This book explores a study of how and under what circumstances children's ideas about the body change over the period of two school years, Primary 1 and 2 (6 and 7 years old), in a ""normal"" classroom setting in an Icelandic primary school. The focus is on children's ideas about the structure, location and function of bones and other organs and how changes in pupils' ideas are affected by the curriculum, teaching methods, teaching materials and teacher/pupil and peer interactions. Special attention is given to the differences between quiet children and more open children in respect to these issues. Result from the study shows that the children were generally more aware of the structures, locations and functions of the various organs than they were of processes and how the organs were interrelated and they were also more aware of the digestive system than other organ systems.

The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and contributions from Finland provides the first comprehensive and unified treatment of historical and contemporary research trends in mathematics education in the Nordic world. The book is organized in sections co-ordinated by active researchers in mathematics education in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and Finland. The purpose of this sourcebook is to synthesize and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas, informed practice, framed curricula and policy. The sections for each country also include historical articles in addition to exemplary examples of recently conducted research oriented towards the future. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners and students both in and outside the Nordic countries. This Sourcebook includes over 50 chapters from the Nordic world. Section I- Norwegian Research in Mathematics Education Section Editor: Simon Goodchild Introduction to the Norwegian part of the Sourcebook of Nordic Research in Mathematics Education Simon Goodchild The development of mathematics education as a research field in Norway - an insider's personal reflections, Trygve Breiteig and Simon Goodchild Section II- Swedish Research in Mathematics Education Section Editor: Christer Bergsten Mathematics education research in Sweden - An introduction Christer Bergsten Some theoretical orientations of Swedish research Learning difficulties and mathematical reasoning Johan Lithner, Torulf Palm Section III - Icelandic Research in Mathematics Education Section Editors: Guobjorg Palsdottir, Bharath Sriraman Mathematics Education in Iceland: Explaining the Non-homogeneity in a Homogenous System, Guony Helga Gunnarsdottir, Guobjorg Palsdottir, Bharath Sriraman The History of Public Education in Mathematics in Iceland and its Relations to Secondary Education, Kristin Bjarnadottir Section IV - Danish Research in Mathematics Education Section Editors: Bettina Dahl, Bharath Sriraman Section V- Contributions from Finland Section Editor: Lenni Haapasalo

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana The name of Zoltan P. Dienes (1916-) stands with those of Jean Piaget and Jerome Bruner as a legendary figure whose theories of learning have left a lasting impression on the field of mathematics education. Dienes' name is synonymous with the Multi-base blocks (also known as Dienes blocks) which he invented for the teaching of place value. He also is the inventor of Algebraic materials and logic blocks, which sowed the seeds of contemporary uses of manipulative materials in mathematics instruction. Dienes' place is unique in the field of mathematics education because of his theories on how mathematical structures can be taught from the early grades onwards using multiple embodiments through manipulatives, games, stories and dance. Dienes' notion of embodied knowledge presaged other cognitive scientists who eventually came to recognize the importance of embodied knowledge and situated cognition - where knowledge and abilities are organized around experience as much as they are organized around abstractions. Dienes was an early pioneer in what was later to be called sociocultural perspectives and democratization of learning. This monograph compiled and edited by Bharath Sriraman honors the seminal contributions of Dienes to mathematics education and includes several recent unpublished articles written by Dienes himself. These articles exemplify his principles of guided discovery learning and reveal the non-trivial mathematical structures that can be made accessible to any student. The monograph also includes a rare interview with Dienes in which he reflects on his life, his work, the role of context, language and technology in mathematics teaching and learning today. The book finds an important place in any mathematics education library and is vital reading for mathematics education researchers, cognitive scientists, prospective teachers, graduate students and teachers of mathematics.

Mathematics is traditionally seen as the most neutral of disciplines, the furthest removed from the arguments and controversy of politics and social life. However, critical mathematics challenges these assumptions and actively attacks the idea that mathematics is pure, objective, and value?neutral. It argues that history, society, and politics have shaped mathematics-not only through its applications and uses but also through molding its concepts, methods, and even mathematical truth and proof, the very means of establishing truth. Critical mathematics education also attacks the neutrality of the teaching and learning of mathematics, showing how these are value?laden activities indissolubly linked to social and political life. Instead, it argues that the values of openness, dialogicality, criticality towards received opinion, empowerment of the learner, and social/political engagement and citizenship are necessary dimensions of the teaching and learning of mathematics, if it is to contribute towards democracy and social justice. This book draws together critical theoretic contributions on mathematics and mathematics education from leading researchers in the field. Recurring themes include: The natures of mathematics and critical mathematics education, issues of epistemology and ethics; Ideology, the hegemony of mathematics, ethnomathematics, and real?life education; Capitalism, globalization, politics, social class, habitus, citizenship and equity. The book demonstrates the links between these themes and the discipline of mathematics, and its critical teaching and learning. The outcome is a groundbreaking collection unified by a shared concern with critical perspectives of mathematics and education, and of the ways they impact on practice.

