From BMAS to CCMAS: Assessing Curriculum Reforms in Mathematics Education for AI Competence and 21st-Century Skills Development

This study investigated the evidence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) related content and 21st-century skills in the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard (CCMAS). Two research questions were raised and answered in this research. The research adopted a qualitative content analysis design. This was done through the use of an adapted instrument. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was established through an inter-rater approach. Two experts rated the instrument, and their ratings were calculated using Cohen’s Kappa (K), in which the coefficient was found to be 0.75. This is substantial and reliable. The study investigated the BMAS and CCMAS courses of three Universities to check the evidence of AI-related content and 21st-century skills in 30% of the courses developed by the universities. The findings indicated that there’s no evidence of AI-related content in the BMAS, and even in the CCMAS is not explicitly mentioned. Furthermore, even though BMAS advocated for the acquisition of some skills, which are similar to the 21st-century skills, no provision was made for the inculcation of the skills. In the CCMAS, the curriculum categorically stated and advocated for the acquisition of 21st-century skills, while only a few courses seem to be promising to reach the promised land. It was recommended that universities should generate courses with 30% AI-related content and that may help students in acquiring the 21st century skills.