Research Trends in Mathematics Textbooks at the Compulsory Education Stage: A CiteSpace-Based Review of Web of Science Literature

Abstract

: Research on mathematics textbooks is a central area of mathematics education at the compulsory education stage. Based on 112 articles on mathematics textbooks in primary and lower secondary education published in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2005 to 2024, this study uses CiteSpace 6.2.R6 and combines quantitative analysis with qualitative interpretation to examine international research trends in terms of annual publication output, major research contributors, and keyword patterns. The results show that international research on mathematics textbooks has developed around four major themes: textbook content analysis, comparative textbook research, textbook-use research, and digital mathematics textbook research. The field has gradually expanded from the analysis and comparison of textbook content to broader concerns with textbook use, learning effects, and technology-supported curriculum resources. Based on these findings, this study offers implications for future research on mathematics textbooks in China at the compulsory education stage.