The book is based on the recently held Symposium on mathematics and its connections to the arts and sciences, namely the second Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences (MACAS2)Symposium in Odense, Denmark (May 29-31, 2007). The chapters are an eclectic collection of interdisciplinary research initiatives undertaken by mathematics educators with implications for practitioners concerned with teaching and learning processes. The papers cover a wide genre of research domains within mathematics education (cognition, modelling, problem solving, teacher education, ethnomathematics, mathematical/statistical literacy, curricular and technological initiatives and research related to science education). The major interdisciplinary themes of the papers in this book are: 1. How can modelling activities be used to foster interdisciplinary projects in the school and university setting? 2. How can the intricate connections between mathematics and physics be used to design and research interdisciplinary activities in schools and the university? 3. How can research within the ethnomathematics domain of mathematics education be linked to critical mathematics education and interdisciplinary projects involving mathematics, art and culture? 4. How can the push for mathematical and statistical literacy be connected to other subjects in the school curricula and emphasized via interdisciplinary activities? 5. What are concrete examples of classroom experiments with empirical data that demonstrate new and unusual connections/relations between mathematics, arts and the sciences with implications for pedagogy? 6. What is the role of technology and new ICT interfaces in linking communities of learners in interdisciplinary activities involving problem solving? The book is an important contribution to the literature on educational initiatives in interdisciplinary education increasing vital for emerging professions of the 21st century.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana International Perspectives and Research on Social Justice in Mathematics Education is the highly acclaimed inaugural monograph of The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast now available through IAP. The book covers prescient social, political and ethical issues for the domain of education in general and mathematics education in particular from the perspectives of critical theory, feminist theory and social justice research. The major themes in the book are (1) relevant mathematics, teaching and learning practices for minority and marginalized students in Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Israel, Palestine, and the United States., (2) closing the achievement gap in the U.K, U.S and Iceland across classes, ethnicities and gender, and (3) the political dimensions of mathematics. The fourteen chapters are written by leading researchers in the international community interested and active in research issues of equity and social justice.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana Our innovative spirit and creativity lies beneath the comforts and security of today's technologically evolved society. Scientists, inventors, investors, artists and leaders play a vital role in the advancement and transmission of knowledge. Mathematics, in particular, plays a central role in numerous professions and has historically served as the gatekeeper to numerous other areas of study, particularly the hard sciences, engineering and business. Mathematics is also a major component in standardized tests in the U.S., and in university entrance exams in numerous parts of world. Creativity and imagination is often evident when young children begin to develop numeric and spatial concepts, and explore mathematical tasks that capture their interest. Creativity is also an essential ingredient in the work of professional mathematicians.Yet, the bulk of mathematical thinking encouraged in the institutionalized setting of schools is focused on rote learning, memorization, and the mastery of numerous skills to solve specific problems prescribed by the curricula or aimed at standardized testing. Given the lack of research based perspectives on talent development in mathematics education, this monograph is specifically focused on contributions towards the constructs of creativity and giftedness in mathematics. This monograph presents new perspectives for talent development in the mathematics classroom and gives insights into the psychology of creativity and giftedness. The book is aimed at classroom teachers, coordinators of gifted programs, math contest coaches, graduate students and researchers interested in creativity, giftedness, and talent development in mathematics.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana Beliefs and Mathematics is a Festschrift honoring the contributions of Gunter Torner to mathematics education and mathematics. Mathematics Education as a legitimate area of research emerged from the initiatives of well known mathematicians of the last century such as Felix Klein and Hans Freudenthal. Today there is an increasing schism between researchers in mathematics education and those in mathematics as evidenced in the Math wars in the U.S and other parts of the world. Gunter Torner represents an international voice of reason, well respected and known in both groups, one who has successfully bridged and worked in both domains for three decades. His contributions in the domain of beliefs theory are well known and acknowledged. The articles in this book are written by many prominent researchers in the area of mathematics education, several of whom are editors of leading journals in the field and have been at the helm of cutting edge advances in research and practice.The contents cover a wide spectrum of research, teaching and learning issues that are relevant for anyone interested in mathematics education and its multifaceted nature of research. The book as a whole also conveys the beauty and relevance of mathematics in societies around the world. It is a must read for anyone interested in mathematics education.

