This work presents an experience we have done during a project carried out in third-grade children of two different primary schools. The aim of the classes was to promote the development of mathematical and scientific reasoning through different paths, both curricular and extra-curricular. An assessment moment has been done with adults, parents and teachers in order to give value to children’s mathematical skills which, starting from daily experiences, allowed them to assess their thinking processes.

This paper describes an Italian experience in Adult Learning Mathematics carried out in a Territorial Permanent Centre (CTP), i.e. an institutional structure for Adult Education. The program, that has been developed over the last three years, aims to enhance personal competencies without awarding any credentials. The description of the experience includes: an explanation of the aims and of our choiches of content and methodologies; an outline of the context and the procedures and, finally, illustration and discussion of the results.

In this work we investigate the potentiality of carrying out synergic activities using manipulative and virtual artefacts for the purposes of constructing/conceptualizing axial symmetry and its properties. The research study is based on the design and implementation of a teaching sequence involving 4th grade students. Both the design and the analysis of data is framed by the Theory of Semiotic Mediation (Bartolini Bussi & Mariotti, 2008) According to the results of the study the combined, intentional and controlled use of manipulative and virtual artefacts seems to develop a synergy whereby each activity enhances the potential of the other.

L’azione didattica è un processo olistico in cui interagiscono la didattica generale (DG) e le didattiche disciplinari (DD). Ma come si relazionano? Nel passato sono emersi due modelli: separando l’intervento tra saperi ed educazioni o eliminando uno dei due poli. Il lavoro che presentiamo cerca di superare i due opposti modelli. Le due discipline, DG e DD, impattano sulla stessa azione didattica e ciascuna interviene su tutti gli aspetti, ma con prospettive differenti. Tale sinergia permette un’analisi plurale che altrimenti sarebbe zoppa. Per cogliere i problemi e le sinergie di un’analisi plurale, il contributo analizza la ricerca relativa a un percorso di didattica della matematica per la Scuola Primaria al cui sviluppo hanno partecipato ri- cercatori dei due settori disciplinari.

Our research aims to investigate on creativity and imagination as possible artifacts for maths learning. In particular, we aim to understand if fairy tales can be used as artifacts for trying to find out whether children had previous mathematical knowledge or not, and as tools for developing knowledge, skills and abilities in the creation of imaginary settings. In this paper we claim that there may be an edge between imagination and creation of a reality that can lead to achieve mathematical notions in a creative way.

Teaching mathematics in kindergarten gives the opportunity to interpret the adult world through children's eyes rejecting the idea of a child as a small adult. In this paper we intend to suggest opportunities and ways to carry out this view of scientific education aiming to integrate imagination with a scientific approach and to solve adults' problems from a child's point of view.