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ZDM

, Volume 48, Issue 3, pp 385–391 | Cite as

Neuroscientific studies of mathematical thinking and learning: a critical look from a mathematics education viewpoint

  • Lieven Verschaffel
  • Erno Lehtinen
  • Wim Van Dooren
Commentary Paper
First Online:

Abstract

In this commentary we take a critical look at the various studies being reported in this issue about the relationship between cognitive neuroscience and mathematics, from a mathematics education viewpoint. After a discussion of the individual contributions, which we have grouped into three categories—namely neuroscientific studies of (a) children’s numerical magnitude representation, (b) arithmetical thinking, and (c) more advanced mathematical thinking—and which nicely document the scientific progression being made within the domain of educational neuroscience applied to the domain of mathematics education during the last 5 years, we point to some general caveats that should be considered in future research.

Keywords

Neuroscience Numerical magnitude representation Arithmetic Advanced mathematical thinking 
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Copyright information

© FIZ Karlsruhe 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Lieven Verschaffel
    • 1
  • Erno Lehtinen
    • 2
  • Wim Van Dooren
    • 1
  1. 1.University of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
  2. 2.University of TurkuTurkuFinland

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