A volume in the International Sourcebooks in Mathematics and Science Education Series Editor: Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana Mathematics and Science education have both grown in fertile directions in different geographic regions. Yet, the mainstream discourse in international handbooks does not lend voice to developments in cognition, curriculum, teacher development, assessment, policy and implementation of mathematics and science in many countries. Paradoxically, in spite of advances in information technology and the "flat earth" syndrome, old distinctions and biases between different groups of researcher's persist. In addition limited accessibility to conferences and journals also contribute to this problem. The International Sourcebooks in Mathematics and Science Education focus on under-represented regions of the world and provides a platform for researchers to showcase their research and development in areas within mathematics and science education. The First Sourcebook on Asian Research in Mathematics Education: China, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and India provides the first synthesized treatment of mathematics education that has both developed and is now prominently emerging in the Asian and South Asian world. The book is organized in sections coordinated by leaders in mathematics education in these countries and editorial teams for each country affiliated with them. The purpose of unique sourcebook is to both consolidate and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas and informed practices in Europe, North America (and other countries) in addition to serving as a platform to showcase existing research that has shaped teacher education, curricula and policy in these Asian countries. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners and students both in and outside Asia, and complement the Nordic and NCTM perspectives.

A Volume in International Perspectives on Mathematics Education - Cognition, Equity & Society Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana and Lyn English, Queensland University of Technology Why a book on gender issues in mathematics in the 21st century? Several factors have influenced the undertaking of this project by the editors. First, an international volume focusing on gender and mathematics has not appeared since publication of papers emerging from the 1996 International Congress on Mathematical Education (Keitel, 1998). Surely it was time for an updated look at this critical area of mathematics education. Second, we have had lively discussion and working groups on gender issues at conferences of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education [PME] for the past four years, sessions at which stimulating and ground-breaking research has been discussed by participants from many different countries. Some publication seemed essential to share this new knowledge emerging from a wider variety of countries and from different cultural perspectives. Third, some western countries such as Australia and the USA have experienced in recent years a focus on the "boy problem," with an underlying assumption that issues of females and mathematics have been solved and are no longer worthy of interest. Thus it seemed timely to look more closely at the issue of gender and mathematics internationally. When the idea for this volume first emerged, invitations were issued to those regularly attending the working and discussion groups at PME. Potential authors were charged to focus on gender issues in mathematics and were given wide scope to hone in on the issues that were central to their own research efforts, or were in receipt or in need of close attention in their own national or regional contexts.

The diversity of research in mathematics education has been addressed as both, a problem and a strength. When manifested through adherence to different intellectual roots and theoretical orientations, diversions constitute `refractions' of mathematics education. The collection and analysis of empirical data in a study are by necessity refracted through the specific analytical lens employed, as well as the aim of the study itself. Refractions can also refer to looking at old phenomena through new lenses. The chapters in this book are refracted through philosophical, political, mathematical and personal lenses by distinguished authors in the field, addressing issues about the elusive experience of doing mathematics, purification of texts, refractions, mathematics and ethnomathematics, political messages in textbook tasks, mathematics education policy debate, the political in mathematics education research, philosophy and mathematics, meanings and representations, identity of mathematical modeling, and dilemmas in the teaching of calculus. An ancient Sanskrit adage states that Knowledge is something that grows when shared, but shrinks when hoarded. Academics engaged in the generation of new Knowledge are blessed with both the time and the freedom to engage in pursuits that allow for intellectual pleasure. As a phenomenon of the Zeitgeist many have succumbed to the increased corporatization of academic work, engaging in activities for monetary and self advancement purposes. Are there any real intellectuals left in academia, a la Adorno, Bourdieu, Chomsky, Foucault, among others? This Festschrift is dedicated to academics that don't bother with self promotion or aggrandizement of themselves or their ideas in simplistic terms.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics EducationSeries Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of MontanaThe word "critical" in the title of this collection has three meanings, all of which are relevant. One meaning, as applied toa situation or problem, is "at a point of crisis." A second meaning is "expressing adverse or disapproving comments orjudgments." A third is related to the verb "to critique," meaning "to analyze the merits and faults of." The authorscontributing to this book pose challenging questions, from multiple perspectives, about the roles of mathematics insociety and the implications for education. Traditional reasons for teaching mathematics include: preparing a newgeneration of mathematics researchers and a cadre of technically competent users of mathematics; training students tothink logically; and because mathematics is as much part of cultural heritage as literature or music. These reasons remainvalid, though open to critique, but a deeper analysis is required that recognizes the roles of mathematics in framing manyaspects of contemporary society, that will connect mathematics education to the lived experiences of students, theircommunities, and society in general, and that acknowledges the global ethical responsibilities of mathematicians andmathematics educators.The book is organized in four sections (1) Mathematics education: For what and why?(2) Globalization and cultural diversity, (3) Mathematics, education, and society and (4) Social justice in, and through, mathematics educationThe chapters address fundamental issues such as the relevance of school mathematics in people's lives; creating a sense of agency for the field of mathematics education, and redefining the relationship between mathematics as discipline, mathematics as school subject and mathematics as part of people's lives.

