ABSTRACT
The four elementary mathematics curricula share the goal of trying to create for students the experiences of learning mathematics that are consistent with the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. This chapter focuses solely on general outcomes and important features that distinguish these curricula from more traditional elementary school mathematics teaching and learning, as well as important differences among the new curricula. It considers a set of key assumptions—about mathematics, learning, and teaching—that they all share to some degree. The chapter considers a number of factors that influence what one can learn from these and other studies of curriculum outcomes. It discusses three salient issues about these elementary mathematics curricula and what students learn from them: the importance of teacher learning, the role of computational skill and fluency, and the role of technology in learning mathematics.
