General description on research questions, objectives and theoretical framework

During the last decades we have seen a steadily growing openness of the Russian community towards the western countries and societies. In the northern hemisphere, we have seen more and more relationships between Norway and Russia on the areas of trade and education. Thus, we are now conducting a research project to investigate which major differences are still to be seen between the two school cultures, specializing in certain didactical practices of mathematics.

The cold war brought forward a high status to the field of mathematics in the former Soviet Union. It was necessary to bring forward scientists that mastered the advanced mathematical fields being able to compete in the weapon race of the cold war, and the primary school was seen as an instrument to achieve this. Thus, much resource was directed towards increasing the level of mathematical education in the Soviet area. How much of this tradition is still alive? And if so, how is it materializing? This is of interest for this research group to investigate.

However, in narrowing the research subject into fewer items which thus could more easily be investigated, we are now comparing the two education systems with regards to mathematics in these various fields:

1. Which didactics are in use to learn children in the primary school the number system? Can we see any differences in the use of concrete demonstration tools such as the abacus?
2. Which type of curriculum are emphasized in the two different countries, and what can this tell us about the overall difference in the focus areas?
3. Pupils’ oral reflection in mathematics (Lampert, 1996). Which type of dialogue exists between the teacher and the pupil(s) comparing a typical classroom situation in the Norwegian and the Russian school? To answer this question, we need to be granted permission to observe a classroom session when visiting a Russian school.

Of particular interest is which emphasis is put upon the open problem solving techniques of learning mathematics. This tradition leans strongly on the cognitive ideas of Piaget and Vygotsky, the latter was himself a Russian. His focus was especially on the social language-driven aspects of learning. Does this learning theory have any role in the Russian mathematical didactics?

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