A History of Mathematics Education during the Twentieth Century describes the history of mathematics education in the United States with conceptual themes concerning philosophy, mathematics content, teacher education, pedagogy, and assessment. Each decade of the twentieth century is analyzed using historical documents, within the context of the aforementioned themes, to create a concise history of mathematical reform as it relates to history within the United States. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to which reform movements are similar and different throughout the century-depicting which aspects of reform can be seen again. Mathematics education tends to swing on a pendulum from "traditional education" including teacher-directed instruction with an emphasis on computation skills to "reform education," including student-directed instruction with an emphasis on problem solving. All decades are analyzed to see where they were on the pendulum and what aspects may have contributed to the current reform movements led by the Standards movement.

A History of the 'New Mathematics' Movement and its Relationship with Current Mathematical Reform provides a history of the 'new mathematics' movement of the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s in the United States and relates it to current mathematics curricular reform. The history of the 'new math' education movement is explained in terms of the general curriculum in schools, the mathematics curriculum, the teaching standards, and the pedagogical techniques used. A complete analysis of the history of the 'new math' movement was accomplished by separately investigating major and minor 'new math' projects. In conjunction, the aftermath of the 'new math' movement is explained providing suggestions as to why this movement is often seen as having failed. A short history of reform from the 1970s to the present is provided. Finally, the book compares the 'new mathematics' movement with the current mathematics reform movement led by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.