[ICMI-News] ICMI News 18b: August 2011

J Carvalho e Silva jaimecs at mat.uc.pt
Sun Aug 7 18:35:30 CEST 2011


ICMI News 18b: August 2011
A Bimonthly Email Newsletter from the ICMI-International Commission 
on Mathematical Instruction

Editor: Jaime Carvalho e Silva, Dep. Matematica, Universidade de 
Coimbra, Portugal

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Special issue on the TOPIC STUDY GROUPS of ICME-12

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All the TOPIC STUDY GROUPS (TSGs) of ICME-12 have launched their call 
for contributions. Therefore we urge all people interested in 
Mathematics Education to make proposals for these groups.

One very important part of ICME-12 is the TOPIC STUDY GROUPs (TSGs). 
They are allotted 4 blocks of 1h 30m during the Congress and cover 37 
different topics of Mathematics Education. It is a major opportunity 
to hear, comment and discuss some very important issues. All 
participants to ICME-12 are expected to associate themselves with one 
TSG and to stay in that same group for all four sessions.

The quality of a Congress like ICME-12 depends a lot of the level of 
participation in these TSGs.
Choose the one that best suits you and send your contribution. The 
deadlines are the same for all TSGs:

Deadline Summary
November 1, 2011: On-line submission of proposal
January 15, 2012: Notification of acceptance
April 10, 2012: On-line submission of final draft

All call for contributions are available on ICME-12 webpage

http://www.icme12.org/

and on ICMI webpage.
All updates will be published at least on ICME-12 webpage.

In this special number of ICMI News we include a summary of the main 
focus of the work of each group, as mentioned in the published call 
for papers and contributions.
Please make your proposal to the group of your preference as soon as possible.

########################### TSG 1 #################################
TSG1: Mathematics education at preschool level
Submissions could fall into (but are not limited to) the following themes:
-  Improving early childhood mathematics learning: connecting 
research to practice
-  Geometry and measurement in pre-school and toddler age.
-  Mathematics through play or instruction? Tools for learning.
-  Pre-school teachers professionalism in mathematics education
-  Readiness for success in school. Level of early mathematics a 
predictor for later mathematical outcomes?
-  Different research designs in studies of early mathematics learning
-  Methods in observing and assessing mathematics in early childhood
-  Early childhood mathematics and relation to other developmental areas
Co-chairs : Elin Reikeras(Norway) elin.reikeraas at uis.no
                  Merilyn Taylor(New Zealand) meta at waikato.ac.nz
########################### TSG 2 #################################
TSG2: Mathematics education at tertiary level and access to tertiary level
Research in mathematics education at the tertiary level has 
experienced tremendous growth over the last two decades. While many 
of mathematics lecture halls are still dominated by instructor's 
"chalk and talk" and students taking notes, others engage in creative 
explorations, the use of technology and problem solving. The aim of 
this Topic Study Group will be to explore recent trends and 
developments from around the world. The topic is broad, not only 
because of the geographical variety, but also because of diversity in 
customers. Mathematics at tertiary level is taken by future research 
mathematicians, taking advanced abstract courses, future consumers of 
mathematics doing business calculus, liberal arts students relearning 
basic algebra to comply with "numeracy" requirement, and future 
teachers of mathematics, to mention just a few target groups and 
levels. In this group we will also address transition problems from 
school to university
Co-chairs : Ansie Harding(South Africa) aharding at up.ac.za
                  Juha Oikkonen(Finland) Juha.Oikkonen at helsinki.fi
########################### TSG 3 #################################
TSG3: Activities and programs for gifted students
The focal topics will include but not bounded to:
.  Theoretical models of giftedness and the relationship between 
creativity and giftedness.
.  Empirical research that will contribute to the development of our 
understanding in the field.
. Profiles of the gifted child: their range of interests, ambitions 
and motivations, social behaviour, how and at
   what age their giftedness is discovered or developed.
. Instructional design directed at teaching the gifted as well as 
development of appropriate didactical principles.
.  Teacher education aimed at mathematics teaching that encourages 
mathematical promise and promotes mathematical talents.
Co-chairs : Peter Taylor(Australia) pjt013 at gmail.com 
                  Roza Leikin(Israel) rozal at construct.haifa.ac.il
########################### TSG 4 #################################
TSG4: Activities and programs for students with special needs
We invite submission of proposals for contributions to TSG-4 that 
could fall into the following themes and issues:
1.	International surveys of some educational systems for 
students with special needs, the practices utilized in the 
identification of students who face particular challenges in learning 
mathematics, the legislated support for those identified and the 
strategies particular to mathematical education.
