Mathematical Curiosity: Conceptualizations and Multiple Perspectives

This book represents a pioneering effort to establish mathematical curiosity as its own field of study within mathematics education. The authors take a multifaceted approach, examining curiosity through three key lenses: cognitive (how the mind processes and engages with mathematical concepts), affective (the emotional and motivational aspects of mathematical learning), and social (how curiosity develops through interaction with others).

The historical and cultural perspectives offer valuable context by exploring how different societies and time periods have understood and cultivated mathematical wonder. This broader view helps educators understand that curiosity isn't just a modern pedagogical tool, but has deep roots in how humans have always engaged with mathematical thinking.

The practical applications section likely provides concrete strategies and techniques that teachers can implement immediately. Rather than remaining purely theoretical, the book bridges the gap between research findings and classroom reality, offering evidence-based methods for nurturing student curiosity.

By positioning mathematical curiosity as a distinct scholarly domain, the authors are essentially arguing that this area deserves dedicated research attention, theoretical development, and practical exploration. This could lead to new research methodologies, assessment approaches, and pedagogical frameworks specifically designed around curiosity-driven learning.

The book's ultimate goal is transformative - not just to inform readers about curiosity, but to actively engage their own sense of mathematical wonder and potentially recruit them as contributors to this emerging field.

Roza Leikin is a Full Professor of Mathematics Education and Gifted Education at the University of Haifa's Faculty of Education, where she has served as Dean since October 2020. She is the Founding Director of the RANGE Center - the Interdisciplinary Center for the Research and Advancement of Giftedness and Excellence – in the University of Haifa. Dr. Leikin's research and practice focus on task design, mathematical creativity and expertise in students and teachers, and the integration of neuro-cognitive tools in mathematics education research. Dr. Leikin served as President of MCG - the International Group for Mathematical Creativity and Giftedness (2012-2017). Since June 2024, she serves as an Associate Editor for ZDM-Mathematics Education.

Jinfa Cai is the Kathleen and David Hollowell Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Delaware, an elected member of the National Academy of Education, and a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. He served as Editor-in-Chief for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (2017-2020). He is currently PI for the NSF-funded project, Supporting Teachers to Teach Mathematics Through Problem Posing.

Alexander Karp is a professor of mathematics education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He received his PhD in mathematics education from Herzen Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg, Russia and also holds a degree from the same university in history and education. Currently, his scholarly interests span several areas, including the history of mathematics education, gifted education, mathematics teacher education, and mathematical problem solving. He served as the managing editor of the International Journal for the History of Mathematics Education and is the author or editor of over one hundred publications, including over forty books.