As is usually the case at the International Congresses on Mathematical Education, several countries have prepared on the occasion of ICME-9 various documents presenting their educational system and/or their national research network. Here are a few examples of such documents:
France
The International IREM Network. A brochure describing what are the IREMs (Institutes for Research on Mathematics Education), their mission and their activities. It also presents the various commissions of the assembly of IREMs and their publications. More information about the IREMs can be found on the website
Italy
Recent Italian Research in Mathematics Education (edited by Nicolina A. Malara, Pier Luigi Ferrari, Luciana Bazzini and Giampaolo Chiappini). This volume contains an overview of the Italian research in mathematics education, as it has developed in recent years. Besides a set of papers describing the current trends in research and presenting the work of Francesco Speranza, to whose memory the book is dedicated, one finds a survey of the Italian research since 1994 through a series of abstracts of papers published until June 2000. This document updates previous booklets prepared for past ICMEs and it can be accessed on-line at the website
USA
Mathematics Education in the United States 2000 - A Capsule Summary (John Dossey and Zalman Usiskin). At the recommendation of the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has requested in preparation of ICME-9 funds from the National Science Foundation to bring together available data about mathematics education in the USA. The result is a document giving general information about education in the United States and presenting the so-called intended, implemented and attained curriculum. There are sections on programs for high-achieving students, on mathematics teacher education and about doctoral programs in mathematics education. Further information is available through e-mail at usncmi@nas.edu.
Readers are encouraged to inform the Secretary of other booklets or websites where national information collected in preparation of ICME-9 can be found. References will be given in future issues of the ICMI Bulletin
Bernard R. Hodgson, Secretary
bhodgson@mat.ulaval.ca