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<div>ICMI News 19: August 2011</div>
<div>A Bimonthly Email Newsletter from the ICMI-International
Commission on Mathematical Instruction</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Editor: Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Dep. Matematica, Universidade de
Coimbra, Portugal<br>
<br>
CONTENTS<br>
</div>
<div>1. Editorial: Extending the reach and influence of mathematics
education research</div>
<div>2. ICME-12: Two appetizers</div>
<div> <b> Mathematics in the National
Curriculum</b></div>
<div> <b> TEDS-M: The Teacher Education and
Development Study in Mathematics</b></div>
<div>3. ICME-12: the online submission system is open</div>
<div>4. ICME-12 is progressing</div>
<div>5. CDC updates for the ICMI Community</div>
<div>6. News from India</div>
<div>7. Publications of Interest to the ICMI Community:<b> Last copies
of the ICMI centenary volume</b></div>
<div>8. Calendar of Events of Interest to the ICMI Community</div>
<div>9. Subscribing to ICMI News</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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<div><br></div>
<div>1. Editorial: Extending the reach and influence of
mathematics education research</div>
<div><br>
Mathematics education research has been entering a new era in its
reach and influence. This may be observed in the way the results of
some international studies on student mathematics (and science)
performance are carefully coordinated for release on a single day,
making media headlines across countries. It may also be seen in how
the findings of these studies come to be featured in the speeches of
presidents, politicians, heads of institutions and how they enter into
policy documents. One might speculate on the reasons for these trends,
which range from the recognition of the importance of mathematics
learning in twenty first century societies to an emergence of
mathematics education research and discourse that speaks to policy and
system level interventions.<br>
The ICMI Studies are a major international research programme that has
a well established history, having released 18 volumes in the past 26
years. No doubt, the world of today is very different from that when
the first ICMI Study was released on the<i> Influence of Computers and
Informatics on Mathematics and its Teaching</i> in 1985 edited by
Geoffrey Howson and Jean-Pierre Kahane. The global
interconnected-present brings new imperatives for important and
critical findings from ICMI studies to influence not only further
mathematics education research and teacher education, but also
systematically impact policy makers and educational practice in
systemic ways.<br>
The question is how to continue to strengthen the unique traditions of
ICMI Studies, which, in addressing a prominent issue, theme or topic
of particular significance in contemporary mathematical education
brings together international teams of leading scholars and
practitioners in that domain, to increase its relevance, influence and
reach. Given the growing maturity and diversity of the field of
mathematics education, one consideration may be to give much more
attention in ICMI Studies to providing a substantial critical review,
a meta-analysis or synthesis with respect to the particular topic,
theme or issue, which may variously focus on research, findings and
results, methodologies, theories, policies, practices, and so
on.</div>
<div>A second consideration for future ICMI Study volumes is to give
much more thought and planning to launching, publicising and
marketing the research to improve and extend its impact beyond
the mathematics education research community to policy
decision-makers, practitioners as well as to advancing the public
image and understanding of the particular theme in mathematics
education. To this end each ICMI Study volumes need to have either as
separate documents or as a section in the volume: a succinct executive
summary which distils and presents information for practitioners, a
policy guide spelling out implications for policy and government
decision-makers, and also a separately prepared press release. These
need to be presented in an explicit, clear, jargon free text that is
easily comprehended by different target audiences.</div>
<div>Going forward ICMI is deliberating, in working with editors and
authors as well as other ICMI networks, on how to better coordinate
worldwide release of ICMI studies, (possibly with the assistance of
media and marketing expertise), and arrange for these to be produced
in several languages to enhance their take up. Many other strategies
are also needed to foster stronger dialogue among mathematics
education researchers, practitioners and policy decision makers if the
reality of the majority of learners of mathematics is to be changed
for the better.</div>
<div>The broad mathematics education community must engage these
challenges and find creative solutions if it is to reclaim a public
space not always dominated by mathematics education disciplinary
experts to ensure that changes in mathematics classrooms the world
over are informed and lead by quality research knowledge. Otherwise,
it risks speaking only to itself as a community.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Renuka Vithal, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa,
Member-at-large, ICMI-EC, vithalr@ukzn.ac.za</div>
<div><br>
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<div><br></div>
<div>2. ICME-12: Two appetizers</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The 12th International Congress on Mathematical Education will be
held in Seoul, Korea, on July 8-15, 2012. This Congress is the main
event organized by ICMI and it is expected that more than 3000
professionals will attend. In order to open the appetite for this
Congress and encourage people to participate and register early, we
will begin publishing some appetizers for the plenary lectures and
