The Spanish Society for
Research in Mathematics Education (SEIEM)
by Luis Rico
During the last two decades Spanish university departments of Didactic
of Mathematics have invested a great effort in developing research on
mathematics education and in reaching current standards of quality of
research in the international community in this field. Today, the
Spanish group of researchers in mathematics education has grown and
has achieved a vigorous and increasing production, involving all
levels of the educational system and attempting to inquire into the
main problems of the teaching and learning of mathematics. This
context provides an explanation of the fact that a great number of
Spanish researchers felt the need to set up a Society of their
own. The Spanish Society for Research in Mathematics Education (SEIEM)
was finally founded in March 1996. Among its aims we underline the
following:
- To create and maintain a space of communication for criticizing and
debating about research on mathematics education. This space will be
used to pose questions, to communicate and exchange results, to deepen
theoretical constructions, and to improve and validate methodological
designs.
- To promote steady research groups on mathematics education, with a
qualified production, prepared to delimit priorities and to tackle
specific inquiry questions.
- To promote mathematics education in research institutions and
educational agencies; to stress regular applications for research and
education programs.
- To contribute to and to assume a leading role in the development,
assessment and uses of research in Didactics of Mathematics.
- To contribute to the dissemination of the outcomes of research in
the mathematics education fora, meetings and publications.
- To establish relations and to promote collaborative work with other
research groups in mathematics education.
- To actively foster the cooperation and exchange between research and
practice throughout the educational system.
To be in charge of carrying out this comprehensive plan of work SEIEM
has elected the following Committee:
- President:
- Dr. L. Rico, University of Granada;
- Secretary:
- Dr. E. Lacasta, Public University of Navarra;
- Treasurer:
- Dr. M. Sierra, University of Salamanca;
- Staff members:
- Dra. C. Azcarate, Autonomous University of Barcelona,
Dra. V. Sanchez University of Sevilla, and L. Puig, University of
Valencia.
As a next step, the new Society initiated a debate on priorities in
research topics in mathematics education. This led to the organization
of several working groups among the members. Six groups were
established:
- 1. Didactics of Analysis, coordinated by Dra. C. Azcarate, Autonomous
University of Barcelona;
- 2. Geometry Learning, coordinated by Dr. A. Gutierrez, University of
Valencia;
- 3. Didactics of Statistics, Probability and Combinatorics, coordinated
by Dra. C. Batanero University of Granada;
- 4. Numerical and Algebraical Thinking, coordinated by Dr. B. Gomez,
University of Valencia;
- 5. Research on the Mathematics Teacher: Attitudes, Beliefs, Knowledge
and Understanding, Development and Teacher Education, coordinated by
Dr. S. Llinares University of Sevilla;
- 6. Research Methodology in the Didactic of Mathematics, coordinated by
Dr. L. Rico University of Granada, and Dr.E. Lacasta, Public
University of Navarra.
Luis Rico,
Departamento Didactica de la Matematica
Facultad de Ciencias de la Educacion. Campus de Cartuja
Universidad de Granada. 18071 Granada, SPAIN.