Accepted proposals from Allan Tarp.

From STEM to STeN to make All Youth Numerate by 2030. ORAL PRESENTATION.
• From STEM to STeN, why? • Two different Definitions of ‘Numerate’ exist • Economics gives a Fundamental Understanding of Numbers and Calculations • Numeracy as Math Counting Totals in Units before Adding them with Units •
The proposal presents an innovative perspective on rethinking STEM education by introducing “STeN” – incorporating economics and numeracy alongside science, technology, and engineering. The author effectively links this approach to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of achieving global numeracy by 2030 and provides a detailed rationale for replacing mathematics with a unit-based numeracy framework. The discussion on the historical and economic roots of geometry and algebra adds depth and originality to the argument. Overall, this is a thought-provoking and original contribution with clear relevance to the conference theme. With additional structuring and practical application details, it could make a compelling and engaging paper presentation. The section contrasting definitions of “numerate” is particularly engaging, as it highlights the importance of action-oriented competencies over static descriptors. Additionally, the use of economic contexts, bundling concepts, and proportional reasoning to frame mathematical understanding is both creative and pedagogically relevant.

Integrating History in STEM or STeN may make all Youth Numerate by 2030. ORAL PRESENTATION
• Numerate Now, but How, and what is ‘Numerate’? • How Numerate are Children before School? • A short version of the History of Mathematics •
Thank you for your submission “Integrating History in STEM or STeN may make all Youth Numerate by 2030”. This proposal offers a distinctive perspective by embedding the historical development of mathematics, science, and technology into the discussion of numeracy and STEM/STEN education. The integration of historical context provides valuable insights into the evolution of mathematical concepts and their socio-economic foundations, enriching the conference dialogue. Although some foundational ideas overlap with your other submissions, the historical framing and narrative approach in this paper bring a fresh angle that will be of interest to conference participants. For these reasons, the programme committee has decided to include this work as an Oral Presentation. We look forward to your contribution to the conference programme.

Children’s own Numbers with Bundle-units may reach the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal and make all Youth Numerate by 2030. WORKSHOP
• Numerate Now, but How, and what is ‘Numerate’? • How Numerate are Children before School? • Numeracy as Math Counting and Recounting Totals in Units before Adding them •
Thank you for your submission, “Children’s Own Numbers with Bundle-units may reach the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal and make all Youth Numerate by 2030”. This proposal presents an engaging, hands-on approach to numeracy education through the use of children’s bundle-numbers and unit-based counting methods. The workshop format is particularly well-suited for this contribution, as it allows participants to actively experience the proposed methods, explore the BundleBundleBoard concept, and practice the activities directly. This interactive design will provide attendees with concrete strategies and materials they can adapt for their own educational contexts. We look forward to seeing your session in the Workshop programme, and to the opportunities it will create for participant interaction and skill development.

STeN allows Science, Technology with Engineering, Economics and Numeracy to solve Problems on a BundleBundleBoard and make all Youth Numerate by 2030. EXPO MATERIAL MARKET.
• Numerate Now, but How, and what is ‘Numerate’? • How Numerate are Children before School? • Economics’ Understanding and Working with Numbers leads directly to Numeracy • Science on a BundleBundleBoard • Technology on a BundleBundleBoard • Engineering on BundleBundleBoard •
Thank you for your submission “STeN allows Science, Technology with Engineering, Economics and Numeracy to solve Problems on a BundleBundleBoard and make all Youth Numerate by 2030”. The proposal presents a range of concrete, visual, and interactive examples demonstrating the BundleBundleBoard concept and its applications across science, technology, engineering, and economics. While the theoretical foundations overlap with some of your other submissions, the emphasis here on practical demonstrations, problem-solving activities, and visual models makes it especially well suited for the STEM Expo / Materials Market format. This setting will allow participants to directly engage with the materials, observe the methods in action, and discuss potential classroom applications in a hands-on environment. We look forward to seeing your work showcased in the Expo.

All proposals.