plenary panels. I thank all the people involved for the effort made to
anticipate what they might say at the Congress.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>APPETIZER # 1</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>Mathematics in the National Curriculum</b></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>by Don-Hee Lee (Professor Emeritus of Philosophy of Education,
Seoul National University)</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the middle of constructing the 2009 Amendment of National
Curriculum for primary and secondary education (K-12 grades) in the
Republic of Korea, different subject-matters were competing for
advantage over others, especially in allocation of official teaching
hours per week, and qualification as compulsory subject for the
college entrance. A system of subject-matters includes : A major group
of Korean Language and Literature, Mathematics, English, Social
Studies, Sciences; A minor group of Art, Music, Sports, Home
Economics, Trade; and an elective group of Second Foreign Languages,
cultural studies, and extra-activities. They put themselves into
competition with others for their survival in each amendment act,
sometimes desperately.</div>
<div> <br>
For Math education, there are at least two favorable respects in the
competitive situation: (1) Mathematics has been recognized long since
to be one of the oldest and indispensable subjects, both in the East
(one of "six arts" in the ancient China) as well as the West (two
of "seven liberal arts" from the ancient Greece). (2) Mathematics
stands itself as an independent science, which also generates
innumerable utilities for various departments of human intelligence,
because the human mind works at least partly with the system of
mathematical laws. Nevertheless, Mathematics does not demonstrate by
itself a justification to the question "Why Do WE Teach Math
Everyone?" We have to show a rationale persuasive enough even to
quite a few young people who are used to sleep away every Math
class-room, if we claim its indispensability for education. Perhaps,
it seems that they may think they are bound to live their own lives
without Math anyhow.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br></div>
<div>APPETIZER # 2</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>TEDS-M: The Teacher Education and Development Study in
Mathematics</b></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>by Konrad Krainer (Doctorate and habilitation in the field of
didactics of mathematics, Full professor at the Institute of
Instructional and School Development of the Alpen-Adria-Universität
Klagenfurt, Austria, Head of the institute (since 2004), Member of the
Senate, and scientific leader of the Austrian-wide project IMST
(Innovations Make Schools Top).)</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Focusing on mathematics learning at school level, mathematics
teachers have the strongest influence on student learning because they
are directly working with students. Teachers are regarded as key
persons of educational change. For example, a meta-analysis on student
learning (Hattie, 2003) found that teachers' impact on students'
learning is high: Identified factors that contribute to major sources
of variation in student performance include the students (50%) and
teachers (30%) as the most important factors, whereas home, schools,
principals, peer effects (altogether 20%) play a less important
role.</div>
<div>Thus intensive research in mathematics teacher education is
needed. There is increasing literature about relevant results,
however, large-scale findings relative to the conditions, processes,
and effects of mathematics teacher education are rare (Adler et al.,
2005). Since Mathematical Content Knowledge (MCK) and Mathematical
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (MPCK) play a fundamental role for
teachers' effectiveness, and many teachers teach as they have been
taught, the education of prospective teachers is a crucial phase in
teachers' professional development.</div>
<div>The Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics
(TEDS-M) is the first cross-national data-based study about (primary
and secondary) pre-service mathematics teacher education with
large-scale samples (see e.g.<u> http://teds.educ.msu.edu/</u>; Tatto
& Senk, 2011). 23.000 prospective mathematics teachers from 17
countries participated in TEDS-M 2008. Among others, the study shows
Taiwan, Russia and Thailand as overachieving and the USA, Norway and
Chile as underachieving countries (comparing MCK&MPCK in relation
to HDI, see e.g.<u>
http://www.oefg.at/text/veranstaltungen/professionalisierung/Beitrag_<span
></span>Bloemeke.pdf</u>).</div>
<div>At the 12th International Congress on Mathematical Education
(ICME 12, July 8-15, 2012) in Seoul (Korea), a Plenary Panel will be
organized to present and discuss important issues, results and
questions of TEDS-M (see e.g,<u>
http://www.icme12.org/sub/sub02_02.asp</u>). The panel members are
Feng-Jui Hsieh (Taiwan), Konrad Krainer (Austria, Chair), Ray Peck
(Australia) and Maria Teresa Tatto (USA).</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Secretary-General of ICMI,
jaimecs@mat.uc.pt</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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<div><br></div>
<div>3. ICME-12: the online submission system is open<br>
</div>
<div>The on-line submission system of Topic Study Groups (TSG),
Workshop and Sharing Groups (WSG) and Poster sessions for ICME-12 has
been opened. Please visit the Congress website
(<u>http://icme12.org</u>) and at the first page, click the<b> <My
Page></b> button located in the left-up corner or go to<b>
<Proposal & Paper submissions></b> menu or go to each TSG
website after clicking the red button<b> <Topic Study
Groups></b>.</div>
<div>If you visit for the first time you have to sign up first; then
please log in with the ID and Password you put in the sign-up process.
