CFP: Mathematics Education and Human Flourishing in the context of AI: Enabling, Unenabling, and Disenabling Practices
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Mathematics Education Researchers (MER) community
May 26, 2026, 6:56:06 AM (10 days ago) May 26
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The notion of human flourishing is rooted in Aristotelian philosophy and refers to the development of capacities, strengths, and virtues, as well as a sense of meaning, purpose, and connection that provide the basis for living a good life – as an individual and as an active, responsible, and supportive member of a community. As part of the project High Performing Systems for Tomorrow (HPST), the OECD has identified three principles on which education for human flourishing should be based, spanning the academic, the caring and the creative, aimed at the design of fair and sustainable models of society in which people’s lives have purpose and meaning (OECD, 2024). A significant aspect of this project is to explore the notion of Education for human flourishing and artificial intelligence (AI) through a focus on three themes: AI and broadening human capabilities; AI and developing new models for the future; AI and restoring meaning to individual lives.
In this special issue (SI), authors will address the practices in mathematics education that enable or hinder human flourishing in the context of the rapid development and integration of AI technologies into education curriculum and teaching/learning programs internationally. In particular, the SI will address questions related to what humans can achieve with AI – the opportunities that come with the technology, as well as associated risks. These questions go to the centrality of what mathematics education must be – not only imparting discipline knowledge, but also its role in the personal and social development of both young people and adults. This is a key issue in setting direction for the field, because of the many decisions that are possibly made by algorithms in today’s societies. In other words, how should mathematics education, in the age of algorithmic decision-making processes, be conceptualised in a way that it contributes to human flourishing in the broadest sense.
Current research in mathematics education increasingly recognises that education does not merely serve to impart content or skills, but also contributes significantly to the development of individual and collective agency, identity, and participation (e.g., Siller et al., 2025). This includes concerns about the role of mathematics education in addressing the global challenges of our time, such associal and ecological concerns or disruptions (e.g., Geiger et al., 2023). Against this backdrop, questions about the role of mathematics education practices and their implications in fostering productive and happy lives for individuals and functioning, cohesive, and harmonious communities are becoming increasingly the centre of discussion. This discussion has only recently included the nature and role of AI technologies, for example, adaptive learning systems, automated diagnostic tools, and/or generative language models (e.g., Andersson & Valero, 2024). These technologies are increasingly embedded in educational practices and are fundamentally changing the nature of teaching and learning.
The contributions to this special issue aim to explore how mathematics education in connection with artificial intelligence can support and advance people on the one hand, but also exclude or disadvantage them on the other – key considerations for human flourishing. Thus, the SI will include contributions that:
• examine AI-related practices in mathematics education that promote or limit participation,
• reflect on the epistemological and ethical prerequisites and consequences of using AI in mathematics education,
• analyse the relationship between humans, AI as technology and education in the light of
philosophical concepts such as dignity, autonomy, care, and justice,
• develop alternative visions for individual-oriented mathematics education in the age of
digital transformation through, with, and because of AI.
Empirical studies as well as conceptual and theoretical contributions that bring interdisciplinary perspectives – for example, from philosophy, sociology, technology research, or educational science – into the mathematics education discussion are welcome. The SI is intended as a forum for in-depth discussion of how mathematics education can be designed under the conditions of algorithmic systems in order to provide learners not only with knowledge, but also with orientation, self-efficacy, and critical judgement in order to flourish. The aim is to contribute to the development of a reflective, ethically grounded, and forward-looking mathematics education that acknowledges responsibility for shaping a just, inclusive, and equitable educational world.
EDITORIAL PROCESS:
Submissions should be written according to the journal’s submission guidelines, available here. Online submission: please use the journal's Online Manuscript Submission System (Editorial Manager). Please note that paper submissions via email are not accepted.
More: https://link.springer.com/collections/daaccciadg
In this special issue (SI), authors will address the practices in mathematics education that enable or hinder human flourishing in the context of the rapid development and integration of AI technologies into education curriculum and teaching/learning programs internationally. In particular, the SI will address questions related to what humans can achieve with AI – the opportunities that come with the technology, as well as associated risks. These questions go to the centrality of what mathematics education must be – not only imparting discipline knowledge, but also its role in the personal and social development of both young people and adults. This is a key issue in setting direction for the field, because of the many decisions that are possibly made by algorithms in today’s societies. In other words, how should mathematics education, in the age of algorithmic decision-making processes, be conceptualised in a way that it contributes to human flourishing in the broadest sense.
Current research in mathematics education increasingly recognises that education does not merely serve to impart content or skills, but also contributes significantly to the development of individual and collective agency, identity, and participation (e.g., Siller et al., 2025). This includes concerns about the role of mathematics education in addressing the global challenges of our time, such associal and ecological concerns or disruptions (e.g., Geiger et al., 2023). Against this backdrop, questions about the role of mathematics education practices and their implications in fostering productive and happy lives for individuals and functioning, cohesive, and harmonious communities are becoming increasingly the centre of discussion. This discussion has only recently included the nature and role of AI technologies, for example, adaptive learning systems, automated diagnostic tools, and/or generative language models (e.g., Andersson & Valero, 2024). These technologies are increasingly embedded in educational practices and are fundamentally changing the nature of teaching and learning.
The contributions to this special issue aim to explore how mathematics education in connection with artificial intelligence can support and advance people on the one hand, but also exclude or disadvantage them on the other – key considerations for human flourishing. Thus, the SI will include contributions that:
• examine AI-related practices in mathematics education that promote or limit participation,
• reflect on the epistemological and ethical prerequisites and consequences of using AI in mathematics education,
• analyse the relationship between humans, AI as technology and education in the light of
philosophical concepts such as dignity, autonomy, care, and justice,
• develop alternative visions for individual-oriented mathematics education in the age of
digital transformation through, with, and because of AI.
Empirical studies as well as conceptual and theoretical contributions that bring interdisciplinary perspectives – for example, from philosophy, sociology, technology research, or educational science – into the mathematics education discussion are welcome. The SI is intended as a forum for in-depth discussion of how mathematics education can be designed under the conditions of algorithmic systems in order to provide learners not only with knowledge, but also with orientation, self-efficacy, and critical judgement in order to flourish. The aim is to contribute to the development of a reflective, ethically grounded, and forward-looking mathematics education that acknowledges responsibility for shaping a just, inclusive, and equitable educational world.
EDITORIAL PROCESS:
Submissions should be written according to the journal’s submission guidelines, available here. Online submission: please use the journal's Online Manuscript Submission System (Editorial Manager). Please note that paper submissions via email are not accepted.
More: https://link.springer.com/collections/daaccciadg
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