Integrating History may make all Youth numerate by 2030

From STEM to STeN to make all Youth numerate by 2030

Numeracy workshop

STeN on a BundleBundleBoard, expo

From STEM to STeN, including economy & Numeracy

Numeracy as Math with Units where Addition folds while Multiplication holds may make all Youth Numerate by 2030

Economics gives a core Understanding and Use of Numbers and Calculations in Primary School

Their basic meanings show geometry and algebra as rooted in economics. So, STEM should change to STeN including economics and Numeracy.

In Greek, geometry means to measure earth. And in Arabic, algebra means to reunite numbers. So, they have a common root in the basic economic question “How to divide the earth, and what it produces?”

A hunter-gatherer needs not tell the different degrees of many apart.

But a farmer does since here you produce to a market. And there, you need to be numerate to answer the question “How many in total?”

Which immediately leads to the answer “That depends on the unit.”

Units Matter. STeN and children all use units. Math does not and must go.

Can a Math with Units secure Numeracy for All?
Reviewer’s comment to a Paper for 2025 EARCOME 9 in Korea

“This proposal tackles an urgently needed conversation in mathematics education by challenging deeply ingrained assumptions about number systems and arithmetic instruction and proposing a truly decolonized approach that foregrounds learners’ intuitive “bundle‑number” language.

Its strength lies in weaving together a compelling theoretical critique—drawing on Habermas’s colonization concept and rich philosophical underpinnings—with concrete instructional innovations like the Algebra Square that reframe operations as intuitive spatial and bundling processes.

By aligning this reconceptualization directly with SDG 4’s numeracy targets and illustrating how multiplication‑centered reasoning better reflects real‑world number use, the paper promises to make a bold and impactful contribution to both research and practice.

We look forward to seeing how this work can reshape numeracy instruction and foster truly inclusive mathematical literacy for all.”

THE 9TH 2025 EARCOME 9 ICMI-EAST ASIA REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN KOREA

A Working Group (WG) is designed to foster in-depth discussion, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas among researchers within the mathematics education community. Unlike other formats that focus primarily on the presentation of individual research findings, WG encourages collective engagement with a common research topic. The goal of these sessions is to generate new insights, start joint research activities, and build lasting collaborations that can extend beyond the conference itself. WG session can address both emerging and well-established research topics within mathematics education. However, the focus is on topics where the research is evolving, and there is potential for new contributions. The session should include a clear goal, supported by a structured strategy to engage participants in meaningful collaboration. Opportunities for participant contributions are central to the success of WG, allowing for shared materials, collaborative work on texts, or focused discussions on well-defined questions.

Poster Presentation (PP)

Poster Presentation is designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas among participants. This format provides an interactive dynamic where attendees can engage directly with presenters by asking questions and discussing the work in a more informal setting. Poster Presentation is an excellent opportunity for both presenters and attendees to network, gain feedback, and inspire new collaborations. Accepted presenters will 90 minutes for presenting and discussing their research.

Working Groups (WG)

Special Sharing Groups (SSG)

We are excited to introduce the Special Sharing Group (SSG) as a distinctive feature of the upcoming EARCOME 9 conference. The SSG provides a dynamic and collaborative platform designed to bridge the gap between research and practice in mathematics education. These sessions will foster meaningful discussion and exchange among educators, researchers, and practitioners, focusing on innovative practices, critical insights, and the latest developments in the field.

Topic Study Groups

A Topic Study Group (TSG) is designed to bring together participants who share an interest in a particular topic related to mathematics education. Participants whose papers are accepted for TSGs will have 10-15 minutes for their oral presentations, although the presentation time may vary depending on the number of papers. Each TSG will be facilitated and organized by the following invited chairs.

Invited Lectures (IL)

No.01 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Curriculum and Materials

No.02 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Classroom Practice

No.03 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Assessment and Evaluation

No.04 The Essence of Mathematics Teacher Education

No.05 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Learning and Cognition

No.06 The Essence of Mathematics Education in the Use of Digital Technology

No.07 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Affective and Emotional Aspects

No.08 The Essence of Mathematics Education with Equity and Culture

No.09 The Essence of Mathematics Education in Undergraduate Level

No.10 The Essence of STE(A)M Education

MrAlTarp Contributions, accepted and rejected (Rej). WG & SSG with Yujin Lee, Kangwon National University.

