Teaching young children math through sharing could boost sustainable development
Researchers have mapped how mathematics education for 4- to 8-year-olds can embed sustainability concepts by focusing on the idea of sharing. The finding addresses a gap in practical teaching strategies and could reshape early-childhood curriculum design and teacher training programs.
Originaltitel: Cases to enhance reasoning in mathematics and education for sustainable development
The need to develop cross-curricular teaching in sustainable development is immense, and mathematics education has an important role. However, there are only a few suggestions on what such teaching can look like for younger children. This short communication presents a theoretical analysis of six cases used in a research project focusing on teaching children between 4 and 8 years old. The chosen concept was sharing, a key concept in sustainable development also relevant to mathematics education. The cases used in the project are analysed regarding afforded mathematical properties and ethical theories. Each case is then commented on using the combined results from the project. The cases illustrate a plausible content, and together with teachers’ didactical choices, they form an appropriate content for teacher education and professional development courses.