International Comparative Study on Digital Literacy Embodied in Mathematics Textbooks: Taking the Four Countries of China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore in the Confucian Cultural Circle as Examples

In the digital era, integrating digital literacy into mathematics textbooks represents a significant initiative to enhance students’ preparedness for future societal demands. This study examines how digital literacy is represented in mathematics textbooks. To do this, we developed an analytical framework and introduced a core metric termed the “comprehensive performance level.” The weights for the indicators were determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), enabling a dual-focus evaluation of both the breadth and depth of this representation. The framework was subsequently applied to analyze newly published mathematics textbooks from China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore—countries within the Confucian cultural sphere. Findings reveal that, in terms of breadth, China and South Korea emphasize professional information processing, whereas Japan and Singapore focus more on foundational and creative competencies. In the dimension of information sharing, Chinese mathematics textbooks prioritize formal expression, while South Korean materials prioritize objective representation in information presentation and singular judgment in information evaluation. In terms of depth, mathematics textbooks from China and Singapore demonstrate a thorough integration of digital literacy overall. Korean mathematics textbooks excel particularly in information presentation and processing, reflecting an emphasis on the mastery of digital literacy-related content. Meanwhile, mathematics textbooks from Singapore and China exhibit relatively advanced levels of information expression and evaluation, highlighting a focus on the cognitive processing of digital technologies. This study expands the research direction of digital literacy and offers a more refined, objective, and equitable evaluation model.