In the case of TSGs, there is no template for a proposal but the LOC
will upload the template for the final draft of which deadline is
the<b> April 10, 2012</b> on the Congress website. However, in the
cases of WSG and Poster proposals, you have to use the<b> application
form</b>. You can find the forms if you go to<b> <Proposal &
Paper submissions></b> menu. If you have any questions about the
on-line submission system, please contact<b> Hee-chan Lew</b>.<br>
</div>
<div>Hee-chan Lew, Vice Chair of the LOC and Chair of the Congress
Subcommittee, hclew@knue.ac.kr</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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></span>----</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>4. ICME-12 is progressing</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>After all the 37 Topic Study Groups published their Call for
Papers stating what is expected from the presentations in each of the
groups, the proposals for papers can be uploaded at the ICME-12
webpage, as stated above.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>All the Call for Papers can be found on the ICME-12 webpage</div>
<div>http://www.icme12.org/</div>
<div>and on the ICMI website on a special area on the front page of
the ICMI website.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><i><b>Deadline Summary</b></i><br>
November 1, 2011: On-line submission of proposal<br>
January 15, 2012: Notification of acceptance</div>
<div>April 10, 2012: On-line submission of final draft</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>In a special number of ICMI News we included a summary of the
main focus of the work of each group, as mentioned in the published
call for papers and contributions.</div>
<div>Please read it here:</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://www.mathunion.org/pipermail/icmi-news/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>I hope to see you all in Seoul from 8 to 15 of July 2012.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Secretary-General of ICMI,
jaimecs@mat.uc.pt</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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></span>----</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>5. CDC updates for the ICMI Community</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>CDC launches the IMU Mathematics Library Assistance Scheme for
Developing Countries<br>
<br>
The Commission for Developing Countries, part of the International
Mathematical Union (IMU) has launched a new support scheme where the
shipment of textbooks to universities in less economically developed
countries is supported.</div>
<div>CDC offers limited financial support for shipment costs for
individual scientists or institutions wishing to donate books in the
mathematical sciences to libraries in developing countries.<br>
Libraries in universities/research institutions in developing
countries can apply for to receive donated books.<br>
For more information please go here:
http://imuweb.mathunion.org/cdc/further-cdc-activities/library-assist<span
></span>ance-scheme/<br>
<br>
The Simons Foundation announces the Africa Mathematics Project.<br>
The program is designed to enhance the mathematical capacity and
productivity of recipient research groups.<br>
The project will focus on mathematicians and their graduate students
at institutions of higher learning in sub-Saharan Africa.<br>
The Foundation will make competitive awards that, taken together, will
total approximately 400,000 USD per year for each of the next 10
years.<br>
</div>
<div>More information:
https://simonsfoundation.org/mps-africa-mathematics-project<br>
</div>
<div>Lena Koch, IMU Secretariat,
icmi.cdc.administrator@mathunion.org</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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></span>----</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>6. News from India</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>a) S. Kumaresan was honoured for his 60th birthday with the
meeting "Mathematics Education - Trends and Challenges"
organized August 19-21, 2011, at the University of Hyderabad by T.
Amaranath, Univ. of Hyderabad and Varadharajan Muruganandam, NISER,
Bhubaneswar.</div>
<div>S. Kumaresan was Member-at-large of the ICMI-EC from 2007 to 2009
and is the founder and director of the MTTS-Mathematics Training and
Talent Search Programme, funded by the National Board for Higher
Mathematics of India, being held since 1993 at different places:</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://www.mtts.org.in/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The goal of this programme is to train the students at the
university level so that they can work independently, achieve a
certain level of confidence in the learning/understanding of
mathematics and to give them a taste of how mathematics is discovered.
