Mathematics Education Research in Norway and the Nordic Graduate school

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Mathematics Education Research in Norway and the
Nordic Graduate school

• with main focus on higher degrees master and
  doctoral studies

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Teacher education in mathematics

• 19 University Colleges
• before 1975 a minor course as obligatory, and a
  focus on further education
• yearly national conferences for teachers
  educators
• 1975 ¼ year course compulsory with focus on
  general education in teaching of mathematics
• 1998 ½ year course compulsory. Further
  education. Several colleges give more than the
  compulsory half year.
• Within this environment strong environments have
  developed. E.g. Bergen University College, Stieg
  Mellin-Olsen,
• Telemark University College Gard Brekke.
• Nordic and international cooperation, e.g
  Mathematics and Democracy.

• 19

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Journals Nomad, Tangenten

• 4 Universities
• 2 4 masters program
• 1 PhD program in maths. education at Agder
  University College
• PhD at Universities

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Master and PhD studies

• up to recently very limited research in the area
• some candidates from universities
• very few PhD
• Norway a small country
• Agder University College
• a node in the network and largest community
• 10 years of experience giving master degree
• 2 years since start of doctor program
• 1,5 years since start of Nordic Graduate School

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Mathematics Education at AUC
Vision To work for ? research and knowledge
production in mathematics teaching and
learning, ? general education in mathematics,
? education of high competent mathematics
teachers, ? high quality of mathematics in
schools, ? recruitment to mathematics studies,
and ? for disseminating mathematical knowledge
in the society

• Keywords The work is guided by
• ? cooperation internally, nationally,
  internationally
• ? crossing contacts mathematics - education -
  school,
• research - development - practice
• ? addressing high quality requirements

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Milestones - Math Education

• 1972 Cooperation Maths departments ADH-KLH
• 1990 Mathematics Education a field of priority
  locally
• 1992 International conference Sånn, ja!
• 1994 Master degree study program established
• 1997 The first professor in Maths Ed emplyed at
  AUC
• 1998 The second Nordic conference Norma98
• 2002 Doctoral degree program established
• 2002 The research community strengthened. New
  professors in Mathematics Education employed
• 2003 NorFA support for the 5 ys Nordic Graduate
  School in Maths Ed
• 2003 Taking up substantial research projects, by
  generous support from NFR

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Master degree in Maths Ed
1994 - 2004
Three main categories of thesis
Concept development Theories on
learning Affective aspects, attitudes Problem
solving Classroom research 30 candidates
Mathematics modelling Use of mathematics as
tool Technology in maths teaching 10 candidates
Articles in journals Nomad, Tangenten Summary
for each on the web
Historical development Implications and ideas for
mathematics classroom 16 candidates
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Research community - MERGA

• Professors
• Maria Luiza Cestari
• Barbro Grevholm
• Barbara Jaworski
• Anna Kristjansdottir
• Reinhard Siegmund-Schultze
• Trygve Breiteig
• Anne Berit Fuglestad
• Senior lecturers
• Raymond Bjuland
• Hans Erik Borgersen,
• Rolf Venheim
• Doctor students
• Master students

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PhD in mathematics education

• AUC permission to start from august 2002
• New professors appointed
• 10 students enrolled in the program, some from
  other countries
• We welcome foreign students
• Cooperation with Nordic countries in the Nordic
  Graduate school

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Research focus at AUC

• Individual student projects
• 3 new research projects financed by the Research
  Council of Norway (NFR)
• SHP
• Mathematics, learning and teacher competence
• KUL
• LCM Learning Communities in Mathematics
• ICTML ICT and mathematics learning

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Mathematics, learning and teacher competence

• It includes a research project in in connection
  with a developmental program in Kristiansand, the
  focus being conceptions of mathematics and
  mathematics learning held by "the triad in
  mathematics learning" teachers, students and
  parents and how to make these conceptions better
  communicable between the three "actors".
• Home school cooperation
• Powerful technology

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Learning Communities in Mathematics (LCM)

• A four-year project supported by The Research
  Council for Norway (NFR) in the KUL Kunnskap,
  Utdanning og Læring Programme
• To design and study mathematics teaching
  development for the improved learning of
  mathematics through inquiry communities between
  teachers and didacticians.
• Research is exploring community building, design
  processes and the nature of inquiry.
• Partnerships are in the process of development
  between teachers in 7 schools across the full age
  range (Grades 1-13) and didacticians at Agder
  University College

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ICT in Mathematics Learning (ICTML)

• Within inquiry communities of teachers and
  didacticians
• To obtain fundamental knowledge of how ICT
  influences or does not influence the teaching and
  learning of mathematics, and the students future
  use of ICT
• Research deeply how mathematical concepts and
  knowledge structures will be developed when
  students use ICT
• Study the teachers development of their own
  competence
• What implications emerge for mathematics
  learning from use of ICT as a personal
  technology? What basic understanding is needed to
  interpret and use results?
• How are ICT tools used, and how are students
  and teachers attitudes?

