The general goal of the MaTeK Twinning project was to strengthen the research profile and scientific excellence of the Department of Mathematics Education (DME) at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia (UK BA), particularly in the field of mathematics teacher knowledge. Teacher knowledge serves as a fundamental prerequisite for the educational process, with the development of student knowledge as its primary objective. More specifically, MaTeK aimed to provide the DME with opportunities to collaborate with partners (Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, University of Palermo, Italy, Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway, and Middle East Technical University, Turkey) and learn from best practices in conducting high-quality research. To achieve this objective, the MaTeK consortium identified an emerging and highly relevant mathematical topic, reasoning and proof (R&P), which has recently been incorporated into the national mathematics curricula of several European countries.
R&P is an essential strand of mathematical proficiency, yet research indicates that many pre-service teachers are often not adequately prepared to cultivate opportunities for students to engage with R&P. In various real-life situations, individuals must make decisions, analyze information, or explain their thoughts and decisions, whether it's while shopping, selecting the best deal, defending ideas, or discussing important topics with individuals holding different opinions. Good argumentation skills and the ability to reason effectively help individuals make informed decisions, communicate clearly, and persuade others of their viewpoints.
Therefore, the primary focus of the MaTeK consortium's research efforts was to enhance the lesson design capacity of pre-service mathematics teachers, with a specific emphasis on R&P.
