古为今用:美国学者眼中数学史的教育价值

数学史与数学教育关系(HPM)是兴起于20世纪70年代的一个数学教育研究领域.从19世纪末开始,美国数学史家和数学教育家们对数学历史的教育功能多有阐述,成为促进HPM创立并深入发展的重要推动力量.这些功能包括:激发学生的学习兴趣、改变学生的数学观、使数学人性化、让学生从原始文献汲取数学家的原始思想和社会文化信息、帮助学生更好地理解和欣赏数学、增强学生的自信心、通过历史可以了解学生学习数学的困难和认知过程、为教材编写提供借鉴等等.这些功能对于我们今天运用科学史于科学教育的实践具有一定的借鉴和指导意义,也让我们树立这样的信念:数学史并不是无用的学问.

The Educational Value of the History of Mathematics Viewed by American Scholars

The 1970s saw the establishment of a new research field in m athematics education focusing on the relationship between the history and pedagogy of mathe matics. From the end of the 19~(th) century on,many of the American histori ans and educators of mathematics have dealt with the educational functions of the histo ry of mathematics,greatly promoting the foundation and development of HPM. The history of mathematics can arouse the students' interest,make them draw m athema tical thoughts from the original works,humanize the mathematics,enforce the st udents' confidence when they encounter the difficulties or frustrations,enable the teachers to perceive the students' cognitive processes,help the students un derstand and appreciate mathematics. These functions can be used for reference in our practice of using history in the science education.