Science at UM [S05-ep01]: Teaching Mathematics: The Challenge of Meaning
It’s back-to-school time for “A l’UM à la science” with Aurélie Chesnais from Lirdef who discusses mathematics education. The report introduces you to the chemistry kits from theIres with Jean-Yves Winum and Sébastien Filhol, chemistry professors at the Faculty of Sciences. A program broadcast every Wednesday on Divergence.
On "Science at UM," we’re kicking off our fifth season live from the laboratories of the University of Montpellier and its partners. And for the start of the new school year, what could be more fitting than talking about education—and what could be more fitting than math? So our topic today is the pedagogy of mathematics. I sense I’ve already lost some of you, but rest assured: stick with us, and like me, perhaps you’ll better understand why you never quite got past quadratic equations.
In fact, if math feels like a struggle to you, know that you’re not alone. According to the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), published in December 2024, French students are at the bottom of the class in math. France ranks last in the European Union infourth grade and second-to-last ineighth grade. These poor overall results are compounded by significant disparities among students based on their social backgrounds and gender, as we discussed with researcher Madalena Croitoru in a previous episode (Science at UM: Child-Robot Interaction to Challenge Gender Stereotypes in Mathematics, March 6, 2025).
This is not a new problem; as early as 2018, the Minister of National Education, Blanquer, tasked the renowned mathematician and member of parliament Cédric Villani with assessing the strengths and weaknesses of mathematics education in France—a mission that was supposed to result in a 21-point plan, which has clearly not borne fruit.
Perhaps he should have turned to our guest. Aurélie Chesnais is an educational researcher at Lirdef, the Interdisciplinary Research Laboratory in Didactics, Education, and Training. She has just co-published, with Aline Robert, a researcher at the André Revuz Laboratory of Didactics in Paris, an article titled A Didactic Perspective on the Professional Development of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers. Her approach can be summed up in four words: the quest for meaning!
In the second part, *A l’UM la science* heads back to the university hallways, and we set up our microphones right outside the chemistry lab. We’re staying on topic, since Jean-Yves Winum and Sébastien Filhol are both chemistry professors and members of the physics and chemistry group at IRES, the research institute for science education. They show us the chemistry kits developed by IRES.
At UM Science, you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Production: Alice Rollet
Tune in to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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