A Literature Review on Mathematical Abstraction Literacy among High School Students in China

Abstract

Mathematical abstraction is the basic idea of mathematics, forming an important foundation for rational thinking, reflecting the essential characteristics of mathematics, and permeating its generation, development, and application. The General High School Mathematics Curriculum Standard (2017 Edition, revised in 2020) lists mathematical abstraction as the primary core literacy, and mathematical abstraction literacy has become the focus of educational research. A number of scholars have researched mathematical abstraction literacy in senior high schools in China in recent years, but there is no literature that summarizes and compiles this aspect. This paper reviews and synthesizes 48 relevant studies through a literature review, yielding the following conclusions: (1) Existing research primarily addresses five aspects: the connotation of mathematical abstraction, the current status quo of the level, the evaluation method, the influencing factors, and the strategies for the cultivation. (2) There are generally more studies on the connotation of mathematical abstraction, the current status of the level, and the cultivation strategy. However, in terms of influencing factors, the views in the existing literature are scattered, and no major influencing factors have been found. (3) The research methods are relatively single, with literature analysis or discursive methods predominating, especially the analysis of the influencing factors is not systematic and objective enough, lacks quantitative research for empirical evidence, and lacks targeted and practical cultivation strategies. The systematic review of existing research informs strategies for enhancing high school students' mathematical abstraction competence, offering insights for future studies.