2.	Considerations of impact the worldwide move to "inclusive 
education" on the mathematics curriculum and classroom practices and 
the challenges for mathematics teachers associated with the trend in 
shift the educational responsibility for students with special needs 
from 'special' to mainstream schools.
3.	International surveys of teacher education programs 
(pre-service and in-service) to prepare mathematics teachers to work 
with students with special needs, either in specialist schools or in 
inclusive mathematics classrooms
4.	Activities and programs for students with difficulties.
5.	What theoretical frameworks and methodologies are helpful in 
understanding issues related the mathematics education of students 
with special needs?
6.	Semiotic approaches, language and communication in 
Mathematics Education for SEN-S.
7.	Embodied and (multi-)cultural approaches to Mathematics 
Education for SEN-S.
8.	Assessment of teaching mathematics for SEN-S (in particular, 
long term gains).
9.	Pre-service and in-service teacher education in Mathematics for SEN-S.
10.	Forms of teaching and research co-operations between 
researchers, educators and teachers in Mathematics Education for 
SEN-S.
Co-chairs : Jean-Philippe Drouhard (France) jpdrouhard at gmail.com
		Sung-kyu Choi (Korea) skchoi at daegu.ac.kr
########################### TSG 5 #################################
TSG5: Mathematics education in and for work
The focal topics will include empirical, theoretical and 
methodological issues related to questions like:
o  How is mathematics embedded in work practices; what is this 
mathematics like and how is it learned?
o  What mathematics do people learn in preparation for work?
o  How is mathematics/numeracy valued for and in employment in 
different societies?
o  How does the mathematics taught and learned for work differ/match 
the mathematics used in work?
o  How does the mathematics learning in and for work meet people's 
mathematical needs in other domains of their lives?
Co-chairs : Tine Wedege (Sweden) tine.wedege at mah.se
                  Keiko Yasukawa (Australia) Keiko.Yasukawa at uts.edu.au
########################### TSG 6 #################################
TSG6: Mathematics literacy
The themes of this TSG include:
- Conceptual clarification of the notion(s) of mathematical literacy,
- The role and use of mathematical literacy in the teaching and 
learning of mathematics,
- The role and impact of mathematical literacy in national or 
international comparative studies,
- What do we gain, or lose, from placing an emphasis on mathematical literacy?,
Co-chairs:  Hileni Kapenda (Namibia) (hkapenda at unam.na) ,
                  Mogens Niss (Denmark)  (mn at ruc.dk)
########################### TSG 7 #################################
TSG7: Teaching and learning of number systems and arithmetic 
(focusing especially on primary education)
The group's focus is on individuals' elementary mathematical 
representations and understandings with a special interest in the way 
these aspects of cognition develop through activities in and out of 
school. The mathematical domains of concern include whole numbers, 
integers, and rational numbers as well as representations related to 
each of these domains.
A related interest of the group is socio-cultural analyses. These 
analyses would include the ways that mathematics (including 
mathematical argumentation, representations, problem solving, 
teaching-learning interactions) is constituted in everyday practices 
as well as the interplay between developing mathematical 
understanding and representations in and out of school.
The group encourages cross-disciplinary contributions, including (but 
not limited to) participation by educational researchers, mathematics 
educators, developmental psychologists, and cultural anthropologists.
Co-chairs : Joana Brocardo (Portugal) joana.brocardo at ese.ips.pt
                  Geoffrey Saxe(USA) saxe at berkeley.edu
########################### TSG 8 #################################
TSG8: Measurement - focusing especially on primary education
We invite submission of proposals for contributions to TSG-8 that 
could fall into (but are not restricted to) the following themes and 
issues:
(1)  Theoretical perspectives on mathematical growth of students' 
thinking related to measurement;
(2)  The development of measurement sense in students as a foundation 
for grasping the basic principles of measurement;
(3)  Connections between measurement and related domains such as 
number sense and decimal numbers;
(4)  Curriculum development and implementation related to 
measurement, for instance comparative analysis of different 
measurement curricula;
(5)  Instructional approaches to foster students' development related 
to measurement;
(6)  Methods of observing and assessing mathematical proficiency 
related to measurement, for instance tools to assess students' 
ability or growth in measurement;
(7)  Understanding of students' successes and difficulties in 
measurement and related geometry, for instance problems with the 
reconstruction and application of formulas for the area and perimeter 
of rectangular figures;
(8)  Culturally defined tools and practices for measurement and 
cultural supports for the learning and teaching of measurement.
