Anna Sfard

Keynote by Anna Sfard

What is it that we rehearse and how do we do it?

The routes we walk are made by walking. When we need to act, it is our previous experience that makes us able to decide on-the-spot what to do. In her talk, Sfard will discuss how rehearsing create patterns of actions, that is routines. She describes how routines come in different sizes and how our teaching routines constitute a tightly interconnected system, however without precluding creativity and improvisation

About Anna Sfard:
Sfard is a distinguished scientist and educator especially known for her contributions to the fields of mathematics education and the psychology of learning. She has made significant advancements in understanding how individuals acquire mathematical concepts and the cognitive processes involved in learning. Sfard's interdisciplinary approach, drawing from psychology, education, linguistics, and philosophy, and lately also from neuroscience has enriched our understanding of how individuals learn and construct knowledge in the context of mathematics and beyond. She has held academic positions at various institutions, including the Michigan State University in US and Institute of Education (UCL) in England and is now a professor emerita at the University of Haifa.

One of Sfard's notable contributions is her theory of "commognition" (communication + cognition), which she developed to explain the process of learning and understanding abstract mathematical concepts. This theory emphasizes the role of language and communication in shaping thinking and highlights the social nature of learning.  Sfard is also a member of the international advisory board for the ReTPro-project.