An introduction to TWG1 : Argumentation and proof

Abstract

Argumentation and proof is a research area that continues to attract the wide interest of the mathematics education research community, which was also evident in CERME13. CERME13 was the first in-person conference after a period of online meetings, which was reflected on the great interest of the participants who were actively engaged in practicing and promoting communication, cooperation, and collaboration. In Thematic Working Group 1 (TWG1; “Argumentation and proof”), 48 participants from 20 different countries discussed and reflected upon the 34 papers and 6 posters presented in TWG1. The papers of TWG1 were organized in four topics: a) Argumentation and proof in teacher training and education, b) Argumentation and proof in school and university mathematics, c) Theoretical and epistemological perspectives about argumentation and proof, and d) Argumentation and proof in mathematical activity, modelling, and problem solving. The work of TWG1 was organized in whole-group sessions and (parallel) split-group sessions to maximize active participation and to ensure the coherence and unity of the TWG1 spirit in the split-groups. The main points of interest of each split-group session were reported in a whole-group session, so that an overview of all TWG1 papers would be obtained. In this introductory chapter, drawing upon the discussions of our group, the TWG1 papers are organized in three themes: a) Theoretical and epistemological perspectives about argumentation and proof, b) Argumentation and proof in teacher education and training, and c) Argumentation and proof in school and university.