Co-chairs : Jeong Suk Pang, South Korea -- jeongsuk at knue.ac.kr
                 Cees Buijs, Netherlands - c.buys at slo.nl
########################### TSG 9 #################################
TSG9: Teaching and learning of algebra
We invite papers which address one or more of the following issues in 
the teaching and learning of algebra.
1.  Issues related to early algebra.
2.  Issues related to the use of ITC in algebra classrooms.
3.  Issues related to proof and proving.
4.  Issues related to problem solving.
5.  Issues related to the process of generalization.
6.  Issues related to ways in which semiotics helps us understand the 
processes of communicating and signifying in the teaching and 
learning of algebra in which the elaboration and use of new sign 
systems are involved, students' developing ideas about algebraic 
symbols, meaning making of new symbols.
7.  Issues related to designing of algebra curriculum.
Co-chairs : Rakhi Banerjee (India) rakhi at tiss.edu or rakhi.banerjee at gmail.com
                  Luis Puig (Spain) luis.puig at uv.es
########################### TSG 10 #################################
TSG10: Teaching and learning geometry
The focus of the group will be on theoretical, empirical, or 
developmental issues related to the following themes:
- Curriculum studies of new curriculum implementation, challenges and 
issues, discussion of   specific issues such as place and role of 
vectors and transformations
- An application of geometry on the real world and other subjects, in 
particular on mathematics
- The use of instrumentation such as computers in teaching and 
learning of geometry,
- Explanation, argumentation and proof in geometry education
- Spatial abilities and geometric reasoning about two-dimensional and 
three-dimensional shapes.
- Teacher preparation in geometry education.
Co-chairs : Colette Laborde (France) labordec at cabri.com, 
coletee.laborde at imag.fr
                  Linquan Wang (China) wanglq at scnu.edu.cn
########################### TSG 11 #################################
TSG11: Teaching and learning of probability
The group particularly encourages contributions from researchers, 
curriculum developers and teachers on:
1. Theories and frameworks for understanding teaching and learning probability.
2. The applications or values of probability in the real world and in 
other subjects and corresponding implications for curriculum.
3. The nature and development of teachers' knowledge for the teaching 
and learning probability.
4. The teaching of probability, including approaches that are 
accessible and motivating.
5. Student's thinking of probability and the interplay between 
personal beliefs, intuitions and notions of probability.
6. The nature of probability and on the distinctions between 
different philosophical/theoretical interpretations of probability 
(e.g., classical, frequentist, subjective, logical and propensity).
Co-chairs : Per Nilsson (Sweden) Per.Nilsson at vxu.se
                  Jun Li (China) lijun at math.ecnu.edu.cn
########################### TSG 12 #################################
TSG12: Teaching and learning of statistics
TSG12 welcomes presentations on the following topics:
     1. Students' reasoning about key statistical concepts, such as 
data, distribution, variability, comparing distributions, sample and 
sampling, and covariation;
     2. Students' making statistical inferences (from informal 
inference to more formal inference, role of context, randomness, 
models and probability in the inferential process, etc.);
     3. Statistical literacy (its role in the curriculum, the 
challenges in preparing teachers to teach with statistical literacy 
as a goal);
     4. Role of technology in teaching and learning statistics 
(including software packages, simulations, Internet, online teaching, 
etc.);
     5. Preparing teachers to teach statistics;
     6. Teaching statistics, with particular attention to research on 
how to structure learning sequences that enable students to develop 
over time a deep conceptual understanding;
     7. Building a common research basis that will enable the field of 
statistics education to move forward, in particular innovative ways 
to connect data and chance.
Co-chairs: Dani Ben-Zvi (Israel) dbenzvi at univ.haifa.ac.il
                      Jean-Claude Oriol (France) jeanclaude.oriol at gmail.com
########################### TSG 13 #################################
TSG13: Teaching and learning of calculus
This Topic Study Group will seek contributions on the research and 
development in the teaching and learning of calculus, both at upper 
secondary and tertiary level.
Contributions will account for advances, new trends, and important 
work done in recent years on the teaching and learning processes of 
Calculus.
Co-chairs : Victor Martinez-Luaces (Uruguay) victoreml at gmail.com
                  Sunsook Noh (Korea) noh at ewha.ac.kr
########################### TSG 14 #################################
TSG14: Reasoning, proof and proving in mathematics education
The work of this Group will focus on four broad themes.
