Making distinctions
a phenomenological exploration in mathematics education
pp. 273-296
in: Paul Ernest (ed), The philosophy of mathematics education today, Berlin, Springer, 2018Abstract
After a brief remark about methods, readers are invited to consider two related phenomena, and then to connect their experience with my comments about them. Two mathematical tasks follow, both intended to highlight particular features of attention and how it shifts. After a brief commentary about attention linked to pedagogical actions that might be relevant, further comments on the task-exercises are offered which bring out more distinctions and associated actions. The chapter ends with discussion of some philosophical and pedagogical underpinnings, and some consequences of this way of working.