Embodied Mathematical Imagination and Cognition (EMIC) Working Group

This is the 5th year of the EMIC WG. Several activities and website have emerged to connect scholars and provide resources, https://www.embodiedmathematics.com. Two NSF workshops for researchers and instructors grew from this: "The Future of Embodied Design for Mathematical Imagination and Cognition" (May 20-22, 2019); and "EMIC: Professional Development for Undergraduate Mathematics Instructors" (June, 2021). An edited book is planned for the "Research in Mathematics Education" Series and an article is under review for Frontiers in Education Research Topic: "Futures of STEM Education." As the WG matures, we are broadening the set of organizers to represent a range of institutions, perspectives, and applications. This enriches the WG experience and the long-term viability of the community. The organizers not included in the authorship list are listed here: Candace Walkington, Southern Methodist University; Carmen J. Petrick Smith, University of Vermont; Hortensia Soto, University of Northern Colorado; Ivon Arroyo, University of Massachusetts-Amherst; and Martha

• W. Alibali, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Embodiment is an effective way to promote inclusive mathematics education research and practices. This year we will explore how embodied mathematics can bridge cultural divides and raise awareness of inclusion for those with different physical and perceptual abilities (Abrahamson et al., 2019). To demonstrate growth and relevance, we will also join the Mathematical Play WG on Day 3 to integrate EMIC and Play research and practice. On Day 1 we will discuss the goals for PME-NA 2020 to bridge divides that arise across those with different physical and perceptual abilities. As is customary with EMIC, we will anchor this to mathematical activities (e.g., making human-scale polyhedra). For a portion of the time, participants will collaborate without sight, to identify how our bodies offer effective ways to engage. This will invite us to identify principles of inclusive pedagogy and activity design. This will be connected to the 4 EMIC themes: Grounding, emergence, affect, and multimodality. On Day 2, we will explore mathematical collaboration when participants cannot rely on a shared language. In order to challenge the norms of mathematical activities (e.g., Bagh Chal from Nepal), we will include puzzles and games that are foreign to majority cultures. On Day 3, EMIC will meet with the Math Play WG to consider overlapping interests and questions. The organizers of both WGs led a joint conference proposal that is currently under review, and Day 3 will be our first overt synthesis of the two bodies of work. The session will include small activity groups with Math Play participants who want to think about their work as embodied and EMIC participants who want to think of their work as math play opportunities. After, we will review Days 1 and 2, we consider how our themes overlap, ways to enhance future PMENA conferences, as well as the broader ways that embodiment, imaginative thinking, and play can be used to promote inclusivity. We will conclude by discussing continued engagement and dissemination opportunities available with both the EMIC and Math Play communities.

The research reported was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305A160020 to University of Wisconsin – Madison. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education. This work was also made possible by funding from the National Science Foundation, NSF-DRL Grant #1824662 and NSF-DUE Grant #1835409.

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Embodied mathematical imagination and cognition (EMIC) working group