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Österholm, Magnus, Docent
Alternative names
Publications (10 of 57) Show all publications
Johansson, H. & Österholm, M. (2023). Algebra discourses in mathematics and physics textbooks: comparing the use of algebraic symbols. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Algebra discourses in mathematics and physics textbooks: comparing the use of algebraic symbols
2023 (English)In: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, ISSN 0020-739X, E-ISSN 1464-5211Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

It is agreed that algebra has an important role in physics, particularly through handling symbols. A lot of previous research has focused on how mathematics is used in physics from perspectives where mathematics is taken for granted, and not addressing potential differences of mathematics in the physics classroom and in the mathematics classroom. Studies addressing differences between both subjects have been based on researchers’ own experiences of mathematics in both subjects. Thus, more focused empirical research is needed. The purpose of this study is to clarify similarities and differences between mathematics and physics concerning the use of algebraic symbols. Analyses were based on comparisons between upper secondary textbooks in mathematics and in physics from a discourse perspective. Statistical methods were used to decide if there were any significant differences between the subjects. Results showed an overlap in the algebra discourse in both subjects, but also several differences concerning core aspects of algebra. For example, a higher number of different algebraic symbols in equations in physics than in mathematics, and algebraic symbols are more seldom referred to by words in mathematics than in physics. This can make it difficult for students to identify similarities in the algebraic discourses in both subjects.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2023
Keywords
Indeterminate quantities, upper-secondary school, visual mediators, word-use
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212249 (URN)10.1080/0020739X.2023.2226154 (DOI)001021394700001 ()2-s2.0-85164532285 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2023-07-20 Created: 2023-07-20 Last updated: 2023-07-20
Wikström Hultdin, U., Bergqvist, E., Bergqvist, T., Vingsle, L. & Österholm, M. (2023). Applying a new framework of connections between mathematical symbols and natural language. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 72, Article ID 101097.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Applying a new framework of connections between mathematical symbols and natural language
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2023 (English)In: Journal of Mathematical Behavior, ISSN 0732-3123, E-ISSN 1873-8028, Vol. 72, article id 101097Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

A reader of mathematical text must often switch between reading mathematical symbols and reading words. In this study, five different categories of structural connections between symbols and language, which invite such switches, are presented in a framework. The framework was applied in a study of Swedish mathematics textbooks, where 180 randomly selected pages from different educational stages were analyzed. The results showed a significant change in communication patterns as students progress through school. From a predomination of connections based on proximity found in year two, there is a gradual change to a predomination of symbols interwoven in sentences in year eight. Furthermore, more qualitative investigations of the different connections complemented the quantification, both through further explanations of the quantitative results, and through more examples of differences in communication patterns. The implications for readers of mathematics texts are discussed.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2023
Keywords
Inter-semiotic connections, Mathematical communication, Mathematical notation, Multimodal communication, Semiotic resources, Spatial connections
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-214590 (URN)10.1016/j.jmathb.2023.101097 (DOI)2-s2.0-85170711454 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017-03577
Available from: 2023-09-28 Created: 2023-09-28 Last updated: 2023-09-28Bibliographically approved
Theens, F., Bergqvist, E. & Österholm, M. (2023). Equivalence in multilanguage mathematics assessment. Nordisk matematikkdidaktikk, NOMAD: [Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education], 28(1-2), 7-29
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Equivalence in multilanguage mathematics assessment
2023 (English)In: Nordisk matematikkdidaktikk, NOMAD: [Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education], ISSN 1104-2176, Vol. 28, no 1-2, p. 7-29Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

When mathematics tasks are used in multilanguage assessments, it is necessary that the task versions in the different languages are equivalent. The purpose of this study is to deepen the knowledge on different aspects of equivalence for mathematics tasks in multilanguage assessment. We analyze mathematics tasks from PISA 2012 given to students in English, German and Swedish. To measure formal equivalence, we examine three linguistic features of the task texts and compare between language versions. To measure functional equivalence, a Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis is conducted. In addition, we examine statistically if there is a relation between DIF and the differences regarding linguistic features. The results show that there is both DIF and differences regarding the linguistic features between different language versions for several PISA tasks. However, we found no statistical relation between the two phenomena.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Göteborgs universitet, 2023
National Category
Didactics Pedagogical Work Mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-161960 (URN)
Note

Originally included in thesis in manuscript form with tite: "The relation between linguistic features and DIF in multilanguage mathematics assessments"

