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This study investigates how collaborative, collective mathematical reasoning emerges when students jointly solve problems regarding fair sharing. Three 6-year-old children worked collaboratively in a group with a problem related to fair sharing, and their teacher was present. The data, captured in video recordings, was analysed using two frameworks: collective mathematical reasoning, and the theory of joint problem space. The results show that different things, such as physical artefacts aimed at sharing resources, challenges related to the task, and the students’ conceptions of mathematics, affect the students’ possibilities to engage in collaborative collective mathematical reasoning.

The article examines didactic choices in teaching where mathematics and sustainable development meet. The purpose of the teaching was to encou­rage preschool children to reason collectively about distribution problems. It was the children's reasoning about possible solutions that was in focus, not a correct answer. The preschool teacher's role was to create opportunities for agency: enable childrens own contributions to knowledge, pit different conflic­ting perspectives on sustainable solutions against each other and discuss the solutions. Based on the didactic modeling method, researchers and preschool teachers discussed the teaching based on different expertise. Documenta­tion created during these meetings was analysed, in order to investigate if the didactic what and how questions could help the preschool teachers create agency in teaching. The result shows how reflection on the didactic issues crea­ted opportunities for agency in relation to organization of time and environ­ment, of pairing children for collective work and language development work.

I artikeln undersöks didaktiska val i undervisning där matematik och hållbar utveckling möts. Undervisningens syfte var att uppmuntra förskolebarn att kollektivt resonera kring fördelningsproblem. Det var barnens resonemang om möjliga lösningar som låg i fokus, inte ett rätt svar. Förskollärarens roll var att skapa möjligheter för agens: att barnen kunde göra egna bidrag i kunska­pandet, där barnen kunde ställa olika konflikterande perspektiv om hållbara lösningar mot varandra och diskutera lösningarna. Utifrån metoden didaktisk modellering förde forskare och förskolläre diskussioner om undervisningen utifrån olika expertis. Dokumentationen som skapades under dessa möten analyserades, för att pröva om en didaktisk modell som hanterar de didaktisk vad- och hur-frågorna kunde hjälpa förskollärarna att skapa agens i undervis­ningen. Resultatet visar hur reflektion kring de didaktiska frågorna kan skapa möjligheter för agens i undervisningen. Didaktiska lösningar handlade om organisation av tid och miljö, om svårigheter att para ihop barn för kollektivt arbete samt språkutvecklande arbete.

Previous results show that Swedish upper secondary school teachers attribute gender to cases describing different types of mathematical reasoning. The purpose of this study was to investigate how these teachers gender stereotype aspects of students’ mathematical reasoning by studying the symbols that were attributed to boys and girls, respectively, in a written questionnaire. The results from the content analysis showed that girls were attributed gender symbols including insecurity, use of standard methods and imitative reasoning, and boys were assigned symbols such as multiple strategies especially on the calculator, guessing and chance-taking.

This study examines Swedish upper secondary school teachers’ gendered conceptions about students’ mathematical reasoning: whether reasoning was considered gendered and, if so, which type of reasoning was attributed to girls and boys. The sample consisted of 62 teachers from six different schools from four different locations in Sweden. The results showed that boys were significantly more often attributed to memorised reasoning and delimiting algorithmic reasoning. Girls were connected to gamiliar algorithmic reasoning, a reasoning type where you use standard method when solving a mathematical task. Creative mathematical founded reasoning, which is novel, plausible and founded in mathematical properties, was not considered gendered.

This paper explores low performing upper secondary school students’ mathematical reasoning when solving non-routine tasks in pairs. Their solutions were analysed using a theoretical framework about mathematical reasoning and a model to study beliefs as arguments for choices. The results confirm previous research and three themes of beliefs are used by the student. These themes are safety, expectations, and motivation. The results also show a connection between beliefs and imitative reasoning as a way to solve non-routine tasks. 

This paper illustrates how young children (age 1–5) use mathematical properties in collective reasoning during free outdoor play. The analysis of three episodes is presented. The results from the analysis of the argumentation show that the children used a variation of mathematical products and procedures, to challenge, support and drive the reasoning forward. When needed, they utilise concrete materials to illustrate and strengthen their arguments, and as an aid in order to reach conclusions. The children also use abstract social constructs, such as jokes, as part of their reasoning.

This study looks at Swedish preschool teachers conceptions about mathematics and emotional directions towards mathematics. The results indicate that the preschool teachers are positive towards mathematics. When describing what mathematics is at preschool level, most teachers lists mathematical products such as mathematical concepts and procedures in arithmetic and geometry.

In this paper, I explore recreational mathematics from two perspectives. I first study how the concept appears in educational policy documents such as standards, syllabi, and curricula from a selection of countries to see if and in what way recreational mathematics can play a part in school mathematics. I find that recreational mathematics can be a central part, as in the case of India, but also completely invisible, as in the standards from USA. In the second part of the report, I take an educational historical approach. I observe that throughout history, recreational mathematics has been an important tool for learning mathematics. Recreational mathematics is then both a way of bringing pleasure and a tool for learning mathematics. Can it also be a tool for social empowerment?