1) Epistemological / historical aspect such as:
* The role of RPP in the history of mathematics.
* The role of RPP in the developmental processes of mathematics as a 
discipline?
2) Curriculum and textbook aspect such as:
* The status of RPP at school, at different grade levels, and in 
various countries
* International comparison of the above status of RPP among countries
* Discussion of the mathematical contexts and developmental 
progression of RPP in curriculum and textbooks
3) Cognitive aspect such as:
* Students' and teachers' views or concepts of RPP .
* Students' main difficulties in learning RPP.
* Description and interpretation of students' behaviors in RPP tasks.
4) Teaching and learning  aspects such as:
* Approaches to the teaching and learning of RPP, at different grade 
levels, and in various mathematical subject areas.
* Pedagogical content knowledge teachers need to know for the teaching of RPP
* Design of appropriate contexts to  introduce students to RPP, an in 
particular to overcome students' difficulties in coping with RPP 
tasks.
  * The role of ICT tools, and in particular of dynamic softwares, in 
the teaching and learning of proof
Co-chairs : Stephane Cyr (Canada) cyr.stephane at uqam.ca
                  Maria Alessandra Mariotti (Italy) 
marialessandra.mariotti at gmail.com
########################### TSG 15 #################################
TSG15: Mathematical problem solving
The initial list of themes to frame and structure the sessions is 
presented here:
1.  Origin, a historical overview, and characterization of 
mathematical Problem Solving.
2.  Foundations and nature of mathematical problem solving.
3.  Problem solving frameworks.
4.  Research programs in mathematical problem solving.
5.  Curriculum proposals.
6.  The influence of social and cultural perspectives on problem 
solving approaches.
7.  Problem solving assessment.
8.  Problem solving and the use of digital tools
9.  Problem solving outside schools. 
10.  The role of problem solving in teacher education (both 
pre-service and in-service).
11.  Problem solving and university / tertiary education.
12.  Future directions and advances.
Co-chairs : Zahra Gooya(Iran) zahra.gooya at yahoo.com
                  Manuel Santos Trigo(Mexico) msantos at cinvestav.mx
########################### TSG 16 #################################
TSG16: Visualization in the teaching and learning of mathematics
The focal topics will include:
o  Semiotics and the significance of signs
 From images to diagrams and graphs: Epistemological questions and 
classroom interactions related to the use of semiotics and the 
significance of signs in learning mathematics.
o  Visualization being the focus of innovative Learning & Teaching materials
Digital mathematics textbooks are now turning to be a major channel 
for visual engagement and interaction.
o  Visualization as understood by Cognitive & Neuro-cognitive studies
Mathematics education research is recently implementing quantitative 
and qualitative methods of educational Neuroscience.
Co-chairs : Gert Kadunz(Austria) gert.kadunz at uni-klu.ac.at
                  Michal Yerushalmy(Israel) michalyr at construct.haifa.ac.il
########################### TSG 17 #################################
TSG17: Mathematical applications and modelling in the teaching and 
learning of mathematics
We invite the mathematics education community to submit proposals 
addressing the themes listed below and other related issues.
- Goals and Curriculum
- Teaching Material and Technology Use
- Experimental Research
- Pedagogy of Modelling
- Assessment
- Obstacles and Teacher Education
Co-chairs: Jill Brown (Australia) jill.brown at acu.edu.au
                    Toshikazu Ikeda (Japan) ikeda at ed.ynu.ac.jp
########################### TSG 18 #################################
TSG18: Analysis of uses of technology in the teaching of mathematics
We invite submissions as either abstracts or full papers. Submissions 
could fall into (but are not limited to) the following themes:
.  The use of technology in the classroom practice
.  Design and use of digital teaching materials
.  Teacher education
.  The use of Internet and learning management systems
.  Distance education
Co-chairs : Morten Misfeldt (Denmark) mmi at dpu.dk
                  Wei-Chi Yang (USA) wyang at radford.edu
########################### TSG 19 #################################
TSG19: Analysis of uses of technology in the learning of mathematics
We invite papers that especially address one or more of the following 
issues in the teaching and learning of mathematics.