Available from: 2019-08-07 Created: 2019-08-07 Last updated: 2023-08-29Bibliographically approved
Johansson, H., Norberg, M. & Österholm, M. (2023). Interplay between modes in mathematics textbooks. In: Michal Ayalon; Boris Koichu; Roza Leikin; Laurie Rubel; Michal Tabach (Ed.), Proceedingsof the 46th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education: vol 1. Paper presented at 46th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2023, Haifa, Israel, 19-21 July, 2023. (pp. 262-262). Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Interplay between modes in mathematics textbooks
2023 (English)In: Proceedingsof the 46th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education: vol 1 / [ed] Michal Ayalon; Boris Koichu; Roza Leikin; Laurie Rubel; Michal Tabach, Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) , 2023, p. 262-262Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2023
Series
Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, ISSN 0771100X, E-ISSN 27903648
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-219098 (URN)2-s2.0-85180786361 (Scopus ID)9789659311217 (ISBN)
Conference
46th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2023, Haifa, Israel, 19-21 July, 2023.
Available from: 2024-01-11 Created: 2024-01-11 Last updated: 2024-01-11Bibliographically approved
Bergqvist, E. & Österholm, M. (2023). The role of implicit theoretical assumptions in empirical research. In: Michal Ayalon; Boris Koichu; Roza Leikin; Laurie Rubel; Michal Tabach (Ed.), Proceedings of the 46th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education: Volume 2. Paper presented at PME 46, the 46th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Haifa, Israel, July 16-21, 2023 (pp. 107-114). Haifa: University of Haifa, 2
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The role of implicit theoretical assumptions in empirical research
2023 (English)In: Proceedings of the 46th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education: Volume 2 / [ed] Michal Ayalon; Boris Koichu; Roza Leikin; Laurie Rubel; Michal Tabach, Haifa: University of Haifa , 2023, Vol. 2, p. 107-114Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

There is much research on the role of theory in mathematics education research, at least from more overarching or theoretical perspectives. Micro analyses of the role of theory in particular research studies are rarer. We contribute by analysing one empirical study to allow for in-depth analyses and discussions around the role of theory in a specific case, concerning relationships between mathematics and reading. Our results show that studies that do not use an explicit theoretical model can still be strongly influenced by implicit theoretical assumptions. We conclude that it is important to identify existing theoretical assumptions in an empirical research study and try to convey them as clearly as possible, and we discuss specific issues concerning research on relationships between mathematics and reading.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Haifa: University of Haifa, 2023
Series
Proceedings of the PME Conference, ISSN 0771-100X, E-ISSN 2790-3648
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Research subject
didactics of mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-212141 (URN)2-s2.0-85180759267 (Scopus ID)978-965-93112-2-4 (ISBN)
Conference
PME 46, the 46th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Haifa, Israel, July 16-21, 2023
Available from: 2023-07-17 Created: 2023-07-17 Last updated: 2024-01-11Bibliographically approved
Johansson, H., Norberg, M. & Österholm, M. (2022). A multimodal perspective on number sense in digital learning resources. In: Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas (Ed.), Proceedings of the 45th conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education: . Paper presented at The 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022 (pp. 241). PME, 4
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A multimodal perspective on number sense in digital learning resources
2022 (English)In: Proceedings of the 45th conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education / [ed] Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas, PME , 2022, Vol. 4, p. 241-Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

There is an increasing use of digital learning resources in mathematics education,which provides potential for multimodal approaches and new ways for students to meet and learn mathematics, but the outcome depends on the design and the implementation of the digital resources (Hoyles, 2018). This on-going study contributes by examining affordances of combinations of different modes in relation to number sense. We use Halliday’s social semiotic theory (Halliday & Matthiessen, 2013) and McIntosh et al.(1992) number sense framework for analysing a specific app, Vektor. We analysed the two exercises in the app that relate to aspects of number sense, Number pals and Number line. Each round in respective exercise was analysed with respect to Halliday’s three metafunctions: ideational, interpersonal, and textual. For the ideational function, McIntosh et al.’s framework was used to characterise the mathematical content. As an example, figure 1 illustrates the second and third rounds in Numberpals. In these rounds, both coloured rectangles and numerals are used to present the mathematics, and the main aspect of number sense in focus is identified as Multiple representations for numbers, for example, two red + three green = one red + four green, and 2+3=1+4. In the first round there were no numerals in the bars, only rectangles, and in the later rounds there were only numerals in the bars.Preliminary results, concerning the ideational metafunction, show that the mathematical object in focus may be perceived in different ways; either as just rectangles that should be combined (in a visual/geometrical sense), or as numbers of rectangles, or as numbers (and relations between numerals). This can impact students’ development of number sense. Further analyses will include all metafunctions and a focus on progression in the exercises. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
PME, 2022
Series
Proceedings of the PME Conference, ISSN 0771-100X, E-ISSN 2790-3648
National Category
Educational Sciences Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-205868 (URN)978-84-1302-178-2 (ISBN)
Conference
The 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022
Available from: 2023-03-21 Created: 2023-03-21 Last updated: 2023-03-22Bibliographically approved
Johansson, H., Norberg, M. & Österholm, M. (2022). A multimodal perspective on number sense in digital learning resources. In: Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas (Ed.), Proceedings of the 45th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education: . Paper presented at 45th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2022, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022 (pp. 241). Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 4
Open this publication in new window or tab >>A multimodal perspective on number sense in digital learning resources
2022 (English)In: Proceedings of the 45th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education / [ed] Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas, Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) , 2022, Vol. 4, p. 241-Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2022
Series
Proceedings of the PME Conference, ISSN 0771-100X, E-ISSN 2790-3648 ; PME45-2022
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-219339 (URN)2-s2.0-85181394778 (Scopus ID)9788413021782 (ISBN)
Conference
45th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2022, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022
Available from: 2024-01-15 Created: 2024-01-15 Last updated: 2024-01-15Bibliographically approved
Johansson, H., Österholm, M., Flodén, L. & Heidtmann, P. (2022). Clash of cultures?: Exploring students' perceptions of differences between secondary and tertiary mathematics education. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Clash of cultures?: Exploring students' perceptions of differences between secondary and tertiary mathematics education
2022 (English)In: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, ISSN 0020-739X, E-ISSN 1464-5211Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

