Mathematics in the international baccalaureate and unified general baccalaureate of Ecuador. A critical study

Abstract

Education is a social process that is constantly evolving. National education systems are constantly adjusting their curricular designs to adapt to the present reality in accordance with the new demands of the economy, science and technology. Objective: this study analyzes and discusses the divergences and convergences between the Unified General Baccalaureate of Ecuador and the International Baccalaureate, which has been present in the country since 2010. Methodology: It is a qualitative research of interpretative nature with a deep content analysis from the perspective of hermeneutics, to systematize the information and base the criteria and discussion. The researchers chose the mathematics curriculum because of their teaching experience and because it is one of the subjects that is evaluated internationally through the PISA tests. Contributions: Once the analysis and interpretation were done, the results show profound differences between the two baccalaureates in terms of content distribution, time, mastery of skills with performance criteria, skills and evaluation processes. Conclusion: It is concluded that the International Baccalaureate presents better learning results, due to its organization, level of rigor and dynamic methodology, which enables students to continue their university career in any institution of higher education in the country and the world.