Realistic Mathematics Education in Vietnam

Over the past 50 years, Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) has proven itself to be an effective approach in mathematics teaching worldwide. This paper investigates trends in RME in Vietnam from 2000 to 2020 (also the 20-year of curriculum innovation). First, the existing literature related to RME from other countries, especially from the Netherlands, the United States of America, and Indonesia, is reviewed to develop a framework representing key components of RME in terms of policies and practices. Second, the proposed analysis framework is employed to illustrate (i) to what extent RME is integrated into recent policies in Vietnam; and (ii) to what extent RME is implemented in reality in Vietnam. The latter was addressed through document analysis and in-depth interviews. The findings reveal that the current focus of teaching mathematics in Vietnam is on fostering applicability associated with practice or other academic subjects and educational activities, especially STEM-oriented subjects. The STEM focus is in line with the RME approach to teaching mathematics. However, the innovations in teaching practice and materials, teacher training, and assessment of academic performance, especially national examinations, are neither clear-cut nor consistent with the claims of Vietnam’s general education programs in mathematics, including the most recent, introduced in 2018. There is a need for further research on crucial problems related to the implementation of RME in Vietnam, including promoting Vietnam’s adaptation to assessing mathematics outcomes based on the theoretical basis of RME, teacher training, and furthering full-scaled RME application into practice.