PP. Children’s own Bundle-Numbers with Units may Reach the United Nations Development Numeracy Goal, p. 1
WG. Replacing STEAM with STEEM to also Include Economics, p. 4
SSG: Can a Decolonized Mathematics Secure Numeracy for All?, p. 7
TSG01. A Decolonized Curriculum and Children’s Bundle-Numbers with Units may Reach the UN Development Numeracy Goal, p. 10
TSG03. In BundleNumber-Math you just ask the BundleBundle Board, p. 15
TSG05. Teachers see 1 Number where Kids see 3 Numberings in 507, Who is Number-Blind?, p. 20
TSG06. Pocket Calculators in Grade one to Predict Division Tables, p. 25
TSG10. From STEM over STEAM to STEEM built on Economics, p. 30
IL. Math is Fun with Bundle-Numbers on a Bundle-Bundle-Board, p. 35
Rej.TSG02. From only Adding Essence to first Counting Existence, p. 65
Rej. TSG04. Cure Diagnoses – or Help their Innate Number Sense Develop?, p. 70
Rej. TSG07. BundleNumbers on a BundleBundleBoard make Losers Users, p. 75
Rej. TSG08. Critical versus Skeptical Mathematics, Client versus Agent, p. 80
Rej. TSG09. From Adding PerNumbers over Bayes Theorem and Integral Calculus to Enjoying Differences’ Vanishing middle Terms, p. 85

Collection

Lessons in BBM Bundle-Bundle Math on LinkedIn

Lessons in BBM Bundle-Bundle Math Fairy-told by Bo, a self-educated pre-teen child still living in an enchanted world with Bundle-numbers as 2 3s and 4B2 5s existing on a BundleBundleBoard.

Allan.tarp@gmail.com published on LinkedIn April-May 2025, https://www.linkedin.com/in/allantarp

Lesson 01. I count my fingers in 2s 5 = 0B5 = 1B3 = 2B1 = 3B-1 2s. Also 5 = 1BB 0B1 2s, and ten = 2BB0B2 = 1BBB 0BB 1B 0 2s. Likewise 37 = 3B7 = 2B17 = 4B-3. Otherwise, ten = 3B1 = 1BB 0B1 3s.

Lesson 02. I build squares with BundleBundles I see that 3 3s = 1BB 2B 1 2s = 1BB -2B 1 4s. So now I can learn the square-numbers 1, 4, 9, 16, 25 from the bottom and 81, 64, 49, and 25 from the top, of course sharing the same last digits.

Lesson 3. I square 6 4s to find its square-root I square 6 4s to find its square-root by moving half the excess form the top to the side to give 5 5s. So my first guess is that the square root of 6 4s is 5, which is too much since both 5s must give away a slice to fill the empty corner.

Lesson 4 – 35

“No, 1+1 is not 2, but 1 as shown by a Collapsing V-Sign” said the Children in their Declaration of Independence.

The 4th UN Sustainable Development Goal wants to ensure that all youth and most adults achieve literacy and numeracy.

This makes education a core institution meant to ‘teach learners something’.

But an institution must choose between different views on teaching and learning, and on what to master first, the outside goal or an inside means, Many or math.

These choices are discussed by the three grand theories, philosophy and sociology and psychology.

When adapting to Many in time and space before school children use their innate number-sense to develop bundle-numbers with units like two 3s.

The educational choice then is: shall existence precede essence, or shall essence be allowed to colonize existence with a ‘no-unit regime’?

Will children stay numerate if their own 2D bundle-numbers with units are left uncolonized instead of being colonized by the institutionalized 1D line-numbers without units?

The children may think so and formulate their own declaration of independence inspired by the parallel American one.

