Prof Gerrit Stols, Head of the Department of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, and his colleagues Drs Sonja van Putten and Hanlie Botha, presented a paper on ‘The culturally enriched Mathematics class’ at a conference held at the Hamburg University in Germany. Prof Stols also attended a workshop on GeoGebra. Their ultimate goal was to enrich their practices as teachers of mathematics by being informed of the latest research on mathematics education.

This conference was possibly the largest ever international congress on mathematics education, with 3 486 registered delegates and an additional 250 German teachers. The plenary lectures, panel debates and surveys offered an overview of the latest developments in mathematics education worldwide and provided participants with insights into major current and future trends in this field.

A special feature of the Congress was the mathematics exhibition, which included many mathematical objects and hands-on materials for use during activities in the mathematics class. Among the objects on display were mirrors that produce optical illusions and challenging puzzles, such as versatile giant soap puzzles, which demonstrated that mathematics can be extremely enjoyable. The exhibition was accompanied by lectures presented by renowned experts in mathematics and mathematics education.

Following the presentation of the papers for each session, all the delegates were invited to actively participate in the topic study groups. During these discussions, mathematics educators from all over the world shared their experiences, opinions and advice.