Mathematics and Science education have both grown in fertile directions in different geographic regions. Yet, the mainstream discourse in international handbooks does not lend voice to developments in cognition, curriculum, teacher development, assessment, policy and implementation of mathematics and science in many countries. Paradoxically, in spite of advances in information technology and the "flat earth" syndrome, old distinctions and biases between different groups of researcher's persist. In addition limited accessibility to conferences and journals also contribute to this problem. The International Sourcebooks in Mathematics and Science Education focus on under-represented regions of the world and provides a platform for researchers to showcase their research and development in areas within mathematics and science education. The First Sourcebook on Asian Research in Mathematics Education: China, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and India provides the first synthesized treatment of mathematics education that has both developed and is now prominently emerging in the Asian and South Asian world. The book is organized in sections coordinated by leaders in mathematics education in these countries and editorial teams for each country affiliated with them. Thepurpose of unique sourcebook is to both consolidate and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas and informed practices in Europe, North America (and other countries) in addition to serving as a platform to showcase existing research that has shaped teacher education, curricula and policy in these Asian countries. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners andstudents both in and outside Asia, and complement the Nordic and NCTM perspectives.

This volume provides readers with a broad view on the variety of issues related to the educational research and practices in the field of Creativity in Mathematics and Mathematical Giftedness. The book explores (a) the relationship between creativity and giftedness; (b) empirical work with high ability (or gifted) students in the classroom and its implications for teaching mathematics; (c) interdisciplinary work which views creativity as a complex phenomena that cannot be understood from within the borders of disciplines, i.e., to present research and theorists from disciplines such as neuroscience and complexity theory; and (d) findings from psychology that pertain the creatively gifted students. As a whole, this volume brings together perspectives from mathematics educators, psychologists, neuroscientists, and teachers to present a collection of empirical, theoretical and philosophical works that address the complexity of mathematical creativity and giftedness, its origins, nature, nurture and ways forward. In keeping with the spirit of the series, the anthology substantially builds on previous ZDM volumes on interdisciplinarity (2009), creativity and giftedness (2013).

A Volume in International Perspectives on Mathematics Education - Cognition, Equity & SocietySeries Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana and Lyn English, Queensland University of TechnologyOver the past two decades, the theoretical interests of mathematics educators have changed substantially-as any brief look at the titles and abstracts ofarticles shows. Largely through the work of Paul Cobb and his various collaborators, mathematics educators came to be attuned to the intricaterelationship between individual and the social configuration of which she or he is part. That is, this body of work, running alongside more traditionalconstructivist and psychological approaches, showed that what happens at the collective level in a classroom both constrains and affords opportunitiesfor what individuals do (their practices). Increasingly, researchers focused on the mediational role of sociomathematical norms and how these emergedfrom the enacted lessons.A second major shift in mathematical theorizing occurred during the past decade: there is an increasing focus on the embodied and bodilymanifestation of mathematical knowing (e.g., Lakoff & N ez, 2000). Mathematics educators now working from this perspective have come to theirposition from quite different bodies of literatures: for some, linguistic concerns and mathematics as material praxis lay at the origin for their concerns;others came to their position through the literature on the situated nature of cognition; and yet another line of thinking emerged from the work onembodiment that Humberto Maturana and Francisco Varela advanced. Whatever the historical origins of their thinking, mathematics educators takingan embodiment perspective presuppose that it is of little use to think of mathematical knowing in terms of transcendental concepts somehow recordedin the brain, but rather, that we need to conceptual knowing as mediated by the human body, which, because of its senses, is at the origin of sense.One of the question seldom asked is how the two perspectives, one that focuses on the bodily, embodied nature of mathematical cognition and theother that focuses on its social nature, can be thought together. This edited volume situates itself at the intersection of theoretical and focal concerns ofboth of these lines of work. In all chapters, the current culture both at the classroom and at the societal level comes to be expressed and providesopportunities for expressing oneself in particular ways; and these expressions always are bodily expressions of body-minds. As a collective, thechapters focus on mathematical knowledge as an aspect or attribute of mathematical performance; that is, mathematical knowing is in the doing ratherthan attributable to some mental substrate structured in particular ways as conceived by conceptual change theorists or traditional cognitivepsychologists. The collection as a whole shows readers important aspects of mathematical cognition that are produced and observable at the interfacebetween the body (both human and those of inherently material] inscriptions) and culture. Drawing on cultural-historical activity theory, the editordevelops an integrative perspective that serves as a background to a narrative that runs through and pulls together the book into an integrated whole.