Preprint paper

The paper ‘The 12 Math-Blunders of Killer-Mathematics’ was written for the fifth Swedish Mathematics Education Research Seminar, MADIF 5, in Malmoe in Sweden in 2006. After its rejection it was presented at the 41. Tagung für Didaktik der Mathematik in Berlin Germany. The paper defines ‘killer-mathematics’ as the authorized routines that threaten to kill the enrolment to mathematics based education by creating enrolment problems; and that threatens to kill the relevance of mathematics. Using the principles of natural learning and natural research concepts and theory are based upon laboratory observations and validations. In this way a natural mathematics can be recreated revealing 12 math-blunders in mathematics education. The blunders are treating both numbers and letters as symbols, 2digit numbers before decimal numbers, fractions before decimals, forgetting the units, addition before division, fractions before pernumbers and integration, proportionality before doublecounting, balancing instead of backward calculation, killer equations instead of grounded equations, geometry before trigonometry, postponing calculus, and finally the 5 metablunders of mathematics education. The paper was rejected and only accepted as a short presentation. The way it was rejected led to the production of the following mini paper.

The mini-paper called ‘Moo Review and Tabloid Review’ was written in response to the rejection of the paper above. The paper defines ‘Moo-review’ as a review containing at most a single sound; and ‘Tabloid-review’ as a review containing only a single sentence. Three reviewers reviewed the paper above. The review contained 14 examples of moo-review, and 11 examples of tabloid-review. Only 2 statements contained two sentences. The paper uses this observation to raises some questions and to give some recommendations as how to use other forms of review questions. Also it proposes that moo-review and tabloid-review should not be accepted since statements as ‘yes’ and ‘no’ are verdicts, but in any democratic society a verdict always rests upon testimonies and cross-examination. The paper was sent to the conference editors, but it was not published.

I wrote a 20 pages 10K words chapter “Demodeling Calculus from Deriving Functions to Adding Per-numbers” to a coming Springer Nature book “New trends in teaching and learning of calculus” published in the book series “Research in Mathematics Education”.

The chapter points out that calculus is needed in grade one to add the bundle-numbers with units that children bring to school, e.g., ‘2 3s + 4 5s = ? 8s’, i.e., if you want to teach mathematics instead of ‘mathematism’ claiming that 1+1 = 2 despite 1week+1day = 8 days.

However, it was rejected based on two peer reviews. I gladly accept quality reviews, but in this case I think they may deserve the label ‘Poor Peer Review’.

And frankly, I am a little tired of Poor Peer reviews, so I have prosed to Springer to write a book with examples of Poor Peer Reviews and a Journal called ‘Preventing Poor Peer Review’.

You find the two reviews below as well as an extract from the paper.

An extended extract is published on LinkedIn.

The full paper may be seen here until the end of February 2025.

Review 01.

The proposed work is new and original, and it also has interesting historical and philosophical aspects. However, its connection with the teaching and learning of Calculus is minimal , so it does not seem to be the appropriate book for this work. On the other hand, the proposal is not truly a research work , since it lacks a methodological section, field work, results, etc.
In summary, I do not recommend the publication of this work for the book “New Trends in Teaching and Learning of Calculus” and I would suggest the author to send it to a publication more appropriate to his subject matter.

Review 02.

