Introduction

Mathematics is a foundation for many fields of study as language, tools, and computation for learning and development of the disciplines of social sciences, sciences, engineering, and technology, and equally important for everyday life activities. Despite its importance, learning mathematics has always been challenging for students at school mathematics.  Mathematics learning for school students is becoming hard, and sometimes it has taken them to a failure in life and the case of severe anxiety. In fact, mathematics anxiety began as early as elementary school (Harper & Daane, 1998) and it continues onwards. Every parent, therefore, keeps serious concern about their children’s mathematics learning ability. Research has identified several factors responsible for learning mathematics; however, the teaching-learning approach adopted in the classroom and guidance and support to the students are some of the major factors that can address the limitations created in learning due to other factors. Basically, students from poor socio-economic backgrounds, gender differences, and underrepresented groups who have less access to resources and learning opportunities are facing learning problems.

To address the learning crisis in mathematics, several attempts have been made in pedagogical fields. Among them, practical strategies that facilitate student engagement through a real-world problem, addressing social and cultural aspects, and using technology with constructive, collaborative, and active learning strategies have a positive impact on students’ learning. Students engage learning strategies can foster a positive attitude to learning mathematics, increase their association to mathematics, reduce anxiety and support diverse learners’ backgrounds. In fact, greater engagement in the class enhances students’ learning ability (Amy & Christenson, 2012). Recent research has shown that student engage learning strategies have been contributing to improving students’ performance and engagement in learning mathematics. With the aim of disseminating of student-engaged practical learning strategies and supporting the teachers and educators of Nepal, this international conference is organized. We are very excited that a team of 15 mathematics educators, including the past president of the National Council of Mathematics Teachers (NCTM), are presenting at the conferences. Along with this team of mathematics educators, several other educators from Nepal and aboard are also presenting at the conferences.

Broader Themes for the Papers

We invite professors, researchers, educators, and practitioners to participate in the conference with their paper, poster, and presentation of the special experience on engaged learning-based teaching as a contributor and all mathematics teachers, educators, and mathematical professional council and organization for their valuable participation. The main aim of the conference is to bring international and national experts and educators together to explore the possibilities of engaged learning as well as other pedagogical approaches that are highly relevant to student learning needs of the 21^st century. Furthermore, it is aimed to establish a network of researchers, educator, mathematicians and all other arts and sciences who are inclined to the development of mathematics education in the future. We invite original research papers, case studies, innovative ideas, and strategies in practical strategies for engaging the learning of students in mathematics both at school and higher education levels. We expect papers around the following global topics for the conference:

• Engaging students in learning using real problem-solving approaches
• Active and collaborative learning in mathematics
• The constructivist approach of engage learning in mathematics.
• Learner diversity and learning management in teaching mathematics.
• Use of technology for engage and interactive learning in mathematics.
• Mathematical anxiety and creation of positive attitudes towards mathematics and learning mathematics through engaged learning.
• Innovative approaches in student-center teaching
• Assessment and engaged learning

We are very much optimistic about the conference for providing a platform for the participants to share their work, exchange their ideas, and learn from each other to bring transformation in pedagogical approaches making relevant to the 21^st century complexity in learning management. The conference will feature keynote speeches, panel discussion, and interactive workshops. In our plan, an interactive workshop on engaged learning will be conducted in two different locations in Nepal and finally come to the conference.

Timeline for Paper Submission

We request submissions of the papers/posters from the researchers, practitioners, educators, students, and professors within the following deadlines.

Paper submission: April 30, 2023

Registration: May 15, 2023

Conference and Workshop dates:

June 10, Itahari, (workshop)

June 15, Butwal (workshop)

June 17, 2023(conference)

We look forward to your participation in the international conference on “Practical Strategies for Making Mathematics Accessible through Student Engaged Learning”.

The Academic Sub-committee of the Conference Organizing Committee will make decision of accepting the paper and confer the participation in the conference for those who submit their papers in time. The papers must be within the given topics focusing on school mathematics education. No other papers and presentation accepted.

Practical Information

The participants from abroad and Nepal can manage their cost of travel and other personal expenses themselves. The organizer provides local hospitality with moderate accommodation for the international participants in a limited number with priority due to resource constraints. Nepali participants have to manage all their participation costs themselves.

We have planned to levy the registration fees for national and international participants.

International participants: $40

National participants: Rs 2000

Students: Rs 1500

A hard copy of the seminar papers will be provided to the participants at the time of registration.

Programs

The conference is organized in three different places in Nepal. Itahari in the east, Butwal in the west, and Kathmandu in the central part of the country are chosen for the conference places. In Itahari and Butwal, program will be concentrated on workshop and seminar on practical strategies on engaged learning as pedagogy in teaching mathematics at school levels. The conference in Kathmandu is an international conference where presentations, discussions, and reflections are the priority in the given presentations by the scholars and practitioners. Based upon participants’ convenience, one can participate in the three conferences.

The programs are as follows:

Conference Outputs

This conference aims to achieve the following outputs.

The goal of this conference is to begin and strengthen collaboration and networking among educators, researchers, mathematicians, teachers, and students from different countries in the world. Furthermore, the conferences aim to learn from the educational system of a highly developed countries as well as share ideas and knowledge from developing countries like Nepal.

 It is believed that this conference will provide a practical activity of engaged learning of mathematics with fun, rather than taking mathematics teaching and learning as a boring and challenging subject. Additionally, we are very optimistic that a new international avenue will be open to the researchers for constructing and collaborating new knowledge and understanding in the domain of mathematics teaching and learning. Both senior and junior mathematics educators, professors, teachers, and students will be benefited from this conference. The expected outputs, in a nutshell, are as follows:  

• International networking among the educators, teachers, and researchers and long-term institutional collaboration and networking for the development of mathematics education in Nepal
• Orient and trained in using engaged learning for mathematics teaching to some extent.
• Joint research and development activities in mathematics education, and STEAM Education
• Publications of the research papers
• Conference Proceedings

Organizer

This conference is jointly organized by three institutions: the Department of Mathematics Education, Central Department of Education Tribhuvan University Kirtipur, Council for Mathematics Education, Nepal, and Math Kind USA.  

The organizers with the assistant from their personal contribution and seeking financial support from different organizations and people, the cost of the conference will be covered. The international participants are bearing their cost of travel and other expenses to contribute this conference. The organizer appeal for respective organizations and persons for the financial and other support based on their will and capacity to make this initiative successful and give way forward for the networking of academics and institutions in future for more fruitful contribution in the field of mathematics education in general and particularly mathematics education in Nepal.

References

Harper, N W. & Daane, C.J. (1998). Causes and reduction of math anxiety in preservice elementary teachers. Action in Teacher Education, 19(4), 29-38.

Amy L. R, & Christenson, S. L. (2012). Jingle, Jangle, 1 and Conceptual

Haziness (2012) Evolution and Future Directions of the Engagement Construct. S.L. Christenson et al. (eds.), Handbook of Research on Student Engagement, 3 DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-2018-7_1