Here is another webinar as part of the "Mathematics for global challenges: Lessons learned from international mathematics educators" hosted by the U.S. National Commission on Mathematics Instruction- NASEM.

Supporting mathematics teachers to use authentic tasks in their classrooms

We will present examples of authentic tasks that have been developed in the context of European projects with a focus on the mathematical processes and practices that can be developed through these tasks.  We will also provide a short review of the research literature of the different types of authentic tasks and of the ways of managing these tasks in the classroom focusing on the modeling process and emphasizing the processes involved in students’ work as well as the complex relationship between reality and mathematics.  Finally, issues related to our work with teachers while designing and implementing authentic tasks will be addressed.

Despina Potari is professor in the Mathematics Department of the National and Kapodostrian University of Athens.  She received her first degree in Mathematics from the same university and a PhD in Mathematics Education from the University of Edinburgh.  She has been visiting professor at several universities abroad.  Her research interest is on the development of mathematics teaching and learning and teacher development.  Her current focus is on macro and micro aspects of mathematics teaching and on mathematics teacher collaboration.  Since 2017 she is chief editor of the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education.

Giorgos Psycharis is Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the Department of Mathematics (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens – NKUA).  He received his first degree in Mathematics from NKUA (1991) and his PhD in Mathematics Education from the same University (2005).  His fields of interest include the design of learning environments for mathematics with the use of digital technologies, connecting mathematics teaching to authentic situations, and mathematics teacher education (levels of prospective teachers, practicing teachers and teacher educators).  He has participated in more than twelve STEM related national and European projects.  Some of these projects involved professional development for prospective and/or practicing mathematics and science teachers in areas such as inquiry-based learning and workplace, mathematical challenge and differentiation and formative assessment.

Chrissavgi Triantafillou has studied Mathematics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.  Her master’s degree was in Mathematics at the York University in Toronto, Canada and she had received her PhD in Mathematics Education in 2010 from the University of Partas, Greece.  Her research work during her PhD was on tracing connections between mathematics in school and in workplace settings.  Her postdoctoral research was on tracing connections between mathematics and science school practices in relation to the notion of periodicity.  Her research focus was on the argumentative practices developed in mathematics and science school textbooks.  She has been  Assistant Professor in Mathematics Department of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens since 2017. She was involved in PD activities for prospective and practicing mathematics and science teachers in the context of five European funded projects: Mascil, IncluSMe, Formas, EDUCATE and ENSITE.

When: Tuesday February 1, from 3 to 4 pm (EST)

To register: https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/02-01-2022/supporting-mathematics-teachers-to-use-authentic-tasks-in-their-classrooms