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Didactics of mathematics

Mathematics didactics is the science of teaching and learning mathematics. It is concerned both with the investigation of learning processes and with the theoretically and empirically sound design of learning opportunities that promote learning.
One of the focal points of the Marburg Mathematics Didactics group is the networking of school and university mathematics. This plays a significant role in the transition from school to university. For student teachers, moreover, it is crucial in the later transition from university to school (as a professional field) - the central question is how to make subject-specific training effective in the teaching of subject-specific lessons. The dangers of the potential ruptures that can occur at the two transitions between school and university were pointed out by the mathematician Felix Klein as early as the beginning of the 20th century (speaking of a "double discontinuity").

In the Marburg group, we work on both "discontinuities": for the transition to university, for example, in the use of so-called "interface tasks", and for the transition to school, for example, on the question of how student teachers make their university knowledge of mathematical reasoning effective in the planning and implementation of lessons.

Another focus of our work is research on how students understand mathematical proofs presented to them in mathematics courses. The related set of questions has received much international attention in recent years, as it addresses areas of knowledge that are fundamental for success in mathematics studies. In the Marburg group, we are therefore investigating, among other things, the extent to which certain instructional designs can effectively support students in understanding proofs.

Regarding the design of mathematics instruction for other study programs (such as biology or pharmacy), we work on the question of how students of other subjects can be supported in the sustainable development of conceptual mathematical knowledge. To this end, we conduct empirical studies on self-learning materials such as so-called "solution examples", which enable students to work through mathematical content on their own (also in digital settings).