1. Issues related to the design of digital technology
2. Issues related to the design of learning environments
3. Issues related to large-scale and long-standing digital technology 
implementation projects
4. Issues related to assessing mathematics learning with and through 
Digital Technologies
5.  Issues related to the interaction between ICT and learners of mathematics
6. Issues related to connectivity of ICT
7. Issues related to theoretical and empirical models for learning with ICT
8. Issues related to the implementation of Curricula
Co-chairs : Hans-Georg Weigand (Germany) weigand at mathematik.uni-wuerzburg.de
                  Marcelo Borba (Brazil) mborba at rc.unesp.br
########################### TSG 20 #################################
TSG20: The role of history of mathematics in mathematics education
It is expected that participants will share their ideas and classroom 
experience in connection with the following main issues:
(1) Theoretical and/or conceptual frameworks for including history in 
mathematics education;
(2) The role of the history of mathematics in pre- and in-service 
teacher education;
(3) The role of the history of mathematics at school;
(4) Original sources in the classroom, and their educational effects; or
(5) Design and/or assessment of teaching/learning materials on using 
history in mathematics education.
Co-chairs : Renaud Chorlay(France) renaud-chorlay at noos.fr
                  Wann-Sheng Horng(Taiwan) horng at math.ntnu.edu.tw
########################### TSG 21 #################################
TSG21: Research on classroom practice
The focus of TSG 21 is a discussion of research related to 
mathematics classroom practice. Classroom practice includes 
activities of learning and teaching processes located within the 
classroom as a system. Possible themes of TSG21 include the following:
1. Theoretical perspectives and research approaches in defining, 
identifying, assessing, and improving the quality of classroom 
practice;
2. Methodological advances in research on classroom practice, such as 
the use of video clips;
3. High-quality classroom practices that are identified, valued, and 
assessed in different education systems;
4. Various issues concerning research on classroom practice and 
possible (dis)connections between research and practice.
Co-chairs : Yeping Li (Texas A&M University, USA) yepingli at tamu.edu
                    Helia Oliveira (University of Lisbon, Portugal) 
hmoliveira at ie.ul.pt
########################### TSG 22 #################################
TSG22: Learning and cognition in mathematics
The focal topics will involve but not be confined to:
1. Psychological characteristics of students that influence their 
inclination to think creatively in mathematics
2. Cognitive processing associated with the creative constructing of knowledge
3. Mathematical thinking accompanied by affective elements
4. Social interactions associated with creative mathematical thinking
5. The nature of mathematical understanding
Co-chairs : Hsin-Mei Huang(Taiwan) hhuang22 at gmail.com
                  Gaye Williams(Australia) gaye.williams at deakin.edu.au
########################### TSG 23 #################################
TSG23: Mathematical knowledge for teaching at primary level
Many countries have experienced reforms in school mathematics 
curricula and/or in teaching policies over the past three decades. 
These have resulted in more demands on teachers than before in terms 
of their knowledge and skills in teaching mathematics. There has also 
been growing concern over the mathematical knowledge required for 
teaching mathematics in schools. Specifically, mathematics educators 
have sought to understand what mathematical knowledge teachers need 
to know as well as know how to use in teaching. Concerns about 
teacher knowledge emanate from both the increasing demands on 
mathematics teachers and the perceived lack of, or gaps in, knowledge 
that is observed in many teachers.
This is a broad field and there has been substantial amount of 
research across countries and contexts. The TSG will provide 
opportunities to share experiences of researchers in their work, to 
interrogate the diverse outcomes of different research, and to 
understand the nature of mathematical knowledge for teaching. The 
main objective of the TSG is to examine
(i) what we know,
(ii) what we do not know, and
(iii) what we need to know or know more of - for us to understand the 
mathematical knowledge for teaching at primary level.
The TSG will focus on primary level mathematics and will invite 
researchers that have researched, or are interested, in primary 
school mathematics teaching.
Co-chairs : Christoph Selter(Germany) christoph.selter at t-online.de
                  Suck Yoon Paik(Korea) sypaik at snue.ac.kr
########################### TSG 24 #################################
TSG24: Mathematical knowledge for teaching at the secondary level
The focal topics will include but not be limited to
1. Theoretical perspectives or conceptual frameworks for mathematical 
knowledge for teaching at secondary level.
2. Empirical researches that will contribute to our understanding of 
what mathematical knowledge is needed or how it is assessed in 
different scenarios.
3. Empirical researches to explore relationships between teachers' 
learning of teaching (both pre-service and in-service) and students' 
learning of mathematics.
4. Empirical researches to explore the various factors which lead to 
commonalities or differences of mathematical knowledge for teaching 
in different countries, regions, and individuals.