Research has identified several aspects that influence students' transition to mathematics studies at university, but these aspects have often been studied separately. Our study contributes to the field's understanding of the transition between upper secondary and university mathematics by taking a multifaceted perspective not previously explored. We analyse experiences and attainment in mathematics of 154 engineering students with respect to known aspects of this transition, and our results show that it is important to consider several aspects together in order to understand the full complexity of the transition. It is revealed that students with previous experiences of university studies, when compared with new first year undergraduates, perceive a larger difference between studying mathematics at the upper secondary level and university. Our results also show that the engineering students enrolled in distance programmes experience larger differences between secondary and tertiary levels than engineering students enrolled in campus programmes. Furthermore, our analyses show that students' success in mathematics is related to their perceptions of the rift experienced in the transition. In all, our results highlight the importance of taking a student perspective in the development of explanatory and useful models of students' transition between upper secondary and university mathematics.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis Group, 2022
Keywords
Campus and distance education, student attainment, student perspective, transition
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Research subject
didactics of mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-195477 (URN)10.1080/0020739x.2022.2070558 (DOI)000794211600001 ()2-s2.0-85130262601 (Scopus ID)
Available from: 2022-05-28 Created: 2022-05-28 Last updated: 2023-03-24
Bergqvist, E., Vingsle, L., Österholm, M., Bergqvist, T. & Wikström Hultdin, U. (2022). How textbooks in different school years give meaning to mathematical symbols. In: Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas (Ed.), Proceedings of the 45th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education: . Paper presented at 45th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2022, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022 (pp. 178). Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 4
Open this publication in new window or tab >>How textbooks in different school years give meaning to mathematical symbols
Show others...
2022 (English)In: Proceedings of the 45th conference of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education / [ed] Ceneida Fernández; Salvador Llinares; Ángel Gutiérrez; Núria Planas, Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) , 2022, Vol. 4, p. 178-Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Alicante: Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2022
Series
Proceedings of the PME Conference, ISSN 0771-100X, E-ISSN 2790-3648 ; PME45-2022
National Category
Didactics Other Mathematics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-219331 (URN)2-s2.0-85181394183 (Scopus ID)9788413021782 (ISBN)
Conference
45th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2022, Alicante, Spain, July 18-23, 2022
Available from: 2024-01-15 Created: 2024-01-15 Last updated: 2024-01-15Bibliographically approved
Johansson, H. & Österholm, M. (2021). Algebra discourse in mathematics and physics textbooks for upper secondary school. In: Maitree Inprasitha; Narumon Changsri; Nisakorn Boonsena (Ed.), Proceedings of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education: . Paper presented at 44th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2021, Khon Kaen, Thailand and Online, 19-22 July, 2021. (pp. 149-149). Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 1
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Algebra discourse in mathematics and physics textbooks for upper secondary school
2021 (English)In: Proceedings of the international group for the psychology of mathematics education / [ed] Maitree Inprasitha; Narumon Changsri; Nisakorn Boonsena, Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) , 2021, Vol. 1, p. 149-149Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME), 2021
Series
Proceedings of the International Conference for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, ISSN 0771100X, E-ISSN 27903648
National Category
Didactics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-219061 (URN)2-s2.0-85180749076 (Scopus ID)9786169383000 (ISBN)
Conference
44th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, PME 2021, Khon Kaen, Thailand and Online, 19-22 July, 2021.
Available from: 2024-01-11 Created: 2024-01-11 Last updated: 2024-01-11Bibliographically approved
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