Leslie P. Steffe - Böcker

The studies presented in this book should be of interest to anybody concerned with the teaching of arithmetic to young children or with cognitive development in general. The 'eaching experiment· was carried out with half a dozen children entering first grade over two years in biweekly sessions. Methodologically the authors' research is original. It is a longitudinal but not a naturalistic study, since the experimenter-teachers directed their interaction with each individual child with a view to his or her possible progress. It is experimental in the sense that two groups of subjects were selected according to criteria derived from an earlier study (Steffe, von Glasersfeld, Richards & Cobb, 1983) and that the problems proposed were comparable, though far from identical across the subjects; but unlike more rigid and shorter "learning" or ''training" studies it does not include pre-and posttests, or predetermined procedures. Theoretically, the authors subscribe to Piagefs constructivism: numbers are made by children, not found (as they may find some pretty rocks, for example) or accepted from adults (as they may accept and use a toy). The authors interpret changes in the children's counting behaviors in terms of constructivist concepts such as assimilation, accommodation, and reflective abstraction, and certain excerpts from protocols provide on-line examples of such processes at work. They also subscribe to Vygotsky's proposal for teachers '0 utilize the zone of proximal development and to lead the child to what he (can) not yet do· (1965, p. 104).

On the 26th, 27th, and 28th of February of 1988, a conference was held on the epistemological foundations of mathematical experience as part of the activities of NSF Grant No. MDR-8550463, Child Generated Multiplying and Dividing Algorithms: A Teaching Experiment. I had just completed work on the book Construction of Arithmetical Meanings and Strategies with Paul Cobb and Ernst von Glasersfeld and felt that substantial progress had been made in understanding the early numerical experiences of the six children who were the subjects of study in that book. While the book was in preparation, I was also engaged in the teaching experiment on mUltiplying and dividing algorithms. My focus in this teaching experiment was on investigating the mathematical experiences of the involved children and on developing a language through which those experiences might be expressed. However, prior to immersing myself in the conceptual analysis of the mathematical experiences of the children, I felt that it was crucial to critically evaluate the progress that we felt we had made in our earlier work. It was toward achieving this goal that I organized the conference. When trying to understand the mathematical experiences of a child, one can do no better than to interact with the child in a mathematical context guided by the intention to specify the child's current knowledge and the progress the child might make.

The "Taiwan question" has long been considered one of the most complicated and explosive issues in global politics. In recent years, however, relations between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have improved substantially to the surprise of many. In this ground-breaking collection, distinguished contributors from the US, Asia, and Europe seek to go beyond the standard "recitation of facts" that often characterizes studies focusing on the Beijing-Taipei dyad. Rather, they employ a variety of theories as well as both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyze the ebbs and flows of the Taiwan issue. Their discussions clearly illuminate why there is a "Taiwan Problem," why conflict did not escalate to war between 2000 and 2008, and why cross-Strait relations improved after 2008. The book further reveals the limits of realism as a device to gain traction into the Taiwan issue, demonstrates the importance of taking into account domestic political variables, and shows how theory can be used to advance the cause of better China-Taiwan relations and to analyze the potential for future conflict over Taiwan.New Thinking about the Taiwan Issue is essential reading not only for students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in studying relations across the Taiwan Strait, but also for any reader interested in economics, international relations, comparative politics or political theory.

Over the last twenty-five years Ernst von Glasersfeld has had a tremendous impact on mathematics and science education through his fundamental insights into the nature of knowledge and knowing. Radical Constructivism in Action is a new volume of papers honouring his work by building on his model of knowing. The contributions by leading researchers present constructivism in action, tying the authors' actions regarding practical problems of mathematics and science education, philosophy, and sociology to their philosophical constraints, giving meaning to constructivism operationally. The book begins with a retrospective analogy between radical constructivism's emergence and changes in what is thought of as "certain" scientific knowledge. It aims to increase understanding of constructivism and Glasersfeld's achievement, and is vibrant evidence of the continued vitality of research in the constructivism tradition.

Eminent scholars from around the globe gathered to discuss how educational systems would change if the prevailing principles of constructivism were applied to three major aspects of those systems -- knowledge and learning, communication, and environment. This volume provides documentation of the proceedings of this important meeting - - the Early Childhood Action Group of the Sixth International Congress on Mathematics Education.This international assembly, representing such diverse disciplines as mathematics and math education, epistemology, philosophy, cognitive science, psycholinguistics, and science education, is the first to examine early childhood mathematics education from constructivist and international perspectives in addition to formulating recommendations for future work in the field.

Eminent scholars from around the globe gathered to discuss how educational systems would change if the prevailing principles of constructivism were applied to three major aspects of those systems -- knowledge and learning, communication, and environment. This volume provides documentation of the proceedings of this important meeting - - the Early Childhood Action Group of the Sixth International Congress on Mathematics Education.This international assembly, representing such diverse disciplines as mathematics and math education, epistemology, philosophy, cognitive science, psycholinguistics, and science education, is the first to examine early childhood mathematics education from constructivist and international perspectives in addition to formulating recommendations for future work in the field.

