It is my pleasure to contribute a short foreword to this new MAVI-Homepage which is the initiative of the young researchers Joyce Peters-Dasdemir and Dr. Marcel Klinger.
Together with my colleague, Prof. Dr. Erkki Pehkonen (Helsinki), the first MAVI conference took place at the University of Duisburg on October 4th and 5th, 1995.
The basis was a joint cooperation project of the University of Helsinki and the University of Duisburg, which was financed by the Finnish Academy and the German Exchange Service (DAAD). At that time a vivid movement around research on mathematical beliefs started in Europe.
The next important step for research on beliefs was the publishing of the book
The aim of this research group is to study and examine the mathematical-didactic questions that arise through research on mathematical beliefs and mathematics-education.
The field of research has changed significantly since the first MAVI conference. Beliefs are no longer a hidden variable, but a crucial condition factor in many didactic processes. Again and again, new facets stimulate researchers to deal with these contexts.
Meanwhile, 23 MAVI conferences have taken place in numerous locations around Europe. A key feature of the conferences is the attendance of young researchers, who value the opportunity to present their research. Similarly, researchers who are experienced in the field attend MAVI to exchange ideas with researchers.
The conference conveners view the MAVI conference as an opportunity for researchers to share new insights, and to make connections with other researchers in the field. As such, we invite all interested researchers to join the MAVI network.
Prof. Dr. Erkki Pehkonen and Prof. Dr. Günter Törner
The proceedings give information about the last conferences; wherever possible, we have attached the files to download.