両角達男. [2004]. シンボルセンスの育成を促す学習活動に関する研究. 数学教育論文発表会論文集, 37, 289-294)
Newton, I. (1736). The method of fluxions and infinite series: With its application to the geometry of curve-lines (J. Colson, Trans.). Henry Woodfall.
Olfos, R., Isoda, M., Estrella, S., & Noine, T. (2025). Intergroup differences in addition fluency and strategies for adding 3 to 5 at the end of first grade in Chile and Japan. Journal of Southeast Asian Education, 1(Special Issue), 39-51.
Pólya, G. (1945). How to solve it: A new aspect of mathematical method. Princeton University Press.
Sigler, L. E. (Trans.). (2002). Fibonacci’s Liber abaci: A translation into modern English of Leonardo Pisano’s Book of calculation. Springer.
Solis, D., & Isoda, M. (2023). Comparing elementary school textbooks of China, Japan, and Malaysia: A praxeological and developmental progression analysis regarding length measurement. Research in Mathematics Education, 25(3), 359-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2022.2103022
Somsaman, K., Isoda, M., & Araya, R. (2024). Guidebook for unplugged computational thinking. SEAMEO STEM-ED.
Tall, D. (2013). How humans learn to think mathematically: Exploring the three worlds of mathematics. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139565202
Teh, K. H., Isoda, M., & Gan, T. H. (2024). Mathematics challenges for classroom practice at the lower primary level (2nd ed.). SEAMEO RECSAM. https://www.criced.tsukuba.ac.jp/pdf/Maths_Challenges_Classroom_Practices_Lower_Primary_Level_2nd-Edition.pdf
Winsløw, C. (2011). Anthropological theory of didactic phenomena: Some principles of its use in the study of mathematics education. In M. Bosch, J. Gascón, A. Ruiz Olarría, M. Artaud, A. Bronner, Y. Chevallard, G. Cirade, C. Ladage, & M. Larguier (Eds.), Un panorama de la TAD (pp. 117-140). Centre de Recerca Matemàtica.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vietnam Journal of Education

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.