Co-chairs : Aihui Peng (China) aihuipeng at gmail.com, huihuiai0 at 163.com,
Hikma Smida (Tunisia) Hikma.Smida at ipest.rnu.tn
########################### TSG 25 #################################
TSG25: In-service education, professional development of mathematics teachers
We welcome submissions of project reports and research articles 
addressing the following topics:
- Approaches in developing expertise in effective mathematics teaching
- The challenges, contents, and forms of effective in-service 
education and professional development
- Empirical studies on teacher change through in-service education or 
professional development and evaluation of professional development
- Promising programs and projects focusing on the in-service 
education and professional development of mathematics teacher leaders 
- Further topics
Co-chairs:  Shuha An (USA), san at csulb.edu,
                Andrea Peter-Koop (Germany) 
peter-koop at mathematik.uni-oldenburg.de
########################### TSG 26 #################################
TSG26: Pre-service mathematical education of teachers
The main focus of TSG 26 will be on empirical, as well as theoretical 
and developmental papers on issues such as:
1. A comparison of the educational programs of pre-service education 
of mathematics teachers or pre-service education of teachers teaching 
mathematics at primary level in different countries, including 
empirical studies on effectiveness of various teacher educational 
systems all over the world, with a special focus of East-West 
comparisons ;
2. The link or relationship between the various parts of the 
education programs such as mathematical knowledge, pedagogical 
content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge, the role of practical 
experiences in teacher education, for pre-service mathematical 
primary and secondary teachers and eventually the learning outcomes 
of their students ;
3. Detailed analysis of the kind of mathematics, that is necessary 
for pre-service teacher education, the role of elementary mathematics 
from an advanced standpoint, especially for primary future teachers ;
4. Innovative and creative approaches including training resources 
for a redesign of pre-service mathematics education (under 
educational/curriculum reforms in particular) existing at various 
parts of the world. 
Co-chairs :        Sylvie Coppe (France), sylvie.coppe at univ-lyon2.fr
                                         Ngai-Ying Wong (Hong Kong) 
nywong at cuhk.edu.hk
########################### TSG 27 #################################
TSG27: Motivation, beliefs and attitudes towards mathematics and its teaching
The aims are:
1.  To address researchers working in the field of affect in 
mathematics education.
2.  To generate discussion on motivation, beliefs, and attitudes in 
mathematics education, both at the student's and the teacher's level.
3.  To present research results and reports on research activities 
that will allow the group to make an updated sketch of the state of 
the art, thus further developing the aims of the 27th ICMI Study, and 
addressing new trends and developments in research and practice in 
these areas.
We expect that participants will engage in the review process prior 
to the conference, and we will nominate respondents to all 
presentations in order to enable deeper levels of critical discussion 
during the conference.
Co-chairs : Birgit Pepin (Norway) birgit.pepin at hist.no
                  Ji Won Son (USA) sonjiwon at utk.edu
########################### TSG 28 #################################
TSG28: Language and communication in mathematics education
This topic study group will allow participants to present and discuss 
the latest research in language and communication in mathematics 
education internationally. We consider language in its broadest sense 
to include all modes of communication and welcome contributions 
addressing visual and gestural as well as spoken and written modes.
Sub-themes within the topic include:
Relationships among language, mathematical thinking and the learning 
of mathematics
Studying classroom interactions
Analysis of communicative activity in mathematics and mathematics education
Teaching and learning mathematics in bilingual and multilingual settings
Co-chairs : Tracy Craig (South Africa) Tracy.craig at uct.ac.za
                  Candia Morgan (UK) C.Morgan at ioe.ac.uk
########################### TSG 29 #################################
TSG29: Gender and mathematics education
Here are some of the subjects that could be of great interest for 
participants in the topic study group.
1. Gender inequalities in participation, achievement and attitudes in 
particular  countries as well as data from international comparative 
studies like TIMSS or PISA.
2. Cultural, economical, sociological, psychological, others factors 
that contribute to gender inequalities and inequities in mathematics
3. Approaches to reduce gender inequities in classrooms, in schools, 
colleges or universities: research findings as well as institutional 
plans or individual experiments are welcome.
