Overview

Economic and political factors combined to foster an increased emphasis on mathematics education over the course of the nineteenth century. The demand for technical workers and for military officers who could understand the complexities of more powerful weapons resulted in new polytechnic schools and military academies throughout northern Europe and the United States. The increased need for teachers of mathematics provided employment for a vastly increased number of mathematicians. In addition, newly formed mathematical societies took an interest in the mathematics curriculum and teaching methods at the elementary level.

Background

Ever since Plato refused some 2,400 years ago to admit to his academy students who were ignorant of mathematics, there has been a connection between mathematics and education. The inclusion of three fields of...