Mathematics and Science education have both grown in fertile directions in different geographic regions. Yet, the mainstream discourse in international handbooks does not lend voice to developments in cognition, curriculum, teacher development, assessment, policy and implementation of mathematics and science in many countries. Paradoxically, in spite of advances in information technology and the "flat earth" syndrome, old distinctions and biases between different groups of researcher's persist. In addition limited accessibility to conferences and journals also contribute to this problem. The International Sourcebooks in Mathematics and Science Education focus on under-represented regions of the world and provides a platform for researchers to showcase their research and development in areas within mathematics and science education. The First Sourcebook on Asian Research in Mathematics Education: China, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia and India provides the first synthesized treatment of mathematics education that has both developed and is now prominently emerging in the Asian and South Asian world. The book is organized in sections coordinated by leaders in mathematics education in these countries and editorial teams for each country affiliated with them. The purpose of unique sourcebook is to both consolidate and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas and informed practices in Europe, North America (and other countries) in addition to serving as a platform to showcase existing research that has shaped teacher education, curricula and policy in these Asian countries. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners and students both in and outside Asia, and complement the Nordic and NCTM perspectives.

Advances in Mathematics Education is a new and innovative book series published by Springer that builds on the success and the rich history of ZDM-The Inter- tional Journal on Mathematics Education (formerly known as Zentralblatt fur - daktik der Mathematik). One characteristic of ZDM since its inception in 1969 has been the publication of themed issues that aim to bring the state-of-the-art on c- tral sub-domains within mathematics education. The published issues include a rich variety of topics and contributions that continue to be of relevance today. The newly established monograph series aims to integrate, synthesize and extend papers from previously published themed issues of importance today, by orienting these issues towards the future state of the art. The main idea is to move the ?eld forward with a book series that looks to the future by building on the past by carefully choosing viable ideas that can fruitfully mutate and inspire the next generations. Taking ins- ration from Henri Poincare (1854-1912), who said "To create consists precisely in not making useless combinations and in making those which are useful and which are only a small minority."

Creative Contradictions in Education is a provocative collection of essays by international experts who tackle difficult questions about creativity in education from a cross-disciplinary perspective. The contributors to this volume examine and provide fresh insights into the tensions and contradictions that researchers and educators face when attempting to understand and apply creativity in educational contexts. Creativity in education is surrounded by many contradictions. Teachers generally value creativity, but question the role it can and should play in their classroom. Many educators find themselves feeling caught between the push to promote students' creative thinking skills and the pull to meet external curricular mandates, increased performance monitoring, and various other curricular constraints. This book brings together leading experts who provide fresh, cross-disciplinary insights into how creative contradictions in education might be addressed. Contributors will draw from existing empirical and theoretical work, but push beyond "what currently is" and comment on future possibilities. This includes challenging the orthodoxy of traditional conceptions of creativity in education or making a case for maintaining particular orthodoxies.

Interdisciplinarity has become increasingly important for emergent professions of the 21st century yet there is a dearth of systematic studies aimed at implementing it in the school and university curricula. The Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences (MACAS ) group places Mathematics as a vehicle through which deep and meaningful connections can be forged with the Arts and the Sciences and as a means of promoting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary thinking traits amongst students. The Third International Symposium held by the MACAS group in Moncton, Canada in 2009 included numerous initiatives and ideas for interdisciplinarity that are implementable in both the school and university setting. The chapters in this book cover interdisciplinary links with mathematics found in the domains of culture, art, aesthetics, music, cognition, history, philosophy, engineering, technology and science with contributors from Canada, U.S, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Iran and Poland amongst others.