Mathematics is taught in an interactive way rather than the usual
passive presentation. To promote active learning, the teachers usually
ask questions and try to develop the theory based on the answers and
typical examples. At every level the participants are encouraged to
explore, guess and formulate definitions and results.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Participants in the meeting included M.S. Raghunathan, Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, R. Tandon, University of
Hyderabad, Hyderabad, S.G. Dani, Tata Institute of Fundamental
Research, Mumbai and Chairman National Board for Higer Mathematics,
Department of Atomic Energy, R. Balasubramanian, Institute for
Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, and M.S. Narasimhan, Honorary Fellow,
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Following the meeting the participants decided to prepare a white
paper on the theme and meet again in the future to discuss the same
theme. Also, S. Kumaresan initiated a blog on the theme:</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://mtts-mathed.blogspot.com/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>b) The NATIONAL SEMINAR ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF
MATHEMATICS EDUCATION will be organized by Sir C.V. Raman, Chair for
Science and Math Education, Indira Gandhi National Open University,
Maidan Garhi, New Delhi at the Convention Centre of the same
university, 2-3, December, 2011. The goal is to look at the important
historical movements, innovations and efforts to improve the teaching
and learning of mathematics in school and at the tertiary level
throughout India over the last two centuries. Further, it aims
to focus on the social, cultural and economic influences on
mathematics learning and learners in India. Those interested should
contact pksinclair@ignou.ac.in</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>c) The iMEN - India Math Education Network was formed and has
already a webpage</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://india-men.ning.com/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>It has now more than 800 members. The goal is to connect all
those interested in improving math education, especially in India. All
are welcome to join and contribute.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>d) The national presentation for India for ICME-12 is being
prepared. To provide an input for the national presentation of India
and to bring together on a single platform the important and
significant innovations and efforts to improve mathematics education
in school and in higher education in India, a Southern Regional
Conference on Mathematics education is being organized from 11 - 13,
November 2011 at Cochin. It is the NATIONAL INITIATIVE ON MATHEMATICS
EDUCATION<b> (NIME-2011).</b> It is organized by the Kerala
Mathematics Teachers Association (KMTA), Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Kochi
Kendra) and the Association of Mathematics Teachers of India (AMTI).
This conference aims to build awareness of such efforts in the
community of mathematics educators in the Southern Region - Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala. The
proceedings of the conference will also be an input for a report on
the status of mathematics education in India, which is being compiled
under the auspices of the Indian National Science Academy. Those who
are interested to participate may contact Mr.K.Suresh, Vice Principal,
Bhavan's News Print Vidyalaya, Kottayam-686616 or send email to
kuttath.suresh@yahoo.com</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>e) TIME 2011 is the Fourth National Conference "Technology and
Innovation in Math Education", that will take place 26-29 December,
2011 in Indore Public School, Indore. This is an event for math
teachers and math lovers of all levels and will focus on two themes:
Role of technology in teaching of mathematics and Innovative
practices in teaching mathematics. More information on the page:</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://www.math.iitb.ac.in/TIME2011/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Secretary-General of ICMI,
jaimecs@mat.uc.pt</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
>--------------------------------------------------------------------<span
></span>----</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>7. Publications of Interest to the ICMI Community:<b> Last copies
of the ICMI centenary volume</b></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The last copies of the ICMI centenary volume "The First
Century of the International Commission on Mathematical Instruction
(1908-2008). Reflecting and Shaping the World of Mathematics
Education" are still available. The volume includes texts written
by Hyman Bass; Jeremy Kilpatrick; Jean Luc Dorier; Mogens Niss; Toshi
Ikeda; Jo Boaler; Joao da Ponte; Gert Schubring; Ferdinando Arzarello;
Gelsa Knijnik; Mamokgethi Setati; Michèle Artigue; Bernard R.
Hodgson; Alan Bishop; Ubiratan D'Ambrosio; Jill Adler; Bill Barton;
Deborah Ball; Marcelo Borba; Gilah Leder and many others.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Please hurry to buy your personal copy or for your library.
