Calculus in European classrooms: curriculum and teaching in different educational and cultural contexts

In this paper we provide a first overview of the landscape with respect to calculus teaching in European classrooms, an area where research is very limited. In particular through a small expert-based survey and a literature review, we trace the development of calculus teaching at schools in a number of European countries and identify commonalities and differences. In the current curriculum developments, we notice a reduction in the content of calculus and a more informal approach. The use of digital tools has started to be integrated in calculus teaching in most countries. However in some nations, teaching of calculus in the classroom is rather traditional, focusing on procedural aspects of knowledge. Moreover, in cases where more informal and conceptual teaching approaches are used in the classroom, often contradictions seem to exist with other contextual matters such as examination requirements. Finally, we discuss the future of calculus teaching in Europe.