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Layers of Inquiry in LCM and ICTML

• Inquiry in mathematics
• Teachers and didacticians exploring mathematics
  in problems and tasks in workshops
• Pupils in schools learning mathematics through
  engagement in tasks and problems in classrooms
  using ICT as appropriate
• Inquiry in teaching mathematics
• Teachers using inquiry in the design and
  implementation of tasks, problems and
  mathematical activity in classrooms using ICT as
  appropriate
• Inquiry in developing the teaching of mathematics
• Teachers and didacticians researching the
  processes of using inquiry in mathematics and in
  the teaching of mathematics.

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Key elements of the two projects

• 1. Creating Partnerships
• Didacticians and teachers have to work together
  for mutual benefit and support teachers have to
  be involved in design and implementation at
  conceptual levels for the success of innovation.
• 2 Designing Activity
• Design of tasks for workshops and classrooms
  design of approaches to learning and teaching
  design of research/inquiry to learn about
  developmental processes and learning outcomes.
• 3. Research into Designing Activity and Creating
  Partnerships

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Focus on ICT and Learning

• Workshops with special focus on ICT tools and
  development of teaching units
• Study use of computer software and
• Study teachers and students development of
  their competence to use ICT tools
• Theoretical studies of learning theories in
  relation to ICT tools and previous research using
  ICT for mathematics learning.

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Main stages and cycles of activity

• 1. Workshops at HiA
• Teachers and didacticians working together on
  mathematical problems and tasks (using ICT).
  Creating a community of inquirers we are all
  learning at a variety of levels.
• 2. Teachers groups working in Schools
• Teachers building on experiences in (1), working
  together within a school to design tasks
  (including ICT) for the classroom. Drawing on
  support from didacticians according to needs.
• 3. Innovative Teaching in Classrooms
• Teachers teaching classes using inquiry tasks
  and ICT according to experiences from (1) and
  design at (2) to engage students in inquiry and
  learning in mathematics .

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Looking at Learning Longitudinal Study

• We know that mathematical learning in classrooms
  in Norway is problematic (KIM, L97 evaluation).
• To explore development in teaching we need also
  to look at learning is learning improved?
• We will design instruments to look at current
  practices in mathematics learning, teaching and
  use of ICT at the beginning of the project and
  twice during the life of the project in project
  schools.

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Nordic Graduate School in Mathematics Education

• The Nordic Graduate School is situated at Agder
  University College in Kristiansand, Norway

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The aim of a Nordic Graduate School in
mathematics education

• support and develop the education of researchers
  in mathematics education in the Nordic and Baltic
  countries,
• create constructive cooperation in order to raise
  the scientific quality of research in mathematics
  education,
• give all doctoral students in mathematics
  education access to the activities of the
  Graduate School
• create cooperation among a greater group of
  doctoral students and supervisors in order to
  share experiences and opportunities to improve
  the education of researchers.
• The utmost aim is to create a network of
  cooperating partners, who can continue to
  collaborate after the five years of the Graduate
  School.

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Activities in the Nordic Graduate School in
Mathematics Education

• Common courses created with the added competence
  from all researchers in the Nordic countries and
  international partners
• Summer schools building on earlier good
  experience from similar arrangements
• Seminar-series in specific research areas as a
  complement to local series and workshops on
  subjects or issues of main importance
• Competence development for supervisors and
  exchange of experience
• Partnership and collaboration with distinguished
  international scholars
• Creating a database for ongoing work, theses and
  greater development work in mathematics education
• Mobility stipends and special financial support
  for doctoral students

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Courses to be offered for 2004/05 (preliminary)

• Theory of science from a mathematics education
  perspective
• Meta perspectives on mathematics and the learning
  of mathematics in a technological environment
• History of mathematics with emphasis on modern
  mathematics
• Theoretical aspects of mathematics education with
  emphasis on the French School
• Problem solving
• Research design and research methods

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The board of the Nordic graduate school in
mathematics

• Rudolf Straesser
• Barbro Grevholm
• Trygve Breiteig
• Ole Björquist
• Gudmundur Birgisson
• Mogens Niss (absent)

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For further information

• University colleges represented at this
  conference
• Bergen http//www.hib.no
• Telemark http//www.hit.no
• Oslo http//www.hio.no/content/view/full/202
• Trøndelag http//www.hist.no
• Nord Trøndelag http//www.hint.no
• Volda http//www.hivolda.no/
• Stavanger http//www.his.no
• Hedmark http//www.hihm.no

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• Agder University College http//www.hia.no
• AUC Master studies
• http//www.hia.no/realfag/matinst/
• AUC PhD studies http//www.hia.no/realfag/matins
  t/doktorgrad/english/index.php3?menu_id10
• Nordic Graduate School http//www.hia.no/realfag
  /didaktikk/forskerskolen/index.php3?menu_id9
• Network of mathematics didacticians in Norway
• http//www.hia.no/realfag/didaktikk/nettverk/vis_
  liste.php3
• We see a challenge to build and extend our
  networks nationally and internationally