4. Sensitizing or training teachers to questions related to gender in 
mathematics education
5. Others not listed before but of interest for the topic.
Co-chairs : Olof Steinthorsdottir (USA) steintho at email.unc.edu
                  Veronique Lizan (France) veronique.lizan at math.univ-toulouse.fr
########################### TSG 30 #################################
TSG30: Mathematics education in a multilingual and multicultural environment
Contributions related to TSG 30 will be around issues and questions such as:
o  What is distinctive about the learning and teaching of mathematics 
in multicultural and multilingual settings?
o  How do curricula and policy take account (or not) of cultural and 
linguistic diversity?
o  How do methods of assessment and evaluation take account of 
cultural and linguistic diversity?
o  How does/should teacher education take account of cultural and 
linguistic diversity?
o  What is the experience of education systems that have changed the 
medium of instruction in mathematics?
o  What is the experience of education systems that use a former 
colonial language as the medium of instruction in mathematics?
o  How does/should the teaching and learning of mathematics adapt to 
changes in cultural and linguistic diversity e.g. In the light of 
migration, political instability, etc.
o   How can mathematics teaching respond to the oppression of 
cultural and linguistic minorities?
o  How does mathematics teaching contribute to the oppression of 
cultural and linguistic minorities?
o  What is distinctive about mathematics learning out of school in 
multicultural and multilingual settings?
o  What theoretical perspectives on cultural and linguistic diversity 
are most helpful in investigating the teaching and learning of 
mathematics?
Co-chairs : Anjum Halai(Pakistan) anjum.halai at aku.edu
                  Clement Dlamini(Swaziland) dlamini.c at examscouncil.org.sz
########################### TSG 31 #################################
TSG31: Task design and analysis
We have a particular interest in empirically grounded contributions 
that underline design principles and theoretical approaches, and give 
examples of tasks designed for promoting mathematical development. We 
plan to discuss (but are not limited to) the following themes:
1.  Theoretical and practical development that guides task design and analysis
2.  Diverse theoretical approaches or principles that guide task 
design and analysis
3.  Diverse practical traditions/approaches that guide task 
design/analysis and their theoretical accounts
4.  Examples of task analysis for studying the relations between 
tasks, psychological development, and
     mathematical development.
5.  Critical literature studies or meta-analysis of task design and analysis
The group will welcome contributions that focus on primary or 
secondary education.
Co-chairs : Xuhua Sun(China) xhsun at umac.mo
                  Lalina Coulange(France) lalina.coulange at free.fr or 
lalina.coulange at gmail.com
########################### TSG 32 #################################
TSG32: Mathematics curriculum development
In relation to this theme, we especially want to solicit papers that 
may foster the deliberation on the varied aims of the curriculum and 
bring concerns and experiences from different contexts. For example 
what should students learn to be well prepared to participate in 
everyday activities of their present lives as well as at the 
workplace in future. Two issues arise from this, one is the role of 
globalization and informatization, the other concerns issues of 
emancipation and social justice. For different countries, different 
concerns may be the most pressing. For many industrialized countries, 
for instance, outsourcing, and computerization of work will have a 
strong impact on employability, and--par extension-- on the goals of 
mathematics education. Should these concerns be allowed to influence 
elementary curricula or should these be manifest only at the 
secondary/post-compulsory stage? However, for many students the 
emphasis may have to be on math for empowerment, to avoid the 
alienation and marginalization that formal schools tend to produce by 
terming the disadvantaged as 'slow learners' and 'not good enough' 
for more challenging/stimulating mathematical tasks. And alongside 
these other curricular concerns how can the transmission of 
traditional cultural knowledge and the needs of further and higher 
education in a variety of subjects be taken account of?
Co-chairs:         Anita Rampal (India),  anita.rampal at gmail.com
                          Koeno Gravemeijer (Netherlands),  
koeno.gravemeijer at esoe.nl
########################### TSG 33 #################################
TSG33: Assessment and testing in mathematics education
We are seeking contributions of research in and new perspectives on 
assessment in mathematics education that address issues in current 
assessment practices. We see these issues as falling into two main 
strands, large-scale assessment and classroom assessment, but also 
recognize that there are broad issues that fall across both strands. 
We invite papers that address one or more of the following topics:
Large-scale assessment
1.Issues related to the development of large-scale assessments, which 
might include such areas as the conceptual foundations of such 
assessments, designing tasks that value the complexity of 
mathematical thinking, etc. 
2.Issues related to the purposes and use of large-scale assessment in 
mathematics.
3.Issues related to the development of large-scale assessment of 
mathematics teachers' mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge.
Classroom assessment
4.Issues connected to the development of teachers' professional 
knowledge of assessment and their use of assessment in the 
mathematics classroom.
