Elementary mathematics education in the Netherlands ca. 1800: new challenges, changing goals (Q998109)

This four-page article discusses the changes that took place in elementary mathematics education in the Netherlands around 1800. Textbooks that had been popular for up to two centuries were then replaced with more modern textbooks. One difference between the new and the old textbooks is the introduction of the metric system. Another difference is an increased emphasis on the universal applicability of mathematics, where pupils had before only been taught the mathematics needed in their own future professions. A third difference is an increased emphasis on definitions and proofs, which replaced rote learning. These changes were prompted by increased interest in science and by the introduction of a French model of education following the French occupation.