International Reflections on the Netherlands Didactics of Mathematics

Front matter

ICME-13 Monographs

Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen Editor

Hamburg 2016

Preface

This volume is part of the ICME-13 Monographs and is a spin-off of the Netherlands strand of the ICME-13 Thematic Afternoon on “European Didactic Traditions” held in Hamburg in 2016. In this session, four European countries— France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands—presented their approach to teaching and learning mathematics in school and in research and development. The session inspired mathematics didacticians familiar with Dutch mathematics education to reflect on the approach to teaching and learning mathematics education in the Netherlands and the role of the Dutch domain-specific instruction theory of Realistic Mathematics Education. This resulted in two volumes: International Reflections on the Netherlands Didactics of Mathematics—Visions on and Experiences with Realistic Mathematics Education and National Reflections on the Netherlands Didactics of Mathematics—Teaching and Learning in the Context of Realistic Mathematics Education.

The current volume is the International Reflections book. In this volume, forty-four authors from fifteen countries outside the Netherlands reflect on Realistic Mathematics Education (RME), the domain-specific instruction theory developed in the Netherlands since the late 1960s. The authors discuss what aspects of RME appealed to them and explain how RME has influenced their thinking on mathematics education, the RME-based projects they are working on, and how RME has sometimes even altered aspects of their countries’ tradition in teaching and learning mathematics. Consequently, it will not be a surprise that the chapters in this volume express much appreciation for RME. Yet, in addition to their approval, the authors also articulate the challenges of RME. It is apparent that a particular approach to mathematics education cannot simply be transplanted to another country. This knowledge is not new, but what is new is that the chapters show how a ‘local’ approach to mathematics education—which, in fact, RME is—has turned out in other countries. The authors have elucidated how they have adapted RME to their circumstances and their view on mathematics education. By showing how others have used RME and made their own interpretations of it, a mirror is held up to RME, which in turn also benefits its further development. The chapters make it clear that looking at RME from abroad and from the perspective of other cultural vi Preface contexts can put a brighter spotlight on the essence of RME than only reflections and deliberations from inside.

Getting the thought in mind of turning the international life of RME into a volume took little more than a split second. Realising this and creating the volume took years—no need to be precise here. It was a huge enterprise that, thanks to the inspiring chapters of all authors who contributed to this volume, has become reality. However, especially instrumental for this was Nathalie Kuijpers, who together with me checked and double-checked all the texts. Many, many thanks for this.

Utrecht, the Netherlands Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen March 2019 m.vandenheuvel-panhuizen @ uu.nl; m.vandenheuvel-panhuizen @nord.no

Contents

1 Seen Through Other Eyes—Opening Up New Vistas in Realistic Mathematics Education Through Visions and Experiences Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen

2 From Tinkering to Practice—The Role of Teachers in the Application of Realistic Mathematics Education David C. Webb and Frederick A. Peck

3 Searching for Alternatives for New Math in Belgian Primary Schools—Influence of the Dutch Model of Realistic Dirk De Bock, Wim Van Dooren and Lieven Verschaffel