The proposed chapter presents a number of difficulties that, given my expertise, I believe require a detailed examination, particularly in relation to the intended audience.
One of my first observations is that throughout the text several shortcomings in its structuring are identified. In several sections , the relevance of sustainable development is mentioned (e.g. the goal By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy), but this idea is presented in a superficial way , without a clear link to school reality and the description of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. In my opinion, the author takes only the title of this agenda and develops his own interpretation , without going deeper into the subject.
During the reading, doubt arises about the target audience of the proposal , and although it is mentioned in a general way that it should be implemented in primary education, it is not made explicit in such a clear way.
Another important aspect is the lack of empirical studies to support the proposal, which would demonstrate its relevance for teaching and learning of calculus. Instead, the approach seems more like a personal intention of the author . While this approach is not necessarily negative, in the context of a book aimed at the teaching and learning of calculus , it is not appropriate, or at least not at this stage of development.
As a specialist in mathematics didactics, I am concerned about the implementation of this proposal in primary school students. In a relatively recent history (around 1960), the ‘New Math’ trend generated significant problems in teaching by prioritising mathematical formality over students’ cognitive readiness to understand these concepts. This chapter reminds me, to some extent, of that trend, so I would pay attention to it.
Now, in mathematical terms, the proposal is interesting, but I think it would be more suitable for students training to be teachers or mathematicians. This approach would allow them to visualise and explore mathematics from another perspective, as well as to work on demodeling processes, an aspect that I also find valuable on the part of the author.
In conclusion, I consider that the proposal needs a thorough restructuring . This includes clearly defining the target audience , conducting a more detailed analysis of the school curriculum (including a review of educational reforms in mathematics teaching), and supporting the proposal with empirical studies that demonstrate its relevance .

Math Education & Research 2017

Math Education & Research 2018

Math Education & Research 2019

Math Education & Research 2019 PPP

Math Education & Research 2020

Math Education & Research 2021

Math Education & Research 2023

Math Education & Research 2024

The Mathematics Education for the Future Project

A Symposium on New Ways of Teaching & Learning

The Historic City of Bologna, Italy, August 6-10, 2024

DeColonizing Math Ed by DeModeling Essence as Existence, a short PPP

Workshop in CATS-Math: Count & Add in Time & Space

DeColonized Math Flyer and Folder and ICME15 electronic Poster

Many before Math, a YouTube video:

Math decolonized by the child’s own BundleBundle-Numbers with units.

The Mathematics Education for the Future Project
A Symposium on New Ways of Teaching & Learning
The Historic City of Bologna, Italy, August 6-10, 2024

Project Home Pages: https://sites.google.com/view/alan-rogerson-home/home

And, https://sites.unipa.it/grim/21project.htm
Organising Committee:Alan Rogerson,Jasia Morska and Simone Brasili
Local Organisers: Chiara Chiarini and Alan Rogerson
In Cooperation with: Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education, Hong Kong Institute of
Education, MUED, DQME3, MAV, AWM, ATM, AAMT, Wholemovement, MACAS, AIMSSEC,
Mathematics Education Centre, Institute for Mathematics, Faculty of Sciences, Eötvös Lóránd
University, Budapest, International Symmetry Association and WTM-Verlag.

OUR PROJECT and OUR CONFERENCES

The programme for the Symposium is 5 nights B&B, Aug 6-10, 2024
Aug 6: Arrival ONLY & Registration: NO meals, NO sessions (B&B only)
Aug 7-10: 4 work Days with presentations and lunch
Aug 7: Welcome Reception at 6.15pm – cocktails/snacks
Aug 10: Gala Dinner 7pm in Hotel Restaurant
Aug 11: Departure ONLY with check-out after breakfast

Bologna is a city full of history. Its medieval center is among the largest in
Europe and its forty-two kilometers of porticoes, and the medieval towers,
give Bologna its unique character.
Bologna University was founded in 1088 and is the oldest university in the
world! (yes.. older even than “the other two places” in the UK!)
Bologna has an international airport and is also well served by High Speed
Trains that run the whole length of Italy with frequent connections to
Milan, Firenze, Rome, Naples etc.

(1) If you are interested in attending please fill in and send the registration
form below.
(2) If you you wish to present a paper or workshop please send NOW a
formal doc x ABSTRACT (up to 12 lines max) following CLOSELY the format
guidelines attached.
To help you do this page 2 of the guidelines is a doc x template
which is already FULLY formatted for you to enter your abstract.

DeColonized RobinHood Math brings back to Kids their own bundle numbers with units where 1+1=1, and 1+2=4, as shown by two V-signs.

Two V-signs show that 1 1s + 1 1s = 1 2s, and that 1 2s + 2 1s = 1 4s.