The interaction of the history of mathematics and mathematics education has long been construed as an esoteric area of inquiry. Much of the research done in this realm has been under the auspices of the history and pedagogy of mathematics group. However there is little systematization or consolidation of the existing literature aimed at undergraduate mathematics education, particularly in the teaching and learning of the history of mathematics and other undergraduate topics. In this monograph, the chapters cover topics such as the development of Calculus through the actuarial sciences and map making, logarithms, the people and practices behind real world mathematics, and fruitful ways in which the history of mathematics informs mathematics education. The book is meant to serve as a source of enrichment for undergraduate mathematics majors and for mathematics education courses aimed at teachers.

In the book, the relationship between affect and modeling is discussed because, as educational psychologists have suggested for decades, affect directly influences achievement. Moreover, given the importance of mathematical modeling and the applications to high level mathematics, it provides the field of mathematics psychology with insight regarding affect, in relation to mathematical modeling. By doing so it helps determine the degree to which understanding of mathematics and understanding affect in mathematical modeling episodes may have a direct effect on cognition.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics EducationSeries Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of MontanaInterdisciplinarity is increasingly viewed as a necessary ingredient in the training of future oriented 21st century disciplinesthat rely on both analytic and synthetic abilities across disciplines. Nearly every curricular document or vision statement ofschools and universities include a call for promoting creativity in students. Yet the construct of creativity and giftednessacross disciplines remains elusive in the sense that the prototypical examples of such work come from eminent scientists, artists and mathematicians, and little if any work has been conducted with non-eminent individuals. This monograph is anattempt to fill this gap by putting forth the view that interdisciplinarity and creativity are related constructs, and that thecultivation of domain general creativity is possible. Mathematics has historically been anchored to numerous disciplineslike theology, natural philosophy, culture and art, allowing for a flexibility of thought that is difficult to cultivate in otherdisciplines. In this monograph, the numerous chapters from Australia, U.S.A., Canada, Cyprus, Denmark and Japanprovide a compelling illustration of the intricate connection of mathematics with literature, paradoxes, history, technologyand modeling, thus serving as a conduit for interdisciplinarity, creativity and learning to occur.

Concepts and definitions in the field of gifted education have been unsettled and contested for many years, and interest in clarifying notions of high ability has been growing. While discussions and arguments are ongoing, most of them don't go deep enough or range broadly enough to reveal the dogmatism that limits the perspectives of professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders in gifted education. This book looks beyond the predominant conceptual frameworks that dominate thinking about giftedness and talent. Leading thinkers in the field of gifted education question fundamental assumptions about high ability and probe the larger contexts that influence gifted education. The first section of the book includes explorations of big-picture issues pertaining to fundamental assumptions about giftedness and talent. The second section addresses ways in which economic and academic contexts in today's globalized world can affect otherwise gifted minds. Section three explores the effects of these contextual influences on curriculum and instruction in the education of the highly able. Finally, a synthesis chapter analyzes patterns in the other contributions and makes recommendations for refinement of gifted education.

This title looks at the dogmatism that limits the perspectives of professionals, policymakers, and other stakeholders in gifted education. In a field where concepts and definitions surrounding high ability have been contested for many years, there is increasing interest in clarifying these notions today. This book offers such clarity, searching outside of the predominant conceptual frameworks that dominate thinking about giftedness and talent, and examining ways in which this conceptual fog stunts and warps the development of gifted minds and limits the effectiveness of curriculum development and instruction. The book directly addresses the connection between dogmatism and high ability, exploring ways in which otherwise bright individuals can make unintelligent decisions.

Each contributor in this edited collection connects educational theory with teaching practice, examining the impact of policies such as No Child Left Behind. The chapters also explore the ways in which economic, cultural, and academic contexts affect both the gifted mind and education of the highly able in America and the rest of the world, while making recommendations for positive changes that can be enacted within gifted education in the future.

Chemists, working with only mortars and pestles, could not get very far unless they had mathematical models to explain what was happening "inside" of their elements of experience -- an example of what could be termed mathematical learning.
This volume contains the proceedings of Work Group 4: Theories of Mathematics, a subgroup of the Seventh International Congress on Mathematical Education held at Universite Laval in Quebec. Bringing together multiple perspectives on mathematical thinking, this volume presents elaborations on principles reflecting the progress made in the field over the past 20 years and represents starting points for understanding mathematical learning today. This volume will be of importance to educational researchers, math educators, graduate students of mathematical learning, and anyone interested in the enterprise of improving mathematical learning worldwide.