Body and movement in Mathematics Education. Paradigms and contexts of learning in Italy and Australia

The implementation of educational innovations and research findings is significantly influenced by cultural and contextual factors. In this paper, we will present a study carried out in Italy and Australia on the introduction at school of Mathematics active, bodily experience learning activities. Comparing two different teaching cultures, we revealed the presence of specific contextual features and cross-cultural characteristics, which can lead to a better understanding of those activities and their possible implementation. Thanks to in-depth interviews of a number of experts in Mathematics education in both countries, it was possible to observe emerging differences in how those activities are conceived and could be declined in school practice in the two different contexts. Some cultural dissimilarities stemming from the Mathematics and Mathematics education cultural traditions of the two states under consideration, which also figured in their educational policies, are also discussed.