Theme of the conference
The CIEAEM was created in 1950 just after the Second World War by mathematicians, psychologists, teachers from many devastated and war-ravaged countries in Europe, all faced with major difficulties in the teaching of mathematics, reconstruction of society and even entire countries: lack of teachers, materials, and many refugees, displaced persons and orphans.
Leading figures such as Piaget, Choquet, Gategno, Dieudonné, and later Krygowska, Freudenthal and Castelnuovo, gathered to reconsider the teaching of mathematics in the light of these events.
From the beginning the founders of CIEAEM tried to restore the « Living together » by working with German teachers and mathematicians and in 1953 the meeting of the Commission took place in Germany in Calw.
The current situation in the world has several points in common with that of the post-war period, and Europe is confronted with problems quite similar to those at the time of the creation of CIEAEM. Living together has become a necessity. It is a challenge for education in general and the teaching of mathematics in particular.
What is living together ?
An adapted definition of Françoise Lorcerie, for the International School of Peace - CIFEDHOP http://www.eip-cifedhop.org/publications/thematique7/Lorcerie.html:
"Learn to enter into cooperative practices with all others with whom we share our present - and to develop feelings of sympathy for them, (...) learn to engage with them."
Also :
"It is acting in synergy through concrete and positive actions for the fulfillment of each one in the mutual respect of the differences on the intellectual, social, cultural and spiritual levels. It is building and acting together to build a common future. "(K. Bentounes)
Problematic
To live together is to do together: how can we rethink mathematical education for a “better living together”?
Can mathematics courses not be an opportunity to confront mathematical thinking and / or to learn by exchanging between pupils, pupils and professors, between teachers, both mathematics and also the art of living together? to evolve together through speech and reasoning?
On the other hand, what positive impact for living together can mathematics have in human society and not just in the classroom? This can be achieved by the students, actors of today and citizens of tomorrow, by the influence they can have on their family by modifying their behavior, by mathematical actions outside the walls of schools and universities.
From its history, CIEAEM is a european creation. However, the particular scheme of CIEAEM has increasingly attracted participants from other parts of the world. Their views and concerns occupy an ever-growing part of CIEAEM activities and open up exciting – and also worrying – perspectives on mathematics education as a global enterprise. CIEAEM faces the challenge of exchanging and sharing views, of offering aid and of co-operating in solutions without imposing Euro-centric views, and without fostering cultural alienation. The experience of CIEAEM is that mutual understanding, human and professional esteem, and an honest and attentive discourse can overcome these risks. The seriousness of the work, the "family"-character of the meetings, and the continuity of contacts have all proved to be assets of CIEAEM. (CIEAEM Manifesto1)
Apart from changing labour market demands for new, extended or upgraded qualifications, education institutions are scrutinised more often than in previous decades in terms of their contribution to local, regional, national and even global social and economic needs. Public service, technology transfer, wealth distribution, solutions to various problems, the production of a highly qualified workforce, reduction of inequality ... to name but a few of the multitude of expectations and demands. (CIEAEM Manifesto)
Today: The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals2 are part of the curricula of many countries. Of these, the following five objectives are more particularly related to education.
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries.
Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
To live together is to do together. What could be the contribution of mathematics?
