Research forums

49th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education PME 49

A Working Group is a format of group presentation undertaken by a group of at least two researchers. The aim of a Working Group is that PME participants are offered the opportunity to engage in exchange or to collaborate in respect to a common research topic (e.g., start a joint research activity, share research experiences, continue or engage in academic discourse). See also working group information at IGPME.org.  

A Working Group may deal with emerging topics (in the sense of newly developing) as well as topics that are not new but possibly subject to changes.  

A Working Group needs a clear goal (outcome) and a strategy to reach this goal in collaboration with the participants. It must provide opportunities for contributions of the participants that are aligned with the goal (e.g. share materials, work collaboratively on texts, discuss well-specified questions).  

A Working Group is not supposed to be a collection of individual research presentations (see Colloquium format), but instead is meant to build a coherent opportunity to work on a common research topic. In contrast to the Research Forum format that is meant to present the state of the art of established research topics, Working Groups are considered to involve fields where research topics are evolving.  

A Working Group:  

  • focuses on a research topic of substantial interest within the PME community;
  • has a clear goal and a strategy to reach this goal in collaboration with the participants;
  • includes structural opportunities for contributions by the participants to reach the goal;
  • involves only a minimum of planned presentations to stimulate the specific collaboration or exchange;
  • is provided by at least two researchers who are actively working within the research topic;
  • covers 2 slots of 90 minutes each;
  • is represented via the 2-page proposal in the conference proceedings; and
  • will be portrayed in respect to its outcomes, after the conference, in a report to be included in the following PME newsletter.  

Submission and Reviewing Process  

Working Groups are subject to review in order to ensure the fit to the goals of PME as an organization. The deadline for proposals (2 pages) is March 1st, 2026, via ConfTool. The International Program Committee (IPC) reviews the proposals for Working Groups and decides on their acceptance during the Second IPC meeting (April).  

Proposals must include: 

  • the topic, title, goal, and strategy to reach the goal of the Working Group;
  • the names of all researchers contributing (minimum of 2);
  • the name of the coordinator (corresponding researcher);
  • an outline of the theoretical background of the research topic;
  • an explicit statement on the way the participants are expected to engage in collaboration and/or exchange in the Working Group;
  • an explicit statement if the Working Group is a new initiative or a follow up on previous PME activities, as well as an indication of tentative follow up activities at future PME conferences (further WGs, RRs, Colloquium, etc.);
  • a detailed description of the proposed layout of the Working Group, including
  • thematic structuring, time structuring for 2 slots of 90 minutes each, as well as descriptions of planned presentations and participants’ exchange/collaboration activities;
  • opportunities to contribute by participants and details on the organizational process (if needed, organizers may use the PME communication infrastructure at IGPME.org for collaboration).  

Presentation and Proceedings  

Two 90-minute slots will be devoted to each Working Group. The conference chairs are asked to schedule the slots subsequent whenever possible, although this cannot be guaranteed. All Working Groups will take place on site during the conference.  

The proposals should follow the PME formatting guidelines. The total length of the proposal is 2 pages, including references. If accepted, this proposal will be included in the conference proceedings. For accepted papers to be included in the proceedings, all researchers contributing to the Working Group have to make a full registration May 17, 2026, at the latest.  

After presentation, each Working Group is required to send a report of its activities and the goals reached to the PME Administrative Manager (info@igpme.org) by September 2026. This report may be included in the following PME Newsletter. 

The goal of a Seminar is the professional development of PME participants, especially new researchers and/or first comers, in different topics related to scientific PME activities. This encompasses, for example, aspects like research methods, academic writing or reviewing. A Seminar is not intended to be only a presentation but should involve the participants actively. PME can give a certificate of attendance to participants of the Seminar. Facilitating a seminar will not count as a contribution for the existing restrictions on conference contributions.  

Submission and review process  

A SE application must include: 

  • name of a coordinator;
  • information about the topic and the goals of the SE as well as descriptions of specific tasks or activities to be carried out in the sessions; and
  • a short outline about the goals and/or activities planned for each of the two 90 minutes’ sessions. 

Two-page proposals for a SE must be submitted not later than March 1, 2026 via ConfTool. The International Program Committee reviews and selects SEs during the second IPC meeting. Notification of the decision of the IPC to accept or reject a proposal for SE will be communicated in April 2026. 

Presentation and Proceedings  

The two-page proposals of accepted Seminars will be included in the Conference Proceedings. Two 90-minute sessions will be allocated to Seminars. After presentation, the coordinators of each SE are required to send a report of its activities to the PME Administrative Manager (e-mail address: info@igpme.org). This report may be included in the PME newsletter. This report is due by the end of September 2026. 

Ad Hoc Meeting (AH) 

Ad Hoc Meetings are a form of conference activity approved in 2010. During the conference, PME provides time slots and rooms for meetings of ‘ad hoc’ groups. The idea is that researchers can meet and discuss research topics that spontaneously came up during discussions of previous presentations at the conference. The Ad Hoc Meetings are reserved only for discussions; presentations or a continuation of a Research Report or Publication Report or Oral Communication are not allowed. To organize an Ad Hoc Meeting, at least two people should prepare an announcement with a short and precise description of the topic, the names of the organizers, and the preferred time slot, and deliver it to the PME Administrative Manager (info@igpme.org). The Administrative Manager will then assign times and rooms. Since there are only a few time slots and rooms, proposals will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. 

National Presentation (NP) 

The country hosting a PME conference can include a National Presentation in the scientific program of the PME conference. The goal of a National Presentation is to present to PME members of other countries the specific history, traditions and perspectives, as well as the most important results, of a national mathematics education community. Accordingly, the National Presentation has to be organized as a combination of giving information about the national situation and relating/contrasting this information with international mathematics educational research. One 90-minute session will be allocated to the National Presentation. 

Early Researchers’ Day (ERD) 

PME is pleased to offer a special day (early researchers’ day, ERD) for early career researchers who are also attending the PME conference. The Early Researchers’ Day will directly precede the main PME conference and will consist of presentations, working groups and other kinds of sessions planned to be of value to those new to research in mathematics education.  

The aim of the ERD is to provide early career researchers with opportunities to develop their research skills in various fields, establish new contacts, build networks among themselves and with respect to future PME conferences, and meet and work with international experts in the field.  

The 2025 ERD will be held on the afternoon of Sunday July 27 and the morning of Monday July 28 at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciencs of Universidad de Chile (on site). The day is being organized by Paola Ramírez (LOC member, Chile) and Arindam Bose (PME representative, India). Registration fees for ERD and coffee breaks are complimentary (no cost) and researchers can apply for participation through ConfTool. The number of participants will be limited. Priority will be given to current PhD students and post-doctoral students, and special consideration will be given to applicants from underrepresented countries. Updated and more detailed information will be posted on the PME49 conference website.  

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