5.Issues and examples related to the enactment of classroom practices 
that reflect current thinking in assessment and mathematics education 
(e.g. the use of assessment for learning, as learning, and of 
learning in mathematics classrooms)
Broad issues
6.The development of assessment tasks that reflect the complexity of 
mathematical thinking, problem solving and other important 
competencies.
7.The design of alternative modes of assessment in mathematics (e.g. 
online , investigations, various forms of formative assessment, etc.).
Co-chairs : Michael Neubrand(Germany) neubrand at mathematik.uni-oldenburg.de
                  Christine Suurtamm(Canada) suurtamm at uottawa.ca
########################### TSG 34 #################################
TSG34: The role of mathematical competitions and other challenging 
contexts in the teaching and learning of mathematics
The aim is:
1.  To gather teachers, mathematicians, mathematics educators, 
researchers and other congress participants who are interested in 
mathematical competitions and other challenging contexts in the 
teaching and learning of mathematics at all levels.
2.  To present research results and reports on activities that will 
allow the group to make an updated sketch of the state of the art, 
thus further developing the aims of the 16th ICMI Study, and 
colouring it in by addressing new trends and developments in research 
and practice in mathematics competitions and other challenging 
contexts and their effect on mathematics teaching and learning.
Co-chairs : Maria de Losada(Columbia) mariadelosada at gmail.com
                  Ali Rejali(Iran) a.rejali at yahoo.com
########################### TSG 35 #################################
TSG35: The history of the teaching and learning of mathematics
Possible themes to be treated are HISTORY of:
          - changes of curricula in the various countries
          - changes of mathematics education as a professional 
independent discipline
          - the cultural and social role of mathematics
          - policies in teacher education
          - changes and roles of teachers' associations
          - the situation of journals on mathematics education
          - the role of textbooks in the teaching and learning of mathematics
          - general trends in the organizing of the lesson
          - the overall impact of digital technologies in the learning 
and teaching of mathematics
          - treatment of particular topics (geometry, algebra, etc.)
          - interdisciplinarity and contexts
          - reforms movements
          - methods
Co-chairs :  Brito Arlete De Jesus (Brazil) <arlete at rc.unesp.br>
                      Furinghetti Fulvia furinghe at dima.unige.it
########################### TSG 36 #################################
TSG36: The role of ethnomathematics in mathematics education
This group will be an opportunity to present research or theoretical 
elaborations on these questions:
1. What is the mathematical thinking developed by people outside schools?
2. How can mathematics education use information regarding 
mathematical thinking developed outside school to improve our 
understanding of mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning in 
school?
3. How can a wider, cultural view of mathematics expand the 
possibilities for peace, prosperity, and elimination of 
discrimination?
4. What has been done in terms of research on the role of 
ethnomathematics in mathematics education and what are the current 
lines for new and relevant research?
5. Ethnomathematics can be defined both broadly and narrowly. How do 
these definitions influence/impact the ways in which ethnomathematics 
is incorporated into formal educational settings?
6. What impact is an appreciation of culture and its mathematics 
having on mathematics education.
Co-chairs : Pedro Palhares(Portugal) palhares2307 at gmail.com
                  Lawrence Shirley(USA) lshirley at towson.edu
########################### TSG 37 #################################
TSG37: Theoretical issues in mathematics education
Submissions should include concrete examples and could employ (but 
are not limited to) the following approaches:
(1) Theories from outside mathematics education:
o Identifying theories particularly suitable for use in mathematics 
education (and those that are not);
o Contrasting the treatment of particular constructs relevant to 
mathematics education within two or more theories;
o Suggesting inadequacies in the capacity of currently available 
theories to meet the needs of mathematics education and recommending 
what developments are required.
(2) Diversity of theories within mathematics education:
o Addressing the challenge of utilising the results of research 
studies in mathematics education undertaken using different theories;
o Networking strategies designed to provide heightened insight into a 
complex setting;
o Reporting or exploiting examples of the networking of theories 
concerning their limits and potential for advancing the field of 
mathematics education.
(3) Conditions for theory use and development:
o Interrogating the role and function of theories in mathematics 
education (and mathematics education research) with specific examples;
o Exploring the adequacy of a particular theory to provide insight 
into two or more different contexts or issues in mathematics 
education;
o Discussing the methodological entailments of the selection of 
particular theories in the process of research design.
Co-chairs : Angelika Bikner(Germany) bikner at t-online.de
                 David Clarke(Australia) clarke at unimelb.edu.au
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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