Encountering Algebra: A Comparative Study of Classrooms in Finland, Norway, Sweden, And The Usa

The book reports a comparative research project about algebra teaching and learning in four countries. Algebra is a central topic of learning across the world, and it is well-known that it represents a hurdle for many students. The book presents analyses built on extensive video-recordings of classrooms documenting the first introduction to symbolic algebra (students aged 12 to 14). While the content addressed in all classrooms is variables, expressions and equations, the teaching approaches are diverse.