雷科德:英国第一个数学教育家

Robert Recorde:the First British Mathematics Educator

16世纪英国数学家雷科德,是一位百科全书式的学者,生缝乱世、命运多舛,且仕途中还沾上了难以洗刷的污点。他用英文撰写了算术、几何、天文学和代数学著作,后三者均为英语世界中的第一部;而第一部则对英国的数学教育产生了深远的影响。他是最早将哥白尼日心说传入英国的天文学家之一;他持有科学进步观,他的数学观在文艺复兴期间起着承前启后的作用;他发明的等号,今天全世界人人都在使用。他创用对话形式撰写教材,创用英语数学术语;他认识到死记硬背学习方式的局限,他认为理解可以发生在掌握技能之后;他强调说理而不迷信权威。他筚路蓝缕,传播学术,成为英国历史上第一位数学教育家。

Robert Recorde, a British scholar of encyclopaedic knowledge who lived at a turbulent time and had tragic fate and whose name was stained with ill conduct, was the first who wrote in English on geometry, astronomy and algebra and one of the earliest mathematician who wrote in English on arithmetic. His 'The Ground of Artes' exerted deep influence on mathematics education in Britain; he was one of the earliest British astronomers who introduced Copernician heliocentric theory; he held a view of scientific progress; his conceptions of mathematics played a intermediate role in Renaissance; he invented the sign of equality '=' which is now used by every educated man or woman. He was the first who wrote textbook in the form of dialogue and created mathematics nomenclature; he recognized the limitation of rote learning; he believed that techniques might precede understanding; he emphasized reason over authorities. He wrote on taught mathematics at a time when this subject was only 'tasted by the advanced people'. Recorde became the first British mathematics educator in the history.