Mathematics at University: The Anthropological Approach

Abstract

Mathematics is studied in universities by a large number of students. At the same time it is a field of research for a (smaller) number of university teachers. What relations, if any, exist between research and teaching of mathematics in universities? Can research “support” teaching? What research and what teaching? In this presentation I propose a theoretical framework to study these questions more precisely, based on the anthropological theory of didactics. As a main application, the links between the practices of mathematical research and university mathematics teaching are examined, in particular in the light of the dynamic between “exploring milieus” and “studying media”.