World Leader in Math Education
Pioneering Developer of a New Paradigm in Mathematics Education Content
The idea of a new paradigm in mathematics education can trace its roots to Greek naturalist philosophy and Euclid’s Elements of Geometry.
Originally, the study of philosophy centered on nature itself. Naturalist philosophers, through years of observing and immersing themselves in the natural world, uncovered the hidden mysteries within nature. This is how they were able to measure everything using only stakes and ropes without markings.
Euclid’s Elements is the most widely distributed mathematics book in history, second only to the Bible. This book was very different from the mathematics textbooks we see today. Naturalist philosophers like Thales documented the surveying processes they developed for future generations, recording them in simple language accessible to all, including the lower social classes. Euclid compiled these invaluable records systematically, adding his insights and organizing them into a comprehensive set of 13 volumes.
Most people think of math textbooks as being structured around the introduction of concepts and formulas, followed by problem-solving exercises. However, in what might be considered the first mathematics book in human history, the Elements contains few calculation problems.
So, why do most people think of mathematics books as collections of exercises?
Mathematics is a system of general knowledge that uncovers the secrets of nature. The naturalist philosophers of ancient times were excellent mathematicians. When one truly understands nature, they can easily approach its secrets. Studying mathematics involves a process of observing nature to discover the traces of life forms, and the secrets of life and death. Motifs in nature embody the principles of creation and extinction.
Today, the world has changed significantly. Children are no longer passive learners as they were in the past. If the needs of students—today's education consumers—have changed, mathematics education must change as well.
Mathematics textbooks must be reinvented, returning to the ideal mathematical world envisioned by the naturalist philosophers of ancient Greece. Based on this vision, we have developed content that embodies this new approach to mathematics education. A new paradigm in mathematics education has begun.
Pioneers Leading a Consumer-Centered Framework in Education
Education is not about teaching; it is about drawing out a child’s innate talents. Education driven by teachers as the suppliers of education is overly standardized. From the learner's perspective, a supplier-centered education cannot provide the personalized educational services that each individual truly desires. Learners should have the opportunity to ask their teachers questions at any time, and teachers should be prepared to provide the answers learner’s desire. This process of filling the realm of knowledge with endless human curiosity became the profound legacy of knowledge and culture in ancient Greece.
Education is not about teaching; it is about drawing out a child’s innate talents. Education driven by teachers as the suppliers of education is overly standardized. From the learner's perspective, a supplier-centered education cannot provide the personalized educational services that each individual truly desires. Learners should have the opportunity to ask their teachers questions at any time, and teachers should be prepared to provide the answers learner’s desire. This process of filling the realm of knowledge with endless human curiosity became the profound legacy of knowledge and culture in ancient Greece.
The essence of education is not in teaching but in drawing out a child’s innate talents. When education aligned with the true desires of its consumers, as in ancient Greek education, humanity achieved some of its most magnificent cultural achievements.
Throughout human history, most nations have been ruled by powerful rulers. These rulers monopolized land and labor, the means of production, and leveraged education as a novel tool to maintain and strengthen their power. The ruling class created textbooks to indoctrinate the ruled classes. Enforced education focused primarily on ethics, morality, and norms. The ruling class needed members who conformed to their standards, and so they filled positions with those who fit their mold.
In provider-centered education led by those in power, children’s talents and happiness are disregarded. A supplier-centered education prioritizes the interests of the community above all. Members selected by the ruling class become trapped within centralized, bureaucratic, and hierarchical structures, where the innate seeds of creativity in individuals are not considered unimportant.
The humanities are stories about humans' creative lives and noble deaths. In ancient Greece, teachers prioritized the needs of students, the consumers of education. These teachers were knowledgeable in diverse fields, such as philosophy, science, mathematics, politics, and the arts, and could answer any questions their students asked.
Most people view education as follows: there should be books for studying, a place to bring the book and learn, and a teacher who can come to the home to provide instruction.
What does the future of education look like? Books will be accessible to anyone who desires them. We have entered an era where, if a student encounters something unclear while reading, they can summon a teacher directly from within the book—a world where teachers reside inside the books themselves. With the development of information and communication technology, the IT era has made it possible for consumer-centered education to be tailored to each child’s needs. Today, IT platforms dominate content, enabling a new level of consumer-centered education that surpasses the interactive learning of ancient Greece.
To realize this vision of consumer-centered education, we must abandon supplier-centered content. A shift to a new content paradigm is necessary to enable the education consumer’s desire. We have designed and developed an innovative educational platform to create this world for education consumers.
The Innovative Education Method People Dreamed Of
Books are essential for teaching and learning. People cannot imagine education without books. Children, as the consumers of education, hold their books and seek teachers to guide them. The authority lies with the teacher in the teaching and learning process. The conventional mindset that teachers must lead and "teach well" does not align with the educational world children desire. Supplier-centered education, led by teachers, leads to a waste of time and money and often leaves children dissatisfied.
Supplier-centered education led by teachers is characterized by a single type of textbook, one teacher instructing many students, and a single type of exam to evaluate many students.
In contrast, consumer-centered education - the type of education children dream of - has different characteristics: the number of textbooks matches the number of students, each child has an assigned teacher, and individualized tests are used for assessment.
Teaching solely what the teacher wants to cover cannot fulfill the educational needs of children. Teachers have a responsibility to understand what children want to learn and how they wish to be evaluated.
With the rise of the IT era, platforms now dominate content. Countless educational videos are gathered in one place. In documentary videos, the vibrant imagery of nature comes alive, revealing stories of human creativity and the dignity of life and death. Children can indirectly experience nature through vivid videos and gain a better understanding of humanity and society. The IT era opened up a world that education consumers have dreamed of.
However, the world is changing rapidly. The IT era, where platforms controlled content, has already given way to the DT era, where content now drives platforms. The offline world is increasingly absorbed into the online. With the development of the Internet of Things, data is now exploding in quantity, flowing between people, between people and objects, and between objects themselves. Today, people can access and utilize data stored in cloud spaces connected to the Internet at any time.
With the advent of the DT era, people are eagerly seeking the specific information they need amidst the flood of data. One entrepreneur defines the DT era as "an age where companies that can leverage vast customer data to meet the individual needs of their clients will succeed." To navigate the world, we must read the trends and understand the unique situations and conditions of individuals within it.
We have developed educational content in mathematics that simultaneously addresses both consumers' needs and suppliers' concerns.