Mathematics with a Subject Didactic Focus

When Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) began its support of the Graduate School in Mathematics with a Subject Didactic Focus, two goals were decided upon. RJ wanted to provide the university teacher-training programmes and high schools with an increased number of teachers trained in research within the field of mathematics, which is the reason for the didactic focus of the educational programme. In addition, RJ wanted to develop mathematical didactic research in Sweden.

The graduate school’s doctoral students study at 10 different mathematical institutes from Luleå in the north to Kristianstad in the south. They receive supervision in collaboration with mathematicians, mathematical didacticians and pedagogues. A total of 20 doctoral students have participated in the joint activities, organised by the graduate school. Their home departments are at ten different universities/university colleges located throughout the country.

During 2006, the first doctor’s theses were published. Kristina Juter’s was the first to defend her doctor’s thesis “Limits of functions: university students' concept development”. Subsequently, additional doctoral students have defended their doctor’s theses. All eight doctoral students who presented their doctor’s theses up until 2006 received employment directly related to their doctoral education within a university/university college, state authority or municipal educational administration.

The graduate school was evaluated during the fall of 2005 by Professor Ole Skovsmose of Aalborg University, Denmark. The evaluation was based upon the doctor’s theses which were submitted within the framework of the graduate school. The report was entitled, Graduate School in Mathematics Education, Research Report in Mathematics Education, Nr 1, 2006, Institute for mathematics and mathematical statistics, Umeå University.

Updated 11 September 2008.