View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Institutional Research Information System University of Turin This is an author version of the contribution published on: Questa è la versione dell’autore dell’opera: L. GIACARDI, The Italian School of Algebraic Geometry and Mathematics Teaching: Methods, Teacher Training, and curricular Reforms in the Early Twentieth Century, International Journal for the History of Mathematics Education, 5.1, 2010, 1-19 The definitive version is available at: La versione definitiva è disponibile alla URL: [inserire URL sito editoriale] The Italian School of Algebraic Geometry and Mathematics Teaching 1 The Italian School of Algebraic Geometry and Mathematics Teaching: Methods, Teacher Training, and Curricular Reforms in the Early Twentieth Century Livia Giacardi Department of Mathematics—University of Turin Via C. Alberto 10, 10123 TURIN—Italy
[email protected] Abstract In this paper, I will illustrate the reasons which led early twentieth-century Italian geometers—in particular Segre, Castelnuovo, and Enriques—to become so concerned with problems pertaining to mathematics teaching; describe the epistemological vision which inspired them; discuss the various ways in which this commitment manifested itself (school legislation, teacher training, textbooks, university lectures, publications, etc.); and make evident the influence of Klein’s ideas and initiatives in education. The Italian school of algebraic geometry was born in Turin at the end of the nineteenth century, under the guidance of Corrado Segre (1863–1924). It soon brought forth such significant results that it assumed a leading position (führende Stellung) on an international level, as F.