How would future mathematicians embrace digital literacy? An TAM model-based analysis

Abstract

Mathematical practice by working mathematicians is rapidly reshaping the structure and form of modern mathematics. Old intuitions relying on set-theoretic mathematics are receding, replaced by new mathematics based on (higher) category theory. Vladimir Voevodsky, a Fields Medalist, proposed in 2010s a project for reconstructing mathematical proofs using programming languages, known as homotopy type theory (HoTT). At the 2022 International Congress of Mathematicians, Kevin Buzzard gave a plenary talk titled “The Rise of Formalism in Mathematics”, calling for the mathematical community to pay attention to the new trend in research, paper writing and publication review. Undergraduate-level mathematics education is the foundation of mathematical research, but it is also deeply affected by the cutting-edge developments in mathematics. Some universities have already begun various teaching practices to adapt to this new trend, such as UCL's Xena project. This paper adopts multiple case studies and explores emerging impacts of digital literacy on university mathematics education - including both mathematics majors and other STEM majors that heavily apply mathematical tools. The authors believe that TAM model-based analysis could help evaluate the potential impact of this new trend rigorously, rather than relying solely on the propaganda of individual mathematicians. More specifically, we will examine in depth several undergraduate curricula, textbook writing programs, and mathematics education association based on a specific digital platform from the United States and Europe, and compare their successes and failures in various dimensions.