Thematic Afternoon
During one afternoon, the scientific programme will be organised into five overarching themes of general interest to mathematics educators. The themes, which will run in parallel, will take the shape of mini-conferences, comprising both sub-themes that focus on research and development, and sub-themes that focus on issues and problems. The sub-themes will be scheduled in parallel, but structured in such a way that participants may, if they so want, move between the sub-themes at various times. Organising teams are appointed by the IPC and their chairs are listed below. The themes will take care of the subsequent organisation of their theme in Thematic Afternoon. The planning process of the particular themes can be followed through the congress web site. The themes are:

Teachers of mathematics: Recruitment and retention, professional development and identity
• Recruitment, supply and retention of mathematics teachers
• Pre- and in-service education of mathematics teachers
• Mathematics teachers’ identity – their views on, and how they position themselves in relation to, mathematics, teaching and learning
• The mathematical competencies of teachers

Team Chairs: Glenda Anthony, Massey University, New Zealand, g.j.anthony@massey.ac.nz
                    Mellony Graven, University of the Witwatersrand,Johannesburg, South Africa,
                    gravenm@educ.wits.ac.za

Mathematics education in society and culture
• Multilingual and multicultural classrooms: Increasing diversity
• Mathematics education within and across different cultures and traditions
• Social and political contexts for mathematics education
• Equity in mathematics education: Culture, gender, and social class

Team Chairs: Alan Bishop, Monash University, Australia, alan.bishop@education.monash.edu.au
                    Pedro Gómez, University of Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, pgomez@uniandes.edu.co

Mathematics and mathematics education
• Trends in the mathematical sciences and their influence on mathematics education
• The role of research mathematicians in mathematics education
• New and old mathematical topics, and the balances between them, in mathematics curricula
• The mathematics educator: Mathematician or pedagogue?

Team Chairs: Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, IHÉS, Bures-sur-Yvette, France, jpb@daphne.math.polytechnique.fr
                    Fritz Schweiger, University of Salzburg, Austria, fritz.schweiger@sbg.ac.at

Technology in mathematics education
• New developments in information and communication technology for mathematics education
• Advantages and pitfalls concerning technology in mathematics education
• The Internet and mathematics education: Accessibility, use and misuse
• Technology in distance teaching and learning

Team Chairs: Paul Drijvers, The Freudenthal Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands, p.drijvers@fi.uu.nl
                    Kaye Stacey, University of Melbourne, Australia, k.stacey@unimelb.edu.au

Perspectives on research in mathematics education from other disciplines
• The perspective of psychology and cognitive science in research in mathematics education
• The perspective of philosophy in research in mathematics education
• The perspective of anthropology and sociology in research in mathematics education
• The perspective of general education in research in mathematics education

Team Chairs: Brent Davis, University of Alberta, Canada, brent.davis@ualberta.ca
                    Paul Ernest, University of Exeter, United Kingdom, p.ernest@exeter.ac.uk