Please note that this volume will not be edited again on paper.</div>
<div>The price is 40 euros for the ICMI community and 60 euros for
libraries.</div>
<div>Details of the procedure to buy the book are available
here:</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
>http://www.treccani.it/catalogo/catalogo_prodotti/Le_collane/bibliot<span
></span>eca_enciclopedica.html</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>http://www.unige.ch/math/EnsMath/Rome2008/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Secretary-General of ICMI,
jaimecs@mat.uc.pt</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
>--------------------------------------------------------------------<span
></span>----</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>8. Calendar of Events of Interest to the ICMI Community</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>MathTED 2011 - the 2011 Biennial Conference of the Philippine
Council of Mathematics Teacher Educators,</div>
<div>COLUMBAN COLLEGE, Olongapo City, Philippines, October 21-22,
2011</div>
<div>http://mathtedphil.org/conferences.php</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>ICREM5 - The 5th International Conference on Research and
Education in Mathematics</div>
<div>Institut Teknologi Bandung, Indonesia, October 22-24 2011</div>
<div>http://www.math.itb.ac.id/<u>~icrem5</u></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>CARN Conference 2011 (Collaborative Action Research
Network)</div>
<div>Bringing a different world into existence</div>
<div>Action research as a trigger for innovations</div>
<div>Vienna, Austria, November 4-6, 2011</div>
<div>http://ius.uni-klu.ac.at/misc/carn/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Volcanic DELTA 2011, Eighth Southern Hemisphere Conference on the
Teaching and Learning of Undergraduate Mathematics and
Statistics,</div>
<div>Rotorua, NZ, November 27 - December 2, 2011<br>
http://www.delta2011.co.nz/delta2011/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><u>Fourth National Conference "Technology and Innovation in
Math Education"</u> TIME 2011, Indore Public School, Indore, India,
26-29 December, 2011</div>
<div>http://www.math.iitb.ac.in/TIME2011/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Creating Balance in an Unjust World Conference on Math Education
and Social Justice</div>
<div>Mission High School in San Francisco, CA, USA, January 13-15,
2012.</div>
<div>http://creatingbalanceconference.org/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>EMF 2012 - Espace Mathématique Francophone,</div>
<div>Genève, 3-7 Février 2012</div>
<div>http://www.emf2012.unige.ch/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Seventh International Conference on Science, Mathematics &
Technology Education: Transformations through Science, Mathematics and
Technology Education - Towards an Innovative and Sustainable Society,
Muscat, Oman, February 12-15, 2012</div>
<div>d.fisher@smec.curtin.edu.au</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>International colloquium in honour of Michele Artigue</b>
-- (Professor at the Université Paris Diderot, ex-president of
ICMI): The didactics of mathematics: approaches and issues. Paris, May
31 st, June 1st and 2nd 2012.</div>
<div>http://www.lar.univ-paris-diderot.fr/colloque/artigue</div>
<div><br>
ICME-12 - Twelfth International Congress on Mathematical
Education</div>
<div>Seoul, Korea, July 8-15, 2012</div>
<div>http://www.icme12.org/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>HPM 2012 History and Pedagogy of Mathematics<br>
The HPM Satellite Meeting of ICME-12</div>
<div>Daejeon (Korea), July 16-20, 2012</div>
<div>http://www.hpm2012.org</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>PME Annual Conference</div>
<div>Taipei, Taiwan, July 18-22, 2012</div>
<div>http://www.tame.tw/pme36/</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>EARCOME6 - The Sixth East Asia Regional Conference on Mathematics
Education,</div>
<div>Thailand, March, 2013</div>
<div><br></div>
<div
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<div><br>
9. SUBSCRIBING TO ICMI News</div>
<div><br>
There are two ways of subscribing to ICMI News:<br>
<br>
1. Click on http://www.mathunion.org/index.php?id=674 with a Web
browser<br>
and go to the "Subscribe" button to subscribe to ICMI News
online.</div>
<div><br>
2. Send an e-mail to icmi-news-request@mathunion.org with the
Subject-line:<br>
Subject: subscribe<br>
<br>
In both cases you will get an e-mail to confirm your subscription
so<br>
that misuse will be minimized. ICMI will not use the list of ICMI
News<br>
addresses for any purpose other than sending ICMI News, and will
not</div>
<div>make it available to others.<br>
<br>
Previous issues can be seen at:<br>
http://www.mathunion.org/pipermail/icmi-news<br>
<br>
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