Research interests
- Mathematic teaching and learning
- Empathy
- Human rights
- Human dignity
Yasmine Abtahi’s primary research focus lies in integrating human rights related values, such as empathy, human dignity and ethics, into the teaching and learning of mathematics. Notably, Abtahi has collaborated with directors from The European Wergeland Centre for Human Rights Education, bringing interdisciplinary expertise into the project. She has also is construction institutional ties between the Institute of Education and the Institute of Human Rights Education and Humanities, aiming to further bridging the gap between mathematics education and human rights advocacy. She has led several national and international research projects.
Human Rights Values in Mathematics Teacher Education Programs | Norway research council funded - Leading a team of 10 researchers and 2 PhD students in Norway, Professor Abtahi (Principal Investigatore) has spearheaded a youth participatory action research project that has significantly influenced the field of mathematics teacher education. Barwell (co-applicant) leads a sub-team of 5 researchers and 1 PhD student, that collected data from pre-service teachers. This initiative centers youth voices about human dignity, ethical awareness, and democratic participation, as guidance for mathematics teacher educators and pre-service teachers.
Migrants in Mathematics Classrooms | SSHRC funded project, Abtahi (Principal Investigator) and Barwell (co-applicant) led a team of 4 researchers and a combined total of 11 research assistants at Master and PhD levels. This project collected 107 letters from migrant students, asking them for their experiences in mathematics classrooms. Using the letters, the research team created fictional stories to be shared with teachers. These stories were used as provocative for the teachers to reflect on the experiences of the migrant students and their own practices.
Social and Political Issues in Mathematics Teaching | Funded by SSHRC, Guillemette PI and Abtahi and Barwell were co-applicants. In this exploratory study, funded by SSHRC, the team described, using a collaborative approach, the reflections of secondary school mathematics teachers on the social and political issues in mathematics education. We demonstrated how in-service teachers are interested in social and political issues, but report having little training and limited pedagogical resources, and a need to consider the foundations and goals of mathematics education, which are sometimes at odds with their social and political aspirations.
Mathematics and Social Justice: The Ethical Turn in Mathematics Education | Funded by the NFNR, Guillemette PI, Abtahi co-PI, and Barwell was the co-applicant. In this study our team documented how these sociocultural approaches, which emphasize the ethical issues of mathematics education, are received and considered by teacher educators in theoretical and practical terms. Our collaborative framework revealed, once again, strong interest among educators, as well as significant needs for the development of training programs in teacher education contexts. That said, promising avenues were developed jointly, particularly around the construction of training activities called "open mathematical explorations" through which future teachers develop their mathematical and didactic skills, as well as their epistemological and ethical awareness.