Unique in offering a multidisciplinary perspective on key issues of alternative epistemologies in education, this collection includes contributions from scholars in family therapy, epistemology, and mathematics, science, and language education. These respected researchers were brought together to develop the theme of constructivism as it applies to many diversified fields. This book examines key distinctions of various constructivist epistemologies, comparing and contrasting the various paradigms. Each section provides both keynote positions on a particular alternative paradigm as well as critical comments by respondents regarding that position. Several chapters also present a synthesis of the alternative epistemological perspectives.

Unique in offering a multidisciplinary perspective on key issues of alternative epistemologies in education, this collection includes contributions from scholars in family therapy, epistemology, and mathematics, science, and language education. These respected researchers were brought together to develop the theme of constructivism as it applies to many diversified fields. This book examines key distinctions of various constructivist epistemologies, comparing and contrasting the various paradigms. Each section provides both keynote positions on a particular alternative paradigm as well as critical comments by respondents regarding that position. Several chapters also present a synthesis of the alternative epistemological perspectives.

Chemists, working with only mortars and pestles, could not get very far unless they had mathematical models to explain what was happening "inside" of their elements of experience -- an example of what could be termed mathematical learning.This volume contains the proceedings of Work Group 4: Theories of Mathematics, a subgroup of the Seventh International Congress on Mathematical Education held at Université Laval in Québec. Bringing together multiple perspectives on mathematical thinking, this volume presents elaborations on principles reflecting the progress made in the field over the past 20 years and represents starting points for understanding mathematical learning today. This volume will be of importance to educational researchers, math educators, graduate students of mathematical learning, and anyone interested in the enterprise of improving mathematical learning worldwide.

Chemists, working with only mortars and pestles, could not get very far unless they had mathematical models to explain what was happening "inside" of their elements of experience -- an example of what could be termed mathematical learning.This volume contains the proceedings of Work Group 4: Theories of Mathematics, a subgroup of the Seventh International Congress on Mathematical Education held at Université Laval in Québec. Bringing together multiple perspectives on mathematical thinking, this volume presents elaborations on principles reflecting the progress made in the field over the past 20 years and represents starting points for understanding mathematical learning today. This volume will be of importance to educational researchers, math educators, graduate students of mathematical learning, and anyone interested in the enterprise of improving mathematical learning worldwide.

The "Taiwan question" has long been considered one of the most complicated and explosive issues in global politics. In recent years, however, relations between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have improved substantially to the surprise of many. In this ground-breaking collection, distinguished contributors from the US, Asia, and Europe seek to go beyond the standard "recitation of facts" that often characterizes studies focusing on the Beijing-Taipei dyad. Rather, they employ a variety of theories as well as both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyze the ebbs and flows of the Taiwan issue. Their discussions clearly illuminate why there is a "Taiwan Problem," why conflict did not escalate to war between 2000 and 2008, and why cross-Strait relations improved after 2008. The book further reveals the limits of realism as a device to gain traction into the Taiwan issue, demonstrates the importance of taking into account domestic political variables, and shows how theory can be used to advance the cause of better China-Taiwan relations and to analyze the potential for future conflict over Taiwan.New Thinking about the Taiwan Issue is essential reading not only for students, scholars and practitioners with an interest in studying relations across the Taiwan Strait, but also for any reader interested in economics, international relations, comparative politics or political theory.

Over the last twenty-five years Ernst von Glasersfeld has had a tremendous impact on mathematics and science education through his fundamental insights into the nature of knowledge and knowing. Radical Constructivism in Action is a new volume of papers honouring his work by building on his model of knowing. The contributions by leading researchers present constructivism in action, tying the authors' actions regarding practical problems of mathematics and science education, philosophy, and sociology to their philosophical constraints, giving meaning to constructivism operationally. The book begins with a retrospective analogy between radical constructivism's emergence and changes in what is thought of as "certain" scientific knowledge. It aims to increase understanding of constructivism and Glasersfeld's achievement, and is vibrant evidence of the continued vitality of research in the constructivism tradition.

Children’s Fractional Knowledge elegantly tracks the construction of knowledge, both by children learning new methods of reasoning and by the researchers studying their methods. The book challenges the widely held belief that children’s whole number knowledge is a distraction from their learning of fractions by positing that their fractional learning involves reorganizing—not simply using or building upon—their whole number knowledge. This hypothesis is explained in detail using examples of actual grade-schoolers approaching problems in fractions including the schemes they construct to relate parts to a whole, to produce a fraction as a multiple of a unit part, to transform a fraction into a commensurate fraction, or to combine two fractions multiplicatively or additively.These case studies provide a singular journey into children’s mathematics experience, which often varies greatly from that of adults. Moreover, the authors’ descriptive terms reflect children’s quantitative operations, as opposed to adult mathematical phrases rooted in concepts that do not reflect—and which in the classroom may even suppress—youngsters’ learning experiences.Highlights of the coverage:Toward a formulation of a mathematics of living instead of beingOperations that produce numerical counting schemesCase studies: children’s part-whole, partitive, iterative, and other fraction schemesUsing the generalized number sequence to produce fraction schemesRedefining school mathematicsThis fresh perspective is of immediate importance to researchers in mathematics education. With the up-close lens onto mathematical development found in Children’s Fractional Knowledge, readers can work toward creating more effective methods for